Campbell s Biology 9e Reece et al Chapter 4 Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life This chapter focuses on the chemistry of carbon and organic compounds Students should be able to identify the nature of the bonds between carbon and other elements nonpolar versus polar the different types of weak bonds and interactions the various types of isomers the basic functional groups of organic molecules and their relative solubility in water The abiotic formation of organic molecules from inorganic molecules is important in the origin of life Multiple Choice Questions 1 The element present in all organic molecules is A hydrogen B oxygen C carbon D nitrogen E phosphorus Answer C Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 2 The complexity and variety of organic molecules is due to A the chemical versatility of carbon atoms B the variety of rare elements in organic molecules C the fact that they can be synthesized only in living organisms D their interaction with water E their tremendously large sizes Answer A Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 3 The experimental approach taken in current biological investigations presumes that A simple organic compounds can be synthesized in the laboratory from inorganic precursors but complex organic compounds like carbohydrates and proteins can only be synthesized by living organisms B a life force ultimately controls the activities of living organisms and this life force cannot be studied by physical or chemical methods C although a life force or vitalism exists in living organisms this life force cannot be studied by physical or chemical methods D living organisms are composed of the same elements present in nonliving things plus a few special trace elements found only in living organisms or their products E living organisms can be understood in terms of the same physical and chemical laws that can be used to explain all natural phenomena Answer E Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 1 Copyright 2011 Pearson Education Inc 4 Differences among organisms are caused by A large differences in elemental composition from organism to organism B differences in the types and relative amounts of organic molecules synthesized by each organism C differences in the elements that bond with carbon in each organism D differences in the sizes of the organic molecules in each organism E differences in inorganic compounds present in each organism Answer B Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Application Analysis 5 Which of the following people was the first to synthesize an organic compound urea from inorganic starting materials A Stanley Miller B Jakob Berzelius C Friedrich Wohler D Hermann Kolbe E August Kekul Answer C Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 6 Stanley Miller s 1953 experiments proved that A life arose on Earth from simple inorganic molecules B organic molecules can be synthesized abiotically under conditions that may have existed on early Earth C life arose on Earth from simple organic molecules with energy from lightning and volcanoes D the conditions on early Earth were conducive to the origin of life E the conditions on early Earth were conducive to the abiotic synthesis of organic molecules Answer B Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Synthesis Evaluation 7 Hermann Kolbe s synthesis of an organic compound acetic acid from inorganic substances that had been prepared directly from pure elements was a significant milestone for what reason A It solved an industrial shortage of acetic acid B It proved that organic compounds could be synthesized from inorganic compounds C It disproved the concept of vitalism D It showed that life originated from simple inorganic chemicals E It proved that organic compounds could be synthesized from inorganic compounds and disproved the concept of vitalism Answer E Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Synthesis Evaluation 2 Copyright 2011 Pearson Education Inc 8 Stanley Miller s 1953 experiments assumed that early Earth s atmosphere contained A hydrogen cyanide formaldehyde hydrogen gas and water vapor B ammonia methane hydrogen gas and water vapor C ammonia methane oxygen gas and water vapor D amino acids methane hydrogen cyanide and water vapor E methane formaldehyde ammonia and carbon dioxide Answer B Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 9 When Stanley Miller applied heat and electrical sparks to a mixture of simple inorganic compounds such as methane hydrogen gas ammonia and water vapor what compounds were produced A mostly amino acids B only simple organic compounds such as formaldehyde and cyanide C mostly hydrocarbons D only simple inorganic compounds E both simple organic compounds and more complex organic compounds such as amino acids and hydrocarbons Answer E Topic Concept 4 1 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 10 How many electron pairs does carbon share in order to complete its valence shell A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 E 8 Answer D Topic Concept 4 2 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 11 A carbon atom is most likely to form what kind of bond s with other atoms A ionic B hydrogen C covalent D covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds E ionic bonds covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds Answer C Topic Concept 4 2 Skill Knowledge Comprehension 3 Copyright 2011 Pearson Education Inc 12 Which of the following statements best describes the carbon atoms present in a seed eating bird A They were incorporated into organic molecules by plants B They were processed into sugars through photosynthesis C They are ultimately derived from carbon dioxide D They were incorporated into organic molecules by plants and they are ultimately derived from carbon dioxide E They were incorporated into organic molecules by plants they were processed into sugars through photosynthesis and they are ultimately derived from carbon dioxide Answer E Topic Concept 4 2 Skill Synthesis Evaluation 13 Which of the following statements best describes the carbon atoms present in a seed eating bird A Inorganic carbon atoms in the seeds were incorporated into organic molecules by the bird B The carbon atoms ultimately came from the soil C The carbon atoms are ultimately derived from coal D The carbon atoms ultimately came from carbon dioxide incorporated into sugars through photosynthesis E The carbon atoms ultimately came from simple organic compounds that formed abiotically from inorganic carbon hydrogen oxygen and nitrogen atoms Answer D Topic Concept 4 2 Skill Synthesis Evaluation 14 Why are hydrocarbons insoluble in water A The majority of their bonds are polar