In a hypertonic solution, water flows through aquaporins embedded in the plasma membrane of the cell.

This type of transport is best known as which of the following?

Urea is a substance that is excreted by sweat glands in response to the breakdown of proteins and the formation of ammonia.

When proteins are broken down, they produce ammonia, which is a highly toxic compound for the body.

Ammonia is then converted into urea and released out of the body through sweat glands.

Choice B.

Sebum is not correct because it is an oily substance secreted by sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect the skin, but it is not related to the breakdown of proteins or the formation of ammonia.

Choice C.

Water is not correct because while it is a component of sweat, it is not specifically related to the breakdown of proteins or the formation of ammonia.

Choice D.

Lysozymes are not correct because they are enzymes found in tears, saliva and other body fluids that have antibacterial properties, but they are not related to the breakdown of proteins or the formation of ammonia.

Diameter.

The diameter is the measurement of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on its circumference.

In this case, the line across the center of the cell represents the diameter of the cell.

Choice A, Area, is not the correct answer because area refers to the amount of space inside a two-dimensional shape.

Choice C, Volume, is not the correct answer because volume refers to the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object.

Choice D, Radius, is not the correct answer because radius refers to the distance from the center of a circle to its circumference and is half the length of the diameter.

Calcium ions play a crucial role in initiating muscle contraction.

When a muscle cell is stimulated to contract by an action potential, calcium channels open in the sarcoplasmic membrane and release calcium into the sarcoplasm.

Some of this calcium attaches to troponin, which causes it to change shape.

This shape change exposes binding sites for myosin on the actin filaments.

Myosin’s binding to actin causes crossbridge formation, and contraction of the muscle begins.

The other ions mentioned in the question do not have this specific role in muscle contraction.

Potassium ions are important for maintaining the resting membrane potential of cells, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Phosphorus ions are important for energy metabolism, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Sodium ions are important for generating action potentials, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as vasopressin, is a hormone that helps regulate the amount of water in your body.

It works to control the amount of water your kidneys reabsorb as they filter out waste from your blood.

Choice A is not correct because an increase in the concentration of calcium in the glomerulus is not a physiological response caused by the release of antidiuretic hormone.

Choice C is not correct because a decrease in the concentration of calcium in the glomerulus is not a physiological response caused by the release of antidiuretic hormone.

Choice D is not correct because a decrease in water reabsorption in the collecting duct is not a physiological response caused by the release of antidiuretic hormone.

Carbonic acid.

In the human body, maintaining the pH of the blood within a narrow range is critical for proper physiological functioning.

One of the buffering systems that helps to regulate blood pH involves the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into carbonic acid (H2CO3), which then dissociates into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-).

Carbonic acid (H2CO3) is responsible for donating H+ ions to act as a buffer when blood pH rises.

When blood pH rises (becomes more alkaline), carbonic acid dissociates, and the H+ ions combine with bicarbonate ions to form more carbonic acid.

This helps to remove excess H+ ions from the blood and prevent the pH from rising too much.

Option A, carbon dioxide, is involved in the buffering system through its conversion to carbonic acid.

However, it does not directly donate H+ ions to act as a buffer when blood pH rises.

Option B, carbon monoxide, is a toxic gas that binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing them from carrying oxygen.

It is not involved in the buffering system and does not donate H+ ions.

Option D, oxygen, is carried by hemoglobin in red blood cells and is essential for respiration.

It is not involved in the buffering system and does not donate H+ ions.

The polarity of water molecules explains its solvent abilities for certain substances.

Water is a polar molecule because it has a partial positive charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other end due to the unequal sharing of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

This polarity allows water to dissolve other polar substances and ionic compounds.

Choice A.

Kinetic energy of liquid water molecules is not the correct answer because kinetic energy refers to the energy of motion and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Choice B.

High specific heat is not the correct answer because specific heat refers to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Choice C.

High surface tension is not the correct answer because surface tension refers to the cohesive forces between liquid molecules and does not directly explain water’s solvent abilities.

Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes the acidity of chyme.

The pancreas secretes large amounts of sodium bicarbonate, which protects the duodenum by neutralizing the acid that comes from the stomach.

This compound helps neutralize stomach acid generated during the digestive process.

Choice A is incorrect because sodium bicarbonate is not a protease that digests carbohydrates.

Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins, while sodium bicarbonate is a chemical compound that helps neutralize stomach acid.

Choice B is incorrect because sodium bicarbonate does not stimulate the pyloric sphincter.

The pyloric sphincter is a ring of smooth muscle that separates the stomach from the duodenum and regulates the passage of partially digested food (chyme) into the small intestine.

Choice C is incorrect because sodium bicarbonate does not inhibit peristalsis.

Peristalsis is a series of wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.

Amino acids have a unique structure consisting of an amino group (-NH3⁺) and a carboxyl group (-COO⁻) attached to a central carbon (called the α-carbon). At physiological pH (around 7.4), these functional groups often exist in their ionized forms:

• The amino group (-NH3⁺) is positively charged, acting as a proton acceptor (a base).
• The carboxyl group (-COO⁻) is negatively charged, acting as a proton donor (an acid).

This results in a zwitterion — a molecule with both a positive and a negative charge. Because amino acids can accept or donate protons depending on the pH of their environment, they have buffering capacity. This means they can resist changes in pH by stabilizing the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺).

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Monosaccharides: These are simple sugars without ionizable functional groups, so they cannot act as buffers.
• B. Ribonucleotides and D. Deoxyribonucleotides: While nucleotides have phosphate groups that can donate protons, they lack the dual positive and negative functional groups necessary for the strong buffering effect seen in amino acids.

Therefore, amino acids are the correct choice because their zwitterionic nature provides them with excellent buffering capacity.

The cell membrane is present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

The cell membrane is a thin, flexible barrier that surrounds all cells and separates the inside of the cell from the outside environment.

It is composed of a lipid bilayer and regulates the movement of substances into and out of the cell.

Choice B is incorrect because the Golgi apparatus is not present in prokaryotic cells.

The Golgi apparatus is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells that is involved in modifying, sorting, and packaging proteins and lipids for transport to other parts of the cell or to be secreted outside the cell.

Choice C is incorrect because chloroplasts are not present in prokaryotic cells.

Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and some algae that are responsible for photosynthesis.

Choice D is incorrect because the endoplasmic reticulum is not present in prokaryotic cells.

The endoplasmic reticulum is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells that is involved in protein synthesis and lipid metabolism.

Viruses.

Viruses lack essential machinery needed to reproduce by themselves.

In fact, viruses can only reproduce after infecting a living cell - a process called viral replication.

Once inside a living cell, viruses re-program the cell’s machinery to produce viral proteins and genetic material to make new copies of themselves.

Choice A, Bacteria, is not the correct answer because bacteria have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.

Choice B, Protozoa, is also not the correct answer because protozoa are singlecelled eukaryotes that have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.

Choice C, Helminths, is not the correct answer because helminths are multicellular parasitic worms that have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.