MCAT Question of the Day

Correct Answer: B. 10 m.

All of the kinetic energy will be transferred into potential energy at the maximum height of the cannonball. The trick is to not replace KE with (1/2)mv², the kinetic energy is already given! Therefore:

KE -> PE -> KE = PE -> KE = mgh -> h = KE/mg = 500 J / (5 kg)(10 N/kg) = 10 m.

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Correct Answer: D. The previous noble gas.

A metal prefers to lose electrons so that it has the configuration of 8 around its valence shell so that it is equivalent to the stable noble gas previous to it.

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Correct Answer: B. The cell will shrivel

For cells with a selectively permeable membrane, water will move from higher water concentrations to lower water concentrations. In this problem, the salt is too large to cross the membrane, so the salt concentration will remain the same. Since red blood cells have more water than the salt-water mixture, the water in the cell would leave to try to make the two environments isotonic. If water leaves the cell, the cell will eventually shrink.

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Correct Answer: A. 10^-5

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Correct Answer: B. Synapomorphies

Plesiomorphies are characteristics that are original in the organism. While apomorhic means “derived characteristic”, the prefix syn- alters the meaning to “shared derived characteristic.” Using the prefix aut- causes the meaning to change to “self-derived characteristic” implying that it isn’t shared by another group. Homoplasy or homoplastic characteristics are shared among groups, but weren’t derived from an ancestral source.

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Correct Answer: D. Autoclave

The autoclave is the laboratory proven method for killing bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. It can reach temperatures of 121 °C and 2.7 atm, and the combined pressure and temperature are enough to kill the majority of existing pathogens. However, the autoclave cannot kill some species that are able to form heavy spores or protein coats, which include some viruses and fungi.

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Correct Answer: C. Part of the innate immune system comprised of plasma proteins synthesized primarily by hepatocytes.

The complement system is a clear example of innate immunity, being a form of host defense that is non-specific and does not adapt in response to antigens. However, there is evidence of cross-talk between the complement system and adaptive immunity. Similarly components of the complement system communicate with components of the inflammatory system and hematopoietic system. Nonetheless, complement system components are distinct from leukocytes and the components of the inflammatory system and are primarilysynthesized in the liver.

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Correct Answer: C. 10 mi*h^-1*s^-1

The formula for acceleration is velocity divided by time:

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Correct Answer: D. halved.

The centripetal force of the car is mv²/r, where m is the car’s mass, v is the velocity, and r is the radius of the circular track. If we double the radius while keeping everything else uniform, the centripetal force will be halved because they are inversely proportional.

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Correct Answer: B. Phospholipids

The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer that has a hydrophilic head (where the polar phosphate is attached) and a hydrophobic tail (made up of hydrocarbon chains). Starch is a polysaccharide that is generally hydrophilic and can be dissolved in water. Triglycerides, steroids and cholesterol are all entirely hydrophobic not being able to be dissolved in water. The molecule mentioned in the question is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic, indicative of the phospholipid, therefore only answer option [B] is correct.

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