What is the process of breaking down glucose into pyruvate called?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: A) Glycolysis is the process of breaking down glucose into pyruvate. This occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and is the first step in cellular respiration. B) Gluconeogenesis is the process of synthesizing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, such as amino acids or glycerol, and is the opposite of glycolysis. C) The Krebs cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, is a series of chemical reactions that occur in the mitochondria and is involved in the oxidation of acetyl-CoA to produce ATP and other energy carriers. D) Oxidative phosphorylation is the final stage of cellular respiration where ATP is produced through the transfer of electrons in the electron transport chain.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Proteolysis is the specific process of breaking down proteins into amino acids. Lipolysis refers to the breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol, not proteins. Carbohydrate catabolism involves the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose for energy production, not proteins. Nucleic acid catabolism is the breakdown of nucleic acids into nucleotides, not proteins. Therefore, in the context of breaking down proteins into amino acids, the correct term is proteolysis.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Signal transduction is the correct answer. It is the process by which cells respond to external stimuli like chemicals, temperature, or touch. When a cell receives a signal from its environment, it triggers a series of molecular events leading to a specific cellular response. This process involves transmitting signals from the cell surface to the interior, triggering various cellular activities. Homeostasis, on the other hand, refers to an organism's ability to maintain internal stability in response to external changes. Adaptation involves an organism adjusting to its environment over time through genetic changes or behavioral modifications, which is distinct from the process of cells responding to immediate external stimuli. Metabolism, although essential for cellular functions, is not specifically about cells responding to external stimuli but rather the biochemical processes involved in energy production, storage, and utilization within cells.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The balanced chemical equation indicates that 2 moles of sodium react with 2 moles of water to yield 2 moles of sodium hydroxide and 1 mole of hydrogen gas. When 3 moles of sodium react with only 2 moles of water, sodium becomes the limiting reactant as it is present in excess compared to the available water molecules. This situation arises because not all sodium atoms can fully react with the limited amount of water, resulting in sodium being the limiting reactant in this specific case. Choice B (H2O), choice C (NaOH), and choice D (H2) are incorrect as they are not the limiting reactant in the given reaction scenario.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Cytokinesis is the process of dividing the cytoplasm of a cell into two daughter cells after the nucleus has divided during mitosis. In the cell cycle, cytokinesis typically occurs at the end of the mitotic phase, following the separation of the duplicated chromosomes into two identical sets in the daughter nuclei. Interphase (option A) is the phase where the cell grows, carries out its normal functions, and prepares for cell division, but cytokinesis does not occur during this phase. Meiosis (option C) is a specialized type of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms to produce gametes, and cytokinesis occurs at the end of meiosis II, not meiosis I. G2 phase (option D) is the phase of the cell cycle following DNA replication in S phase and preceding mitosis, where the cell prepares for cell division, but cytokinesis occurs during mitosis, not in the G2 phase.