Practice Test GeeksAP Practice Test
← All AP Flashcard Decks

Bacterial Classification Flashcards

7 cards from real AP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Bacterial Classification flashcards as text

  1. Which of the following cell arrangements describes bacteria that divide in one plane and remain attached in chains?

    Answer: Streptococci

    Streptococci divide in a single plane and remain attached, forming chains of spherical cells.

  2. Proteobacteria are subdivided into classes (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.) based on:

    Answer: 16S rRNA sequence similarity

    Classes within Proteobacteria are defined by 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis reflecting evolutionary relatedness.

  3. Which genus forms endospores that allow survival in boiling water for extended periods?

    Answer: Clostridium

    Clostridium (and Bacillus) endospores are highly heat-resistant structures that can survive boiling temperatures.

  4. A Gram-negative diplococcus isolated from a urethral swab is most likely which organism?

    Answer: Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus and the causative agent of gonorrhea.

  5. What is the primary basis for distinguishing Streptococcus species from one another in clinical labs?

    Answer: Hemolysis pattern on blood agar

    Streptococci are categorized as alpha-, beta-, or gamma-hemolytic based on how they lyse red blood cells on blood agar.

  6. Which of the following bacteria is an example of a spirochete?

    Answer: Treponema pallidum

    Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, is a spirochete with a characteristic corkscrew morphology.

  7. Facultative anaerobes are best described as organisms that:

    Answer: Can grow with or without oxygen

    Facultative anaerobes can perform aerobic respiration when oxygen is available but switch to fermentation or anaerobic respiration without it.