BACE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield BACE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the proper disposal procedure for used sharps (needles, scalpel blades) in a biotechnology laboratory? → Dispose in a rigid, puncture-resistant sharps container
2. Which of the following activities is a core responsibility of the Quality Assurance (QA) department in a biotechnology company? → Reviewing and approving Batch Production Records before product release.
3. What is the purpose of an autoclave in bioprocessing? → To sterilize media, equipment, and waste using steam under pressure
4. Which objective lens would provide the greatest working distance from the lens to the specimen? → 4x (scanning objective)
5. In a PCR reaction, what is the function of the denaturation step? → It separates the double-stranded DNA template into two single strands for primer binding
6. What is the role of ribosomes in genetics? → Synthesizing proteins
7. A spectrophotometer is used to measure the optical density (OD600) of a bacterial culture. What is the purpose of the 'blank' measurement? → To zero the absorbance against the growth media so only bacterial cell density is measured
8. When preparing a 1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 using KH2PO4 and K2HPO4, what ratio of K2HPO4 to KH2PO4 is required? (pKa2 of phosphate = 7.2) → Approximately 1:1 (equal amounts of both salts)
9. In thin layer chromatography (TLC), the Rf value is calculated as: → Distance traveled by spot / distance traveled by solvent
10. A centrifuge rotor becomes unbalanced during a spin. What is the most immediate risk? → Mechanical failure, rotor damage, or injury from rotor failure
11. Which of the following is considered a source of chemical contamination in a cell culture, rather than biological contamination? → Endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria
12. A lab protocol requires the preparation of a 2% (w/v) agarose gel solution in a total volume of 150 mL. How much agarose powder is needed? → 3.0 g
13. How often should the interior surfaces of a biological safety cabinet be decontaminated with 70% ethanol? → Before and after each use session
14. What is the primary function of the cell membrane? → To regulate what enters and exits the cell by acting as a selectively permeable barrier
15. What is the purpose of the CO2 in a cell culture incubator? → To maintain media pH by equilibrating with bicarbonate-buffered media
16. What is the purpose of adding ethanol during a silica membrane DNA purification protocol (spin column)? → To bind DNA to the silica membrane by reducing aqueous solvation of DNA
17. What is the role of ribosomes in a cell? → To synthesize proteins by translating mRNA sequences into amino acid chains
18. What is the function of a sparger in a bioreactor? → To introduce small bubbles of air or oxygen into the culture medium
19. Which element is the backbone of organic molecules? → Carbon
20. Which of the following is a critical step for precipitating DNA from an aqueous solution after cell lysis and removal of cellular debris? → Adding ice-cold ethanol or isopropanol.
21. What is the pH of a neutral solution? → 7
22. Which organelle is responsible for producing ATP through cellular respiration in eukaryotic cells? → Mitochondria
23. Which organelle is responsible for packaging and modifying proteins for transport? → Golgi apparatus
24. Which method is commonly used to separate cells from fermentation broth during harvest? → Centrifugation or depth filtration
25. What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? → Eukaryotes have a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles; prokaryotes lack these structures
26. A technician needs to prepare 500 mL of a 0.5 M Tris-HCl buffer. The formula weight of Tris is 121.14 g/mol. How many grams of Tris should be weighed out? → 30.29 g
27. Which buffer property is most critical to control when performing ion exchange chromatography? → pH and ionic strength
28. How do you prepare 100 mL of a 20% (v/v) ethanol solution from pure (100%) ethanol? → Add 20 mL of 100% ethanol to a 100 mL volumetric flask and fill to the mark with water
29. What is the primary function of the ribosome in the cell? → Producing proteins
30. Which type of balance should be used when accurately weighing 50 mg of a reagent for a critical buffer preparation? → An analytical balance with 0.0001 g (0.1 mg) readability