Biology Flashcards
(144 cards)
Steps of the scientific method:
- Observation: New ones are made or previous data is studied
- Hypothesis: statement or explanation of certain events or happenings
- Experiment: Repeatable procedure of gathering data to support or refute the hypothesis.
- Conclusion: Data and significance are fully explained.
A life, and therefore biology, occurs in what?
A water based/ aqueous environment.
What is the most significant aspect of water?
The polarity of its bonds that allow for hydrogen bonding between molecules.
Benefits of water’s polar covalent hydrogen bonding?
-High specific heat (hydrogen bonds allows for large bodies of water to maintain a stabile env.)
-Strong cohesive and adhesive properties
-Is one of the few solids that floats in its solid form on top of its liquid form.
- Allows water to act as a versatile solvent
Specific heat:
Amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of 1 gram of that molecule by 1 degree Celsius.
—— is the ability of a molecule to stay bonded or attracted to another molecule of the same substance.
CO-hesion. Cohesion.
—– is the ability of water to bond to or attract other molecules or substances.
ADD-hesion. Adhesion.
Why does frozen ice float?
When water freezes it forms a lattice crystal- the molecules spread apart, thereby reducing density, rather than packing tightly together (as seen with lipids).
The 4 most significant molecules to biology:
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids.
- Proteins
- Nucleic Acids
Three most important functions of carbohydrates?
Storage
Structure: Forms the backbone of important molecules, such as DNA and RNA
Energy: Converted into ATP
Three classes of Lipids:
- Fatty Acids
- Phospholipids
- Steroids
Two classes of fatty acids:
- Saturated: No double bonds in hydrocarbon tail. Solid at room temp.
- Unsaturated: 1 or more double bonds.
Phospholipid structure:
Two fatty acids, or more, bonded to a phosphate group
Which part of the phospholipid is hydrophobic and which is hydrophilic? And why?
The phosphate group is charged = polar and soluble in water.
The hydrocarbon tail of fatty acids is nonpolar = nonsoluable in water.
Which molecule is the most significant contributor to cellular function?
Protein. (Largest of all of the biologic molecules)
—- is the sum of all chemical reactions that occur in an organism.
Metabolism
In a cell, reactions take place in a series of steps called:
Metabolic pathways.
—- is the fundamental unit of biology.
The cell.
Two types of cells:
Prokaryotic
Eukaryotic
Structure of prokaryotic cells:
Lack a defined nucleus. Do not have membrane bound organelles.
Structure of eukaryotic cells:
Membrane-enclosed nucleus; series of membrane-bound organelles that carry out the functions of the cell as directed by the genetic information contained in the nucleus.
More complex than a prokaryotic cell.
The nucleus contains the DNA of the cell in organized masses called:
Chromosomes
What information does a chromosome contain?
All of the genetic information for the regeneration (repair and replication) of the cell, as well as instructions for the function of the cell.
Every organism has a characteristic number of chromosomes specific to the particular:
species