Biology Semester 1 Exam Flashcards
(87 cards)
What is the basic unit of structure and function for living things?
cell
Enzymes are essential molecules found in every living thing. Why are they so crucial?
enzymes occur what reactions occur or do not occur inside our bodies (regulate our bodies)
Are people open systems or closed systems? What does it mean to be “open” or “closed”?
open systems; b/c they interact with their environment
How can living things have both unity and diversity?-
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What type of intermolecular force is found between two water molecules? Why is this type present in water?-
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What is true of the surface tension of water? Why Other than insects walking on water, why is water’s surface tension important for life?
b/c of the strong Hydrogen bonds; it keeps pollen and other pollutants from mixing into the water and killing the marine life
What is capillary action? Why is it important for life?
the natural rise of a liquid in a small tube; trees use capillary action to move water from the roots to the leaves which gives trees the ability to make oxygen that humans breathe
Water has a very large specific heat. What important role do the oceans fulfill due to this large specific heat?
they moderate the earth’s temperature by absorbing some of the heat
Why is sweating less effective on humid days?
the air has as much water as it needs therefore the evaporation that cools us down is less effective because the air doesn’t need extra water
Why is water so important for living things to have within them?
everything that travels through the body is dissolved in water
What is special about carbon that allows it to produce many different compounds?
has many isomers; can formed long chains, branched chains, and rings; 4 covalent bonds
What are hydrocarbons used for?
fuel and food
For each of the four groups of macromolecules, list the functions and monomers:
Carbohydrates- (functions) provide structure and act as an energy source; (monomers) monosaccrides
Lipids- (functions) energy source and main components of cell membranes; (monomers) fatty acids
Proteins- (functions) enzymes; (monomers) amino acids
Nucleic Acids- (functions) transmit genetic material and assemble enzymes; (monomers) nucleotides
Why are humans unable to digest cellulose, but we are able to digest starch?
we lack the necessary enzymes
How are monomers linked together to form polymers? How are polymers spilt apart?
dehydration reaction; hydrosis reaction
What does it mean to say a fatty acid is saturated?
it has the maximum number of H+
How are two strands of a nucleic acid held together?
hydrogen bonds
What is the purpose of enzymes? How do they accomplish this purpose?
to speed up the reaction; they lower the activation energy level
What is an enzyme-substrate complex? What is its significance?
when a substrate binds to an enzyme’s active site, a subtle change occurs; when this happens the bonds of are stretched and weakened
As the product, glucose-6-phosphate, accumulates in the cell, the rate of glycolysis slows dramatically. What is this an example of?
feedback inhibition
What does a competitive inhibitor do to an enzyme-catalyzed reaction? How does it do this? How does a noncompetitive inhibitor differ?
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How can the effect of a competitive inhibitor be overcome? A noncompetitive inhibitor?
the addition of more substrate; the addition of more enzyme
Some inhibitors are reversible while others are irreversible. What distinguishes the two types?
reversible inhibitors have weak H bonds; irreversible have strong covalent bonds
Why is it necessary for living things to regulate the reactions that occur within them?
they do not want to waste resources and to turn a specific reaction on or off when needed or not needed