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BIOLOGY -110 > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Name at least four characteristics of Life?

A

Order- Growth and Development- Reproduction- Regulation.

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2
Q

what is meant when we refer to the hierarchal of life?

A

Grouping system, or different levels of organization.

Think: (President, VP, Secretary of State, ETC.) or (Galaxy, Solar System, Planets, ETC)

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3
Q

10 levels of biological organization?

A

Molecules- Organelles- Cells- Tissues- Organs- Organisms- Populations- Communities- Ecosystem- Biosphere.

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4
Q

What is the smallest level of organization at which life is present?

A

Cells: Collections of organelles, structural unit of all living organisms.
“Smallest unit of life”.

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5
Q

what cell type do humans have?

A

Humans have Eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotic Cells- Have a membrane bound organelle. are more complex than prokaryotic cells.
Prokaryotic Cells- DON’T have a membrane bound organelle. And are much simpler.

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6
Q

What is meant by emergent properties?

A

Properties that “emerge” as we “organize” and combine parts.

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7
Q

Define “Reductionism”

A

Breaking things down into simpler components to get a better understanding of how it works.
Think- Dissection.

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8
Q

Limits of the usefulness of reductionism in understanding life?

A

Braking things down into smaller components help better understand them, but can lead to loss of function or emergent properties.

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9
Q

What molecule store genetic information?

A 
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
DNA is located on chromosomes in the cells nucleus. The double helix appearance is made of nucleotides. Contains genes that code for production of proteins.
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10
Q

(DNA) Be able to describe the basic structure of this molecule and how that structure enables it to store genetic information.

A

DNA is transcribed to produce RNA in the nucleus. RNA leaves nucleus to cytoplasm, is translated to produce a protein.

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11
Q

Meaning of “Diversity of life”

A

Life is very diverse in all levels of ecological organization.

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12
Q

Define “Taxonomy” and “Taxon”

A

Taxonomy- Naming and classifying forms of life.

Taxon- A taxonomic unit named at any level of classification. (I.E- A phylum, A Family, ETC)

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13
Q

List the 8 standard levels in the Linnaean Classification Hierarchy ?

A

Domain- Kingdom- Phylum- Class- Order- Family- Genus- Species

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14
Q

Who is Linnaeus?

A

Linnaeus was a trained medical doctor, who was born in Sweden in 1707.

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15
Q

Define “Binomial”

A

Binomial is a two named system.

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16
Q

Name the three domains that living things are separated into?

A

Domain Bacteria: diverse, unicellular prokaryotes
Domain Archaea: unicellular prokaryotes, with many differences from bacteria.
Domain Eukarya: All organisms with eukaryotic cells. Includes unicellular and multicellular species.

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17
Q

What are the three kingdoms in Domain Eukarya? What is the fourth group in Eukarya?

A

Plantae (Plants): multicellular eukaryotes, most of which are photosynthetic
Fungi: Non-photosynthetic eukaryotes that absorb nutrients from outside their bodies; unicellular to multicellular
Animalia: Non-photosynthetic, multicellular eukaryotes that ingest their food and digest it internally.
Protists: Mostly unicellular eukaryotes; diverse (probably many kingdoms)

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18
Q

Define “Unity of life”

A

All living things share the same fundamental characteristics

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19
Q

What theory accounts for both the seemingly opposite characteristics of unity and diversity in life?

A

Refers to the many similar features shared by all living things, especially at the molecular level
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION.

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20
Q

What is biological evolution?

A

Change in life overtime.

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21
Q

What is natural selection?

A

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring

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22
Q

who first proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection?

A

Charles Darwin proposed a mechanism by which evolution happens – natural selection

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23
Q

Darwin’s observations?

A

Individuals in a population vary in their heritable traits.
A population can produce far more offspring than can survive in an environment.
Species are generally suited (i.e., adapted) to their environments.

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24
Q

Phrase that describes evolution via NS before?

A

Survival of the fittest.

Natural Selection: differential survival/reproductive success among individuals because of genetic differences among them. NS is a mechanism by which evolution can occur!!

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25
What are qualitative and quantitative observations,
Quantitative: data expressed as numerical measurements Qualitative: written descriptions, like descriptions of an animal’s behavior.
26
what is the role of observations in inductive reasoning?
Generalizations on a large # of specific observations
27
Define "Hypothesis"
An educated guess; a tentative answer to a well framed question.
28
How do scientists use deductive reasoning and predictions to test hypotheses?
Deductive Reasoning: premise predictions of specific results. (Example: Exotic species are species that are not native to a region, but arrived with help from humans.)
29
Scientific definition on "Theory"
well-tested, well-accepted explanation for a large collection of facts.
30
Difference between Theory and Hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a tentative answer to a well framed question, its an educated guess. And a theory is a well accepted explanation for a large collection of facts.
31
What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?
The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable.
32
What is an element? a compound?
Element: A substance that cannot be broken down into another substance by a chemical reaction. Compound: substance consisting of two or more elements in a fixed ratio.
33
What elements make up most of living matter?
4 most common elements in living organisms: O, C, H, N. | Oxegen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen.
34
What is an atom?
smallest unit of an element that still retains its properties.
35
What are the 3 major sub-atomic particles, and what are their characteristics?
Neutron, Proton, Electron
36
What are an atoms' "atomic numbers" and how are these symbolized?
atoms element have the same # of protons = atomic #1H
37
What are "mass numbers" and how are these symbolized?
Mass # = effectively the total number of P and N in the atom. Thus, with these 2 #s we can determine both the # of P an N!!
38
Define Atom, Isotope, and Ion.
Atom- smallest unit of an element that still retains its properties. Isotope- forms of an element with different #s of neutrons Ion- atom with an electrical charge Radioactive isotopes: unstable – nucleus decays spontaneously, releasing particles including protons. (Negative ion = Anion Positive ion = Cation)
39
What is a chemical bond? A molecule?
CB: attraction between atoms caused by sharing electrons Molecule: 1 or more atoms held together by a covalent bond.
40
What is the difference between a covalent bond and an ionic bond?
Ionic bond: attraction of oppositely-charged ions. Covalent bond: sharing a pair of electrons by two atoms.
41
Which type of bond is stronger?
covalent bond is 8-10 stronger
42
What is a polar covalent bond?
Polar CB when atoms differ greatly in electronegativity.
43
difference between polar and non polar.
1 atom is more electronegative than the other, it “holds” shared electron much more than it shares it. This creates negative and positive ends = polar. Atoms of the same element, pull is equal so shared electrons spend ~same time in one atom’s orbital as the other = non-polar.
44
What is a hydrogen bond, and how does its strength compare to those of ionic and covalent bonds?
H-bond: interaction between H bonded an electronegative atom (positive charge) Very weak!! •Weaker than covalent or ionic bonds.
45
What are Van der Waals interactions, and how do they compare in strength to other bonds?
If atoms are equal electronegativity, sometimes # electrons on one side creates a temporary neg and pos side. During this moment, there can be TEMPORARY attraction if near oppositely charged region.` Weakest interaction of them all! – but can be biologically significant!
46
What is the significance of water to life on earth?
¾ of the world’s surface is water! •Living things are mainly made of water. Only substance on earth common in all 3 chemical states. water is a good solvent.
47
What are cohesion and adhesion?
Cohesion: H-bonding of water molecules to other water (think droplets) Adhesion: H-bonding of water to other charged substances. (Think water absorbing into a paper towel.) Both relate to fact that water is a polar molecule.
48
What important process in plants relies on a combination of cohesion and adhesion?
Transpiration: the long-distance transport of water from roots to shoots in plants.
49
Define “specific heat.”
SH: Quantity of heat that must be absorbed to raise 1 g of something 1 degree C. SH of water = 1 calorie, or 1 cal/g/degree C.
50
Define “heat of vaporization.”
H of V: Quantity of heat needed to convert (i.e., evaporate) 1 g liquid to gas. •Varies by temp – standard is 25 degrees C. •HV at 25 C for water = 580 cals (which is relatively high!)
51
How does the high heat of vaporization of water affect living organisms?
Contributes to temp stability in water bodies | Makes water an excellent cooling substance (e.g., sweat).
52
What characteristic of water might be responsible for both the specific heat and heat of vaporization of water to be so high?
Cohesion!(h-bonding)
53
How does the density of water behave differently from the density of most other substances? Why is this property of water important to living systems?
Water is most dense at 4 degrees C. Below this it becomes less dense even while still a liquid. At 0 C, molecules form crystalline lattice = ~10% less dense than liquid water = why ice floats!
54
Implications of this to life?
Fact that ice floats prevents most water bodies from freezing solid
55
Define Solution, Solvent, and Solute
Solution: A homogenous mixture of two or more substances. Solvent: the dissolving agent of a solution (usually a liquid) Solute: the substance that is dissolved.
56
What characteristic makes some substances hydrophilic and some hydrophobic?
Hydrophilic (“water-loving”): polar or ionic substances; can dissolve in water if small, or absorb water if big. Hydrophobic (“water-fearing”): non-polar and non-ionic; don’t dissolve in water.
57
What does “mole” mean and what is a “1M solution?”
A mole is a unit of measuring quantity or concentration of molecules. 1 mole = 6.02 x 1023 molecules (Avogadro’s #)
58
How do we know we have a mole’s worth of molecules?
Because of how Avogadro’s # and daltons were defined, 1 mole = molecular weight in GRAMS180 g glucose = 1 mole EXAMPLE: Glucose C6H12O6 Use molecular mass, the sum of masses of all atoms in a molecule.
59
What is a “1M solution” – a 1 molar solution?
Molarity = the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. So a 1 molar solution contains 1 mole of solute dissolved in 1 liter of water. Glucose (molecular mass = 180 g):•dissolve 180 g glucose into 1 L of water.
60
Define “acid” and “base.”
Acid: a substance that increases the H ion (H+) concentration of a solution. Base: a substance that reduces the H+ concentration of a solution. Often do this by disassociating to form hydroxide ions (OH-), which bond to H+ ions water.
61
PH scale
Runs from 0 to 14; lower #s more acidic, higher #s more basic. pH 7 is neutral. A base 10 logarithmic scale: each unit change is a 10 fold increase or decrease. pH 5 is 10X more acidic than pH 6. pH 9 is 100X more basic than pH 7.
62
What are buffers and why are they important to living organisms?
Buffers: substances that limit pH change with the addition of acid or base to a solution. Tend to be molecules that accept H+ ions when they are abundant, ordinate H+ when they are depleted.
63
What is the significance of shape in biological molecules?
Molecular shape determines how molecules recognize and respond to one another!
64
What is organic chemistry and what is an organic molecule?
OC = study of organic molecules (i.e., molecules that contain Carbon (and are bigger than CO2).
65
Why is life “carbon-based?”
Valence electrons: electrons in outermost orbital shell available to form bonds. Carbon can covalently bond with other molecules in up to 4 directions = large, complex molecules. C is also very ABUNDANT!
66
What is an isomer?
Isomer: compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures (and different properties)!
67
What is ATP and its important role in living organisms?
Adenosine triphosphate: Adenosine molecule attached to string of 3 phosphate groups. Basically, the metabolic energy currency of life. Energy is released when final phosphate group is released.
68
What is a macromolecule? A polymer? A monomer?
Macromolecule: a very large molecule made up of smaller components. Polymer: large compound (i.e., macromolecule) made up of many repeated units called monomers. Monomers: smaller molecules that are the building blocks of polymers.
69
Name and describe the type of chemical reaction by which (a) monomers are joined, and (b) polymers are broken apart.
Monomers joined together to build polymers via dehydration, or dehydration synthesis = “build by removing water”. Polymers are broken down to monomers via hydrolysis = “water breakage Both of these require enzymes!
70
What four general types of biochemicals are the major constituents of living things?
Carbohydrates Lipids (oils and fats) Proteins Nucleic Acids (DNA and RNA)
71
Carbohydrates:
``` Monomers = monosaccharides Small carbs (mono- or disaccharides) often called “sugars.” Main function of sugars = “quick energy”! ```
72
important monosaccharides
Glucose (e.g., “blood sugar”). Fructose (“fruit sugar,” but not just in fruit. Many others!
73
Important disaccharides:
Sucrose (“table sugar,” and form by which plants transport carbs). Lactose (“milk sugar”) Maltose (“malt sugar”).
74
Polysaccharides:
Strings of thousands/millions of monosaccharides! Main Functions: Longer-term energy storage (mainly in plants)•Structure (in plants, and some animals) Starch: Long term energy storage, especially in plants. Cellulose: Structural support, especially in plants. Chitin?: Structural support in arthropods and fungi.
75
LIPIDS
Often called fats and oils. •Not just repeated monomers, and often not that “macro.” All = mostly or entirely hydrophobic.
76
Three broad types of Lipids
Triglycerides Phospholipids Steroids
77
Unsaturated vs Saturated Fats
``` Saturated = FA’s lack double bonds. Unsaturated = double-bonds connect some carbons in FA’s. Saturated = most animal fats Unsaturated = plant or fish fats ```
78
Functions of Triglycerides:
Long-term energy storage, especially in animals (also plant seeds). Long-term energy storage, especially in animals (also plant seeds). Insulation (thermal/mechanical) in animals.
79
Phospholipids:
Glycerol bonded to 2 FA’s and a phosphate group (+ more). | Main function in living organisms = building cell membranes.
80
Steroids
Diverse, but all tend to be relatively small. Main carbon skeleton = 4 fused rings, with different chemical groups attached. Example – Cholesterol: Negative? In excess, contributes to cardiovascular disease.
81
PROTEINS:
Polymers made up of monomers called amino acids.
82
Two major protein groups based on structure:
Globular Lots of folding = specific structure. Fibrous Often take form of long fibers
83
Antibodies or immunoglobins
used in immune system to identify and inactivate pathogens.
84
What is a gene?
a discrete unit of heredity made of nucleic acid (usually DNA). In most cases, genes code for the synthesis of a protein.
85
What are the steps in gene expression also summarized by the “flow of genetic information”. Explain generally what happens in each step.
DNA of a gene is transcribed to make mRNA (messenger RNA) in the nucleus. mRNA leaves nucleus to cytoplasm and is translated to a protein at a ribosome.
86
List the four nucleotides found in DNA. What are the three major components of a nucleotide base. List the complementary DNA sequence for the following: GATCGCAA
DNA is a polymer made up of monomers = nucleotides 3 basic parts: Phosphate group Sugar (deoxyribose) Nitrogenous base. Four types: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Thymine.
87
List the complementary DNA sequence for the following: GATCGCAA
Double helix held together by N-bases, A to T and C to G | GATCGCAACTAGCGTT
88
Describe, in very general terms, the structures of DNA and RNA. Be able to describe the differences between DNA and RNA?
DNA Replication Complementary strands pull apart by breaking weak H-bonds connecting bases RNA (ribonucleic acid): nucleic acid made of monomers of nucleotides.
89
difference between DNA and RNA?
But RNA differs from DNA in 3 ways: Single-stranded. Sugar is ribose. No thymine; instead A matches with Uracil.
90
In general terms, describe the process of transcription and translation.
Transcription: synthesis of mRNA using a DNA template. Translation: synthesis of a protein using info encoded in mRNA. change in “language” from nucleotides to amino acids
91
Transcription
Transcription synthesis of mRNA using a DNA template * In nucleus. * mRNA created from a gene. * Small enough to leave through pore in nuclear envelope.
92
Translation
Translation: •In cytoplasm at a ribosome.. •mRNA nucleotide code translated, 3 at a time = codon. •Codons code for specific amino acids. synthesis of a protein using info encoded in mRNA. •change in “language” from nucleotides to amino acids.

BIOLOGY -110 (5 decks)

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