extra flashcards unit 1 + unit 2
give one advantage and one disadvantage of the tracheal system for gas exchange in insects [2]
- adv =
• reduces water loss / allows them to live in arid conditions
• no (blood/circulatory system/pigment) required
• oxygen supplied directly to the cells/muscles
• tracheoles go directly to cells/tissues - disadv =
• size/shape limitation
state how mammals maintain the concentration gradient at their gas exchange surface [2]
- ventilation (movement/system) / description of replacing oxygen in alveoli
- (blood/transport system) (takes oxygen away from respiratory surface) / ORA for carbon dioxiee
state why cellular demand for oxygen is lower in a fish compared to a dog of the same size [2]
- low body temperature
- metabolic rate low
- less energy required for support / fish are bouyant
reject : dogs move more than fish/dogs are more active than fish/ more oxygen needed for respiration
what does no nucleus mean for red blood cells?
can carry more haemoglobin (so increased O2 transport)
how does the thin centres on a red blood cells aid its function?
has short diffusion distance (so faster diffusion)
how does being small give an advantage to mammalian red blood cells?
- have a higher sa:vol ratio
- so more in total / total surface area large
what is the dependent variable?
the variable that is being measured/tested in the experiment
what is the independent variable?
the variable that you change during an experiment
identify one possible source of error when investigating the biodiversity of animals [1]
- some easier to catch than others / misidentification / recounting / they move around / camoflauged
one student calculated the diversity index in one section of a stream to be 10.24. explain what can be concluded from this result [2]
- there has been a mathematical error
- highest possible diversity index is 1
the banded snail is found in a variety of habitats, such as grassland, heathland, sand dunes and the base of hedges. the shell colour can vary : yellow which looks green with the animal inside, brown, pink and white. the shell can be banded or have up to 5 bands
- these morphologically different snails are all the same species. explain why this is an example of ‘genetic polymorphism’ [2]
any two from:
- the existence of a number of distinct (inherited) varieties (coexisting in the same population in a single species)
- snails (are different colours/have different bands)
- different morphology
- different phenotypes
- at frequencies too great to be explained by recurrent mutations
- multiple alleles for the same gene
questions related to ‘breathing in/inspiration’
- the DIAPHRAGM muscle CONTRACTS which cause it to FLATTEN
- this INCREASES THE VOLUME of the chest cavity and therefore the lungs
- at the same time the INTERCOSTAL MUSCLES between the ribs CONTRACT which causes the RIB CAGE TO MOVE UP AND OUT
- this increases the VOLUME of the chest cavity and therefore the lungs
- increasing the volume of the lungs REDUCES THE PRESSURE in the lungs, ad the pressure within the lungs is now LOWER THAN THE PRESSURE OUTSIDE the body AIR RUSHES INTO the lungs via the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles
questions related to ‘breathing out/expiration’
- the diaphragm muscle relaxes which causes it to dome upwards
- this decreases the volume of the chest cavity and therefore the lungs
- at the same time the intercoastal muscles between the ribs relax which causes the rib cage to move down and in
- this decreases the volume of the chest cavity and therefore the lungs
- decreasing the volume of the lungs increases the pressure in the lungs, as the pressure within the lungs is now higher than the pressure outside the body air rushes out of the lungs via the bronchioles, bronchi and trachea
questions related to ‘adaptation to gas exchange’
- the structure (lungs, gills etc) will have a large surface area which increases the rate of diffusion
- as the tissue is thin there is a short diffusion pathway which aids rapid diffusion
- the tissue is also permeable to the gases involved so diffusion is possible
- finally there is a good blood supply which means that a concentration gradient is maintained so that diffusion happens rapidly
- terrestrial organisms also have a moist gas exchange surface to allow gases to dissolve into the liquid to aid movement of the gases across membranes either into or out of cells
questions related to ‘adaptations of xerophytes’
- xerophytes are adapted to reduce loss of water
- they have a reduced surface area to volume ratio so that there us less area over which water can be lost
- xerophytes also have a thick waxy cuticle which acts as a waterproofing layer
- and also possess fewer stomata per unit area which again reduces the volume of water lost
- often stomata are sunken and/or leaves are curled; in both cases this traps a layer of moist air above the stomata which reduces the concentration gradient of water and therefore water loss by diffusion
explain why atp is sometimes referred to as the universal energy currency. include reference to the structure of the molecule in your answer [3]
- found in (all cells, of) all organisms
- (common) source of energy (in reactions)
- high energy BONDS / energy stored in BONDS between phosphate ions
- released when (bonds between phosphate break/hydrolysed) / exergonic
explain why the substance used to immobilise enzymes must be inert [1]
- substance used for immobilisation must not affect the shape of the active site / does not react with enzyme or substrate
it was originally proposed that one gene carried the code for one enzyme. this was revised to become the one gene-one protein hypothesis. it is now known as, the one gene-one polypeptide hypothesis.
using your knowledge of protein structure and function explain why the two previous versions of this hypothesis are no longer accepted [2]
- some proteins are made of more than one polypeptide/some genes code for more than one polypeptide
- not all proteins are enzymes
there has been some debate as to whether the pseudo-thumb in red pandas and giant pandas are examples of analogous or homologous structures. distinguish between analogous and homologous structures. explain why analogous features are not considered evidence of common ancestry [3]
- analogous structures (evolve separately) are different structures to perform a similar function
- homologous structures (evolve from common ancestor) similar structure performing different function
- analogous structures arise through convergent evolution
give an example of a disease caused by an organism in the kingdom:
a) prokaryotae
b) protoctista
c) fungi
a) any of the bacterial diseases
b) malaria etc
c) athletes food, ringworm, thrush etc
identify two habitats where you would expect to find a high number of species [2]
- (tropical) rain forest
- coral reef
questions related to ‘sexual and asexual reproduction’
- asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical
- cells divide by mitosis during asexual reproduction and as this process is rapid the species can reproduce rapidly is the environmental conditions are right
- however, organisms that carry ou t asexual reproduction are at a disadvantage as if the environmental conditions change e.g temperature changes markedly then the species will not be able to adapt
- if one died they all would
- sexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically different
- gametes (sex cells) are produced by meiosis during sexual reproduction and as a partner is required sexual reproduction is slower than asexual reproduction
- however, organisms that carry out sexual reproduction are at an advantage as if the environmental conditions change e.g temperature changes markedly then the species will be able to adapt
- at least some of the species would be able to survive
questions of ‘define counter-current flow as seen in the gills of bony fish, and explain why counter current flow makes gas exchange more efficient’ [3]
- counter current flow is when blood flows in the opposite direction to the water
- this happens in the gills of bony fish
- the concentration gradient is maintained across the entire surface of the gill as the blood in the capillaries is always next to water with a higher concentration of oxygen
- this means that more oxygen can be diffused into the blood from the water surrounding the gill
questions related to ‘transpiration from leaves’
- transpiration is the loss of water from the leaves of plants
- this happens as water diffuses out of the leaves through the stomata as there is a water potential gradient between inside the leaf and the outside
- if the temperature is increased transpiration happens more rapidly as the water molecules in the air outside the stomata have more kinetic energy and therefore move away more quickly so that a steep water potential gradient is maintained
- if humidity is high this will reduce transpiration as the air outside will have many water molecules in it
- this would mean that there was less of a water potential gradient
- if light intensity was high this would increase transpiration because of the increase in stomatal opening which leads to a larger surface area for the water molecules to diffuse through