Themes in Biology Review (Chapter 1)

KEY TERMS

Be able to define/describe these terms.

emergent property                               holism                           evolution

control group                                       population                    reductionism

natural selection                                   variable                        community

prokaryotic                                         scientific method           experimental group

ecosystem                                           eukaryotic                    hypothesis

deductive reasoning                             biome taxonomy           inductive reasoning

scientific theory                                    biogenesis                    domain

kingdom, phylum, class, order, family genus, species                scientific law

 

Review Questions

1. Briefly describe unifying themes that pervade the science of biology.

2. Diagram the hierarchy of structural levels in biology.

3. Describe seven emergent properties associated with life.

4. Explain how technological breakthroughs contributed to the formulation of the cell theory and our current knowledge of the cell.

5. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

6. Explain what is meant by "form fits function."

7. List the five kingdoms of life and distinguish among them. Compare the old 5-kingdom system of organization with the new 3-domain system now in use.

8. Briefly describe how Charles Darwin's ideas contributed to the conceptual framework of biology.

9. Outline the scientific method.

10. Explain how science and technology are interdependent.

11. Compare and contrast scientific law and scientific theory.

 

Introductory Chemistry Review (Chapters 2 &3)

KEY TERMS

Be able to define/describe these terms.

matter                                       hydroxide ion                            inorganic          

pH                                           atom                                         buffer

element                                     nonpolar covalent bond            acid

polar covalent bond                  base                                         single bond

double bond                             ionic bond                                anion 

isotope                                     cation                                      hydrogen ion            

hydrogen bond                         valence electrons                      hydrophobic

hydrophobic interactions           hydration                                  hydrophilic                

half-life                                    compound                                amphipathic                             

ion                                           surface tension                          dissociation                              

capillarity (=capillary action)     ionic bond                                specific heat                                                      

freezing point of water               ionization                                  heat of vaporization

molecule                                   solvent                                     molecular formula                

solute                                       structural formula                      aqueous solution

 

Review Questions

1. Describe atomic structure, using the terms proton, neutron, electron, atomic number, mass number, atomic weight, valence and orbital.  Indicate what is meant by electrons in an "excited state" and those in a "ground state"

2. Explain what an isotope is and give two important physical properties of isotopes that make them useful in biological research. Define half-life.

3. Determine the number of neutrons when given the atomic number and mass number of an atom.

4. State the four elements that make up 96% of living matter.

5. Explain how electron configuration influences the chemical behavior of atoms.

6. Define electronegativity and explain how it influences the formation of chemical bonds.

7. Explain the octet rule and predict how many bonds a specific atom might form.

8. Explain why the noble gases are so unreactive.

9. Using diagrams, explain what an ion is, and how it forms.  Describe an ionic bond.

10. Describe a covalent bond and tell how it differs from an ionic bond.  Relate the structure of an atom to its chemical properties and to the type of chemical bond it forms. 

11. Explain the important role of weak chemical bonds in the organization of living things.

12. Describe the formation of a hydrogen bond and explain how it differs from a covalent or ionic bond.

13. Describe the special physical properties of water. 

14. Draw two water molecules in a way that illustrates a hydrogen bond.

15. Explain the relationship between the polar nature of water and its ability  to form hydrogen bonds.

16. Describe the structure and geometry of a water molecule, and explain what  properties emerge as a result  of this structure.

17. Describe how water contributes to the fitness of the environment to  support life.

18, List five characteristics of water that are emergent properties resulting from hydrogen bonding.

19. Explain how water's high specific heat, high heat of vaporization and  expansion upon

freezing  affect both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

20. Explain how the polarity of the water molecule makes it a versatile  solvent.

21. Describe the biological importance of the cohesiveness of water.

22. Distinguish between heat and temperature.

23. Explain the basis for the pH scale.

24. Explain why buffers important to living things.  Explain how a buffer system works.

 

Biochemistry Review (Chapters 4 & 5)

KEY TERMS

Be able to define/describe these terms.

organic chemistry                      denatured proteins                    carbon             

hydrocarbon                             nucleic acids

isomer                                      DNA                                        single bond                  

double bond                             purines                                     functional group 

adenine                                     hydroxyl                                   guanine

carbonyl                                   pyrimidines                               aldehyde          

cytosine                                    ketone                                      thymine

amino                                       uracil                                        phosphate                    

RNA                                        macromolecule                         monomer

polymer                                    monosaccharide                        glucose            

disaccharide                             dehydration synthesis(=condensation reaction)

maltose                                     sucrose                                     lactose

hydrolysis                                 polysaccharide                          starch              

glycogen                                   cellulose                                   chitin

fatty acid                                  saturated                                  unsaturated      

phospholipid                             steroid                                      amino acid

peptide bond                            polypeptide                              disulfide bond

primary structure                       alpha helix                                secondary structure

fibrous proteins                         keratins                                    pleated sheet               

tertiary structure                        quaternary structure

 

Review Questions

Chapter 4

1. Explain how carbon’s electron configuration determines the kinds and  number of

bonds carbon will  form.

2. Describe how carbon skeletons may vary, and explain how this variation  contributes

to the diversity  and complexity of organic molecules.

3. Distinguish among the three types of isomers: structural, geometric and  enantiomers (stereo isomers).

4. Recognize the major functional groups, and describe the chemical  properties of

organic molecules  in which they occur. See table 4.1 on page 60.

Chapter 5

* Describe the monomers for carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.

* Identify the main macromolecules of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.

* Recognize the structural formulas for the main macromolecules for carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.

1. List the four major classes of biomolecules.

2. Describe the principles relating to formation of macromolecules (polymers) from monomers, and the formation of monomers from polymers. Explain how organic polymers contribute to biological diversity.

3. Describe how covalent linkages are formed (dehydration synthesis, condensation, building up of macromolecules) and broken (hydrolysis, breaking down of macromolecules) in organic polymers. 

4. Describe the distinguishing characteristics of carbohydrates, and explain how they are classified. Describe the monomer for carbohydrates.

5. List four characteristics of a sugar.

6. Identify a glycosidic linkage and describe how it is formed.

7. Describe the important biological functions of polysaccharides.

8. Distinguish between the glycosidic linkages found in starch and cellulose, and explain why the difference is biologically important.

9. Explain what distinguishes lipids from other major classes of macromolecules.

10. Describe the unique properties, building block molecules and biological importance of the three important groups of lipids: fats, phospholipids and steroids.

11. Identify an ester linkage and describe how it is formed.

12. Distinguish between a saturated and unsaturated fat, and  list  some unique emergent properties that are a consequence of these structural differences.

13. Describe the characteristics that distinguish proteins from the other major classes of macromolecules, and explain the biologically important functions of this group. 

14. List & recognize four major components of an amino acid (the monomer of a protein). Explain how amino acids may be grouped according to the physical and chemical properties of the side chains.

15. Identify a peptide bond and explain how it is formed.

16. Explain what determines protein conformation and why it is important.

17. Define primary structure and describe how it may be deduced in the laboratory.

18. Describe the two types of secondary protein structure, and explain the role of hydrogen bonds in maintaining the structure.

19. Explain how  weak  interactions & disulfide bonds contribute to tertiary protein structure.

20. Using collagen and hemoglobin as examples, describe quaternary protein structure. 

21. Define denaturation and explain how proteins may be denatured.

22. Describe the characteristics that distinguish nucleic acids from other macromolecules.

23. Summarize the functions of nucleic acids.

24. List the major components of a nucleotide (the monomer for nucleic acids), and describe how  these monomers are linked together to form a nucleic acid.

25. Distinguish between a pyrimidine and a purine.

26. List the functions of nucleotides.

27. Briefly describe the three-dimensional structure of DNA

 

Book Review Questions

Chapter 2: MC #1-10, STS #1-2

Chapter 3: MC #1-3, 5, 6, 8-10, STS #2

Chapter 4: MC #1-9, Challenge #1, STS #2

Chapter 5: MC #1-10, Challenge #1-2, STS #1-2