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General Biology Exam 1 Study Guide

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Terms in this set (29)

  • What is the smallest organized unit of life?
    The cell is the smallest organized unit of life, possessing a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and genetic material.
  • What are the two main types of cells?
    Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus, while eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and are generally larger and more complex.
  • What are the unifying themes of biology?
    Organization, Information, Energy and Matter, Interactions, Evolution, and Emergent Properties.
  • What subatomic particles make up an atom?
    Protons (positive charge), neutrons (neutral), and electrons (negative charge).
  • What determines an element's atomic number?
    The number of protons in the nucleus determines the atomic number and element identity.
  • What is the role of valence electrons?
    Valence electrons are in the outer shell and determine an atom's chemical reactivity.
  • What are covalent and ionic bonds?
    Covalent bonds share electrons between atoms; ionic bonds transfer electrons, forming charged ions.
  • What causes polarity in molecules?
    Unequal sharing of electrons due to differences in electronegativity causes partial charges and polarity.
  • What are hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals interactions?
    Hydrogen bonds form between polar molecules; Van der Waals interactions are weak attractions between molecules.
  • What are the emergent properties of water?
    Cohesion, adhesion, temperature moderation, ice floating due to lattice formation, and solvent properties.
  • How is pH defined and what do acids and bases do?
    pH measures hydrogen ion concentration; acids increase H+ concentration, bases decrease it, and buffers minimize pH changes.
  • What is the significance of carbon in organic molecules?
    Carbon's versatility allows it to form diverse organic molecules essential for life.
  • What are isomers and enantiomers?
    Isomers have the same formula but different structures; enantiomers are mirror-image isomers important in drug design.
  • Name the seven functional groups important in organic chemistry.
    Hydroxyl, Carbonyl, Carboxyl, Amino, Sulfhydryl, Phosphate, and Methyl groups.
  • What are the four main classes of macromolecules?
    Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids.
  • How are polymers formed and broken down?
    Polymers form by dehydration reactions and break down by hydrolysis.
  • What are monosaccharides and polysaccharides?
    Monosaccharides are simple sugars (e.g., glucose); polysaccharides are long chains like starch, glycogen, and cellulose.
  • What distinguishes saturated from unsaturated fatty acids?
    Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds; unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds.
  • What is the structure and function of phospholipids?
    Phospholipids have hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails; they form the major component of cell membranes.
  • What are the four levels of protein structure?
    Primary (amino acid sequence), secondary (hydrogen bonds), tertiary (R-group interactions), and quaternary (multiple polypeptides).
  • What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
    DNA is transcribed into RNA, which is translated into protein.
  • What are the components of nucleotides?
    A phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
  • What bases pair in DNA and RNA?
    DNA: A pairs with T, G pairs with C; RNA: A pairs with U, G pairs with C.
  • What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
    Prokaryotes lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; eukaryotes have both.
  • What is the function of the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
    Rough ER synthesizes proteins; smooth ER synthesizes lipids and detoxifies.
  • What is the role of mitochondria and chloroplasts?
    Mitochondria perform cellular respiration; chloroplasts perform photosynthesis.
  • What is the endosymbiont theory?
    Mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from engulfed prokaryotic cells.
  • What is the cytoskeleton and its components?
    A network of fibers including microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments that provide structure and movement.
  • What is the extracellular matrix (ECM) and integrins?
    The ECM surrounds animal cells providing support and signaling; integrins connect ECM to the cytoskeleton.