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General Biology Exam I Key Concepts

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Termini in questo insieme (25)

  • Hierarchy of biological organization
    Levels of complexity from molecules to biosphere; living entities include cells, tissues, organs, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
  • Difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
    Prokaryotes lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles (e.g., bacteria); eukaryotes have a nucleus and organelles (e.g., plants, animals).
  • Observation, law, theory, fact, hypothesis
    Observation: noticing phenomena; Law: describes patterns; Theory: explains phenomena; Fact: confirmed observation; Hypothesis: testable educated guess.
  • Most important elements to life and trace elements
    Main elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen; Trace elements are required in small amounts, e.g., iron, iodine.
  • Atom, element, compound, ion, molecule, mixture
    Atom: smallest unit of matter; Element: pure substance of one atom type; Compound: two or more elements chemically combined; Ion: charged atom; Molecule: two or more atoms bonded; Mixture: physical combination.
  • Subatomic particles and their characteristics
    Protons (+ charge, in nucleus), neutrons (neutral, in nucleus), electrons (- charge, orbit nucleus).
  • Atomic number vs. mass number
    Atomic number = number of protons; mass number = protons + neutrons.
  • Isotope
    Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.
  • Types of chemical bonds
    Hydrogen bond: weak attraction between polar molecules; Covalent bond: sharing electrons; Ionic bond: transfer of electrons; Van der Waals: weak interactions; Peptide bond: links amino acids.
  • Polarity in molecules
    Unequal sharing of electrons creates partial charges, making molecules polar.
  • Hydrophobicity vs. hydrophilicity
    Hydrophobic: water-fearing, nonpolar; Hydrophilic: water-loving, polar; Lipophilic means fat-loving, lipophobic means fat-fearing; these terms are not interchangeable.
  • Soluble vs. insoluble substances
    Soluble: able to dissolve in a solvent; Insoluble: unable to dissolve.
  • Special properties of water
    High cohesion, adhesion, solvent ability, high specific heat, and polarity.
  • Cohesion and adhesion
    Cohesion: water molecules stick to each other; Adhesion: water molecules stick to other surfaces.
  • Basic concepts of DNA, RNA, and protein
    DNA stores genetic info; RNA transmits info; proteins perform functions; all made of nucleotides or amino acids.
  • pH of blood and its regulation
    Blood pH ~7.4, maintained by buffers like sodium bicarbonate.
  • Functional groups in molecules
    Carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, amino, methyl, ketone, aldehyde groups define chemical properties.
  • Four major macromolecules and building blocks
    Carbohydrates (monosaccharides), lipids (fatty acids), proteins (amino acids), nucleic acids (nucleotides); lipids are not polymers.
  • Starch, glycogen, cellulose, and fat
    Starch and glycogen are energy storage polysaccharides; cellulose provides structural support; fat stores energy.
  • Condensation (dehydration synthesis) vs. hydrolysis
    Condensation joins molecules releasing water; hydrolysis breaks molecules using water.
  • Steroid hormone vs. protein hormone
    Steroid hormones are lipid-based; protein hormones are amino acid-based; cholesterol is precursor for steroids.
  • pH scale characteristics
    Measures acidity/basicity; logarithmic scale from 0 to 14.
  • Saturated vs. unsaturated fat
    Saturated fats have no double bonds; unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds.
  • Charles Darwin's theory
    Theory of natural selection: organisms better adapted to environment survive and reproduce.
  • Differences between plant and animal kingdoms
    Plants are autotrophic, have cell walls and chloroplasts; animals are heterotrophic and lack cell walls.