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General Biology - Unit 2 Key Concepts

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Termini in questo insieme (20)

  • Levels of biological organization

    From smallest to largest: atom, molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere.

  • Difference between community and ecosystem

    Community is all populations of different species in an area; ecosystem includes the community plus the physical environment.

  • Three domains of life

    Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotes; Eukarya includes eukaryotes like protists, plants, fungi, and animals.

  • Hypothesis vs. Theory

    A hypothesis is a testable prediction; a theory is a well-supported explanation based on evidence.

  • Independent vs. Dependent variable

    Independent variable is manipulated; dependent variable is measured in response.

  • Atom, isotope, ion definitions

    Atom: smallest unit of matter; isotope: atoms with same protons but different neutrons; ion: atom with net charge due to electron loss/gain.

  • Why ions form

    Ions form to achieve a full outer electron shell, increasing stability by gaining or losing electrons.

  • Types of chemical bonds

    Ionic bonds: transfer of electrons; covalent bonds: sharing electrons; hydrogen bonds: weak attraction between polar molecules.

  • Polar vs. Nonpolar covalent bonds

    Polar covalent bonds have unequal electron sharing (e.g., water); nonpolar covalent bonds share electrons equally (e.g., O2).

  • pH and buffers

    pH measures H+ concentration; buffers maintain stable pH by neutralizing acids or bases, important in blood.

  • Organic molecules

    Contain carbon and hydrogen; include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

  • Condensation vs. Hydrolysis reactions

    Condensation links monomers by removing water; hydrolysis breaks polymers by adding water.

  • Monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide

    Monosaccharide: single sugar (e.g., glucose); disaccharide: two sugars (e.g., sucrose); polysaccharide: many sugars (e.g., starch).

  • Examples of polysaccharides

    Starch: energy storage in plants; glycogen: energy storage in animals; cellulose: plant cell walls; chitin: insect exoskeletons.

  • Saturated vs. Unsaturated fats

    Saturated fats have no double bonds, solid at room temp; unsaturated fats have double bonds, liquid at room temp.

  • Structure of triglyceride

    Formed by condensation of one glycerol and three fatty acids.

  • Phospholipid vs. triglyceride

    Phospholipids have two fatty acids and a phosphate group; triglycerides have three fatty acids.

  • Protein monomers

    Amino acids are protein monomers linked by peptide bonds.

  • Protein structure levels

    Primary: amino acid sequence; Secondary: alpha helices and beta sheets; Tertiary: 3D folding; Quaternary: multiple polypeptides.

  • Effect of pH on enzyme activity

    Enzymes have optimal pH; extreme pH can denature enzymes and reduce activity.