Transportation in Plants
What is the main function of xylem in plants?
To transport water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.
What is the main function of the circulatory system in animals?
To transport oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body.
What is a pathogen?
A microorganism that causes disease.
What gas do animals inhale for respiration?
Oxygen.
What is a stimulus?
A change in the environment that causes a response.
Name the tissue responsible for transporting sugars produced in photosynthesis.
Phloem.
Name the blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart.
The artery.
Name two types of white blood cells involved in the immune response.
Phagocytes and lymphocytes.
Name the organ primarily responsible for gas exchange in humans.
The lungs.
Name the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary actions.
The somatic nervous system.
Describe the process of transpiration in plants.
Transpiration is the loss of water vapor from the leaves and stems of plants, primarily through stomata, helping to pull water up through the xylem.
Describe the role of red blood cells in transport.
In an open circulatory system, blood flows freely through body cavities; in a closed circulatory system, blood circulates entirely within blood vessels.
Describe how antibodies help protect the body against infection.
Antibodies bind to specific antigens on pathogens, marking them for destruction or neutralizing them.
Describe the process of gas exchange in the alveoli.
Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood, and carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled.
Describe the role of receptors in coordination.
Receptors detect stimuli and send signals to the nervous system to produce a response.
Explain how root pressure contributes to water movement in plants.
Root pressure occurs when ions are actively transported into the root xylem, lowering water potential and causing water to move in by osmosis, pushing water upward.
Explain the difference between open and closed circulatory systems.
In an open circulatory system, blood flows freely through body cavities; in a closed circulatory system, blood circulates entirely within blood vessels.
Explain the difference between active and passive immunity.
Active immunity results from the body producing its own antibodies after exposure to an antigen, while passive immunity is gained by receiving antibodies from another source.
Explain how breathing rate changes during exercise and why.
Breathing rate increases during exercise to supply more oxygen to the muscles and remove carbon dioxide produced by increased respiration.
Explain how a reflex action works.
A reflex action is an automatic, rapid response to a stimulus that bypasses the brain and is coordinated by the spinal cord.
Discuss the cohesion-tension theory and how it explains the movement of water through the xylem.
The cohesion-tension theory states that water molecules stick together (cohesion) and are pulled up the xylem as water evaporates from the leaves (transpiration), creating tension that pulls water from the roots to the leaves.
Discuss how the structure of capillaries facilitates efficient exchange of materials between blood and tissues.
Capillaries have thin walls (one cell thick) and a large surface area to allow for rapid diffusion of oxygen, nutrients, and waste between blood and surrounding tissues.
Discuss how vaccines work to protect against infectious diseases.
Vaccines contain weakened or inactive pathogens that stimulate the immune system to produce memory cells, enabling a faster and stronger response upon future exposure.
Discuss the role of diffusion gradients in gas exchange.
Gas exchange depends on diffusion gradients where oxygen concentration is higher in the alveoli than in the blood, causing oxygen to diffuse in, and carbon dioxide concentration is higher in the blood than in the alveoli, causing it to diffuse out.
Discuss the role of hormones in coordinating long-term responses in the body.
Hormones are chemical messengers released by glands that travel through the blood to target organs, regulating processes like growth, metabolism, and reproduction over longer timescales.