CELL STRUCTURE
This organelle is responsible for producing ATP through aerobic respiration and is often called the "powerhouse of the cell."
Mitochondria
This disaccharide is composed of glucose and fructose and is commonly found in plant nectar.
Sucrose
This model describes the cell membrane as a fluid structure with proteins embedded in or attached to a phospholipid bilayer
Fluid mosaic model
DNA differs from RNA in that DNA contains the sugar __________ while RNA contains __________
Deoxyribose, ribose
The two main circuits of blood circulation in mammals are the __________ circulation and the __________ circulation.
pulmonary and systemic
Name the three main structural components of a prokaryotic cell that are NOT found in eukaryotic cells.
cell wall (made of peptidoglycan), flagella, and plasmids
Polysaccharides used for energy storage in plants and animals are called __________ and __________ respectively.
Starch and glycogen
Active transport requires __________ and moves substances __________ the concentration gradient.
Energy, against
The sequence of three mRNA bases that codes for a specific amino acid is called a __________, the sequence of three bases on tRNA is called ________
Codon, anticodon
Compare the structure of elastic arteries and muscular arteries in terms of their composition and how this relates to their specific functions.
Elastic arteries (near heart) contain more elastic fibers and accommodate large blood volume; muscular arteries have more smooth muscle
This organelle synthesizes ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and is the site of ribosome assembly.
Nucleolus
A triglyceride is formed when one glycerol molecule bonds with three fatty acids through these types of chemical bonds.
Ester bonds
This process involves the movement of large particles into a cell through the formation of a vesicle, and is used by white blood cells to engulf pathogens
endocytosis (or phagocytosis)
A DNA sequence of a gene is AAC GGA TCA, what would be the tRNA anticodons that would corespond with this sequence?
AAC GGA UCA
Explain why venous blood returns to the heart more slowly than arterial blood leaves the heart, despite having the same total cross-sectional area.
Arteries have higher pressure than veins
Give 3 pieces of evidence for endosymbiotic theory
They have their own circular DNA similar to prokaryotes, they have double membranes, they can reproduce semi-independently, and they have ribosomes similar to prokaryotic ribosomes
How many water molecules would be produced when creating a 10 glucose long polysaccharide?
9 water molecules
Explain why a plant cell placed in a high water concentration solution will not burst, while an animal cell will lyse under the same conditions.
Plant cells have a cellulose cell wall that provides structural support and prevents the cell from bursting even when turgid. Animal cells lack a cell wall and will lyse (burst) when water enters by osmosis
Explain the difference between a nonsense mutation and a missense mutation, and predict which would likely have a more severe effect on protein function
A missense mutation changes one amino acid to another (may not affect function), while a nonsense mutation creates a premature stop codon. Nonsense mutations are typically more severe because they can produce non-functional proteins
Explain why capillaries are the main site of gas exchange between blood and body tissues, referencing their structural adaptations
Capillaries have a wall made of a single layer of endothelial cells with no smooth muscle or elastic tissue. This thin structure allows rapid diffusion of gases (O₂ and CO₂) across the capillary wall
Explain why cells cannot grow indefinitely large
As a cell grows, its volume increases faster than its surface area (surface area-to-volume ratio decreases). This means the surface area available for nutrient uptake and waste removal becomes insufficient for the larger volume of cytoplasm, limiting cell size
Explain why lipids are described as "hydrophobic" and how this property relates to their role in cell membranes.
Lipids are hydrophobic because they have long hydrocarbon chains that do not dissolve in water
Explain the relationship between the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase) and the maintenance of resting membrane potential in nerve cells.
The Na+/K+ pump uses ATP to actively transport 3 sodium ions out and 2 potassium ions in, creating a concentration gradient. This unequal exchange maintains a negative resting membrane potential
Describe the process of semi-conservative DNA replication, including the enzymes involved
DNA double helix unwinds via DNA Helicase. DNA polymerase synthesizes new strands complementary to each original strand using base-pairing rules (A-T and G-C).
It is semi-conservative because each resulting DNA molecule has one original (parental) strand and one new strand
Explain how the cooperative binding of oxygen to hemoglobin enhances oxygen transport efficiency in mammals
Hemoglobin has four subunits that bind oxygen. Binding of the first oxygen molecule makes it easier for subsequent molecules to bind, creating an S-shaped curve. This allows hemoglobin to load oxygen efficiently in the lungs (high pO₂) and unload it effectively in tissues (low pO₂)