Themes of Biology Pt. 1
Name at least two differences between prokaryotic & eukaryotic cells.
Prokaryotes: genetic material not in membrane-bound nucleus, no membrane-bound organelles, smaller cell size, circular DNA
Eukaryotes: genetic material in nucleus, membrane-bound organelles, larger cell size, linear DNA
NO! Hypotheses can be supported, but not proven.
What's the difference between natural selection and evolution?
Natural selection drives evolutionary change.
Natural selection: a specific way evolution can occur
Evolution: overall process of how living things change over generations
Ionic bonds are bonds between ___, whereas hydrogren bonds and Van der Waals interactions are bonds between _____.
atoms/elements; molecules
What is positive feedback vs. negative feedback? What is the overall goal of these feedback loops (What are they trying to reach with these balancing measures?
Positive feedback --> amplifies a change
Negative feedback --> counteracts a change
Homeostasis is the goal!!
What is the difference between transcription & translation? What is the name of this overall theory of genetic information flow?
Transcription: DNA --> mRNA
Translation: mRNA --> Protein
Overall process: Central Dogma
What is quantitative data?
information that can be counted, measured, and represented with numerical values
What does the term "descent with modification" mean?
the passing of traits from parents to offspring with small, gradual changes over many generations
What are valence electrons?
an electron located in the outermost shell of an atom; valance elections participate in forming chemical bonds with other atoms
What is the smallest unit of life? Which properties of life does this contain?
Cells are the smallest unit of life and contain all 8 properties of living organisms, including order, sensitivity/response to stimuli, reproduction, adaptation, growth/development, homeostasis/regulation, energy processing, and evolution)
plants, fungi, animals, protists
Bacteria & Archaea
What is a scientific control?
A component in an experiment that represents a baseline, expected outcome, without any experimental changes; this is used as a comparison group when testing hypotheses
What is a biological "tree" of life, and what do the branch points and tips of twigs represent?
Tree: diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships and history among groups and organisms
Branch points: point where an ancestral lineage splits into two distinct species due to trait differences
Tips of twigs: current organisms alive today or extinct species that result in an end to that particular lineage
What major elements are found in living organisms?
What are nucleotides composed of? What are nucleotides the building blocks for?
deoxyribose sugar, nitrogenous base (Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine), & a phosphate group
Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA
What are the 8 properties of life?
1. Order
2. Sensitivity/Response to Stimuli
3. Reproduction
4. Adaptation
5. Growth & Development
6. Homeostasis/Regulation
7. Energy Processing
8. Evolution
What is a controlled variable?
A component that will remain the same throughout each experimental group to avoid confusion on which variables are affecting the outcome
**A controlled variable (component within an experiment) is different from a scientific control (one of the experimental groups)
What is the difference between a homology & an analogy?
homology: species share a common evolutionary ancestor
anology: species share a similar function but evolved independently without a common ancestor
Polar vs Nonpolar Covalent bonds
polar: bonds share electrons unequally; differences in electronegativity
nonpolar: bonds where atoms share electrons unequally
The ability for living things to interact with their environment to maintain internal conditions required for life is called...
homeostasis
How are organisms classified from Domain to species?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Independent: the component being intentionally changed by the researcher
Dependent: the component that is expected to be affected by the change in the independent variable
Example: You have a small vanilla ice cream cone (controlled variables: size, flavor, cone). You put one in room temperature (scientific control), one in the microwave, and one in the freezer to observe the effect of extreme temperatures on the ice cream. (Independent variable is the change in temperature for each group; Dependent variable is whether the ice cream melts)
What are the four types of data that support the theory of evolution?
1. direct observation of evolution
2. homology
3. fossil record
4. biogeography
What is an isotope?
different forms of the same chemical element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
Structure is correlated to ___
function