Module 1
The Science of Life
The Science of Life
What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is an educated guess or proposed explanation for something that can be tested and proven or disproved.
What is the pH scale? What do the numbers represent?
The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is basic
What biome is cold and dry with little precipitation and a permanently frozen layer of ground called permafrost.
Tundra
Two solutions of different solute concentration are separated by a membrane. After a while, the water levels of the two solutions change. Has osmosis or diffusion taken place?
Since the water levels changed, that means solvent traveled from one side of the membrane to the other, but solute did not. This is osmosis.
What is an invasive species?
An invasive species is a non-native organism that can harm the environment, economy, or human health.
What is a carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore?
An animal or person that eats other animals (meat)
A animal that eats only plants.
An animal or person that eats food of both plant and animal origin.
How many atoms total are in a molecule of C4H8O2? What atoms are present and how many of each atom?
14 atoms total
4 carbon, 8 hydrogen and 2 oxygen
How are evaporation and transpiration related?
Evaporation is the cycle where a liquid turns into a gas and transpiration is the evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant
Describe the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotic cells have a membrane-bounded nucleus and membrane-bounded organelles that prokaryotic cells do not.
What is the process an autotroph uses to make its own food called?
Photosynthesis
What is a heterotroph and an autotroph?
A heterotroph is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must rely on other organisms for nutrition, while an autotroph is an organism that can create its own food
What determines the characteristics of an atom?
It’s electrons, the electrons interact with other atoms in different ways.
What is the trophic level of a flower? What is the trophic level of a bee that consumes nectar from that flower? What is the trophic level of a wasp that eats that bee?
Flower = producer
Bee= primary consumer
Wasp = secondary consumer
Which organelle in a cell contains its own DNA?
Mitochondria
What chemical process occurs in chloroplasts?
Photosynthesis
What is the difference between an observation and an inference?
An observation is information you gather from your senses, an inference is an explanation for an observation you make.
What are the basic building blocks of proteins?
Amino acids
What are the 3 types of symbiotic relationships?
Mutualism, commensalism and parasitism.
What are the 3 main ideas of cell theory?
all living things are composed of cells; cells are the basic unit of structure and function; all cells come from pre-existing cells.
Give an example of prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell.
Prokaryotic = bacteria
Eukaryotic- animals cells, plant cells, fungi, protozoa
What are the 6 criteria for life?
reproduction, growth and development, response to the environment, homeostasis, metabolism, and cellular organization
Describe 2 properties of water that allow life on earth to thrive.
Water is a universal solvent. Cohesion- water’s polarity allows it to attract other water molecules. Adhesion- water’s polarity allows it to attract other polar substances. Density- water can float as a solid. High heat capacity.
What is the process called when an ecosystem has to “start over” after a natural disaster such as a volcanoe eruption? What is the term for the first organisms to come in and start colonizing?
Succession, pioneer species
What is the difference between passive and active transport? Give an example of each type.
Passive transport is the transport of molecule without using energy. Active transport requires the use of energy to move molecules. Examples of passive transport include diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion. Examples of active transport include endocytosis, exocytosis and pumps such as the sodium-potassium pump.
What does the atomic number of an element represent?
The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of that element.