Structure & Function
What is the basic unit of life?
What is a cell?
What process do plants use to convert sunlight into energy?
What is photosynthesis?
What is a food chain?
A food chain is a linear sequence showing how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another.
What is the basic unit of heredity?
What is a gene?
What is natural selection?
Natural selection is the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.
How do the shapes of cells relate to their functions?
Cell shapes are adapted to their specific functions (e.g., nerve cells are long to transmit signals)
How do consumers obtain energy from producers?
Consumers eat producers to obtain energy stored in organic molecules.
Define mutualism and provide an example.
Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit (e.g., bees and flowers).
Explain how traits are inherited through generations.
Traits are passed from parents to offspring through alleles during reproduction.
Explain the concept of "survival of the fittest." Provide an example of this concept.
It refers to the idea that individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and pass those traits on.
What role do proteins play in cell structure?
Proteins provide structure and support, as well as facilitate chemical reactions.
What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
Decomposers break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
How do populations of different species interact in an ecosystem?
Populations interact through predator-prey relationships, competition, and symbiosis.
What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?
Genotype is the genetic makeup, while phenotype is the observable traits of an organism.
How does genetic variation contribute to evolution?
Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon, leading to evolutionary changes.
How does the structure of DNA relate to its function in heredity?
The double helix structure allows for accurate replication and encoding of genetic information.
Explain how energy flows through an ecosystem. Include the "Rule of 10" in your response.
Energy flows from producers to consumers and then to decomposers in a one-way direction. Only 10% of the energy from the previous level is passed to the next (90% used by the organism).
Explain the concept of an ecological niche.
An ecological niche describes how an organism fits into its environment, including its role and resource use.
Describe the role of mutations in genetic variation.
Mutations introduce new alleles into a population, contributing to genetic diversity.
What evidence supports the theory of evolution?
Evidence includes fossil records, genetic similarities, and observed evolutionary changes in species.
Describe the relationship between structure and function in enzymes.
Enzymes have specific shapes that allow them to bind to substrates and catalyze reactions.
What is the significance of the carbon cycle in ecosystems?
The carbon cycle regulates atmospheric carbon and is crucial for photosynthesis and respiration.
What is the impact of invasive species on native ecosystems?
Invasive species can disrupt food webs, outcompete native species, and alter habitat conditions.
How do environmental factors influence phenotypic expression?
Environmental factors can affect how genes are expressed, leading to variations in traits.
Describe how speciation occurs.
Speciation occurs when populations of the same species become isolated and evolve into distinct species over time.