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232 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is biology? |
The scientific study of life. |
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What is evolution? |
An organism's adaptation to its environment. |
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Evolution is considered the fundamental what? |
Organizing principle in biology. |
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What are emergent properties? |
Arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases. |
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What is reduction-ism? |
Approach of reducing complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study. |
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What is an example of reduction-ism? |
The study of DNA as opposed to the entire organism. |
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What is systems biology? |
Approach that attempts to model the behavior of the whole system based on interactions among the parts of the system. |
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What are the five smallest of the ten levels of biological organization? |
1) Molecules 2) Organelles 3) Cells 4) Tissues 5) Organs and Organ Systems |
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What are the five largest of the ten levels of biological organization? |
6) Organisms 7) Populations 8) Communities 9) Ecosystems 10) Biosphere |
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What is required for life? |
Energy transfer and transformation. |
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What is meant by "form fits function?" |
Structure and function are correlated at all levels of biological organization. |
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What is an example of "form fits function?" |
Hand, or an cheetah's tail. |
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What is an organism's basic unit of structure and function? |
The cell. |
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What makes up prokaryotic cells? |
Bacteria and archeae. |
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All other life forms besides bacteria and archeae make up what type of cells? |
Eukaryotic Cells. |
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Reproduction, in the smallest of terms means what? |
Division of cells to form new cells. |
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What is DNA? |
Genetic material with all the information needed to make a cell or organism. |
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What smaller units are contained in DNA? |
Genes. |
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What process uses DNA information to make cellular product (such as protein)? |
Gene expression. |
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What is a genome? |
The entire collection or "library" of genetic information for an organism. |
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The study of Gene expression is called what? |
Genomics. |
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Bioinformatics is what? |
The study done by using computers and software to analyze genomics. |
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Biological systems use what to regulate? |
Feedback mechanisms. |
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Negative feedback is what? |
Regulation whereby the accumulation of an end product slows a process. |
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What is called when the accumulation of an end product speeds up a process? |
Positive Feedback. |
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What is Taxonomy? |
The naming and classifying of species. |
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What are the three largest classifications of living organisms on Earth? |
1) Bacteria 2) Archeae 3) Eukarya |
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Single celled organisms are what? |
Bacteria |
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Archeae can be defined as? |
An organism having no nucleus or membrane bound organelles. |
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Mostly multi-cellular organisms are classified as what? |
Eukarya |
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What book established Darwinism as synonymous with evolution? |
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. |
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Who authored the immediate best seller On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection? |
Charles Darwin. |
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Name the first critical point of Charles Darwin's book... |
Contemporary species arose from a succession of ancestors. |
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Name the second critical point of Charles Darwin's book... |
Gave proposal for a mechanism for descent with modification termed natural selection. |
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What is natural selection? |
The propagation of certain favorable traits among variable traits in an organism. |
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Evolutionary Adaptation is also known as? |
Natural Selection. |
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Describe the Tree of Life and a family tree... |
The tree of life proposed that from a common ancestor arose many other species. A family tree is individuals from a family organized on a small scale. |
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Name the steps of the Scientific Method... |
1) Make Observations 2) Ask Questions?\ 3) Formulate Hypothesis 4) Design/Enact Experiments Testing Hypothesis 5) Draw Conclusions |
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Which two steps in the scientific method are vastly important and imperative that they are done in correct order? |
Steps 1 and 2. |
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A conclusion that started from a theory, statement, or hypothesis and worked its way to a conclusion based on evidence is called what? |
Deductive Reasoning. |
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What is inductive reasoning? |
A small observation or question and works it's way to a theory by examining related issues. |
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What is a controlled experiment? |
An experiment designed to compare an unknown against that of a control/known. |
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A reliable test subject used by many scientists, which data is pooled and larger conclusions can be formulated is called a what? |
A model organism. |
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What is a scientific theory? |
A broader version of a hypothesis which can spin off many hypotheses. |
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How is progress in science made in principle? |
By building on the works of others, using a cooperative approach and diverse viewpoints. |
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What is matter? |
Anything that takes up space and has mass. |
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Elements make up what? |
Matter. |
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What are elements composed of? |
Atoms. |
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What is a compound? |
A substance consisting of two or more different elements combined in a fixed ratio. |
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Characteristics of compounds differ from what? |
The characteristics of their elements. |
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Elements which organisms need to live are what? |
Essential elements. |
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What four elements make up 96% of all living matter? |
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen. |
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What are trace elements? |
Essential elements that are required in very small quantities by living organisms. |
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Some elements have the ability to harm organisms, what is this characteristic called? |
Toxicity. |
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An atom has what special property in relation to its element? |
It is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element. |
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Particles smaller than the atom are what? |
Subatomic Particles. |
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What are the three subatomic particles? |
Proton, Neutron, and Electron. |
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What are some basic characteristics of protons, neutrons, and electrons? |
Protons have a positive charge, with 1 mass unit. Neutrons have a neutral charge, with 1 mass unit. Electrons have a negative charge, with low mass. |
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What is contained in an atomic nucleus? |
Tightly packed protons and neutrons. |
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Where do electrons reside in atoms? |
They form a sort of "cloud" where they orbit the nucleus but because of the negative and positive charge they don't stray. |
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The mass of 1.7x10^-24(g) is the weight for what? |
Both protons and neutrons. |
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An atomic mass unit or amu is also know as? |
A Dalton. |
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What is an atomic number? |
The number of protons [or electrons] which is unique to an element. |
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The approximation of the total mass of an atom is what? |
The atomic mass. |
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What is an isotope? |
A different atomic form of the same element. |
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What determines the isotope? |
The number of neutrons. |
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What is a radioactive isotope? |
An isotope where the nucleus decays spontaneously giving off particles and energy. |
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Why are radioactive isotopes essential in biology? |
Because of their many applications. |
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The capacity to cause change/do work is what? |
Energy. |
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What is potential energy? |
Energy that matter posses due to its structure and/or location. |
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The energy of motion is what? |
Kinetic Energy. |
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What are electron shells? |
The different orbits electrons follow around a nucleus. |
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Which electron shell is the closest and has the least potential energy? |
The first shell. |
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What happens to an electron that absorbs energy? |
It moves to the next shell further out. |
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Why is energy in the form of heat released into the environment in relation to electrons? |
A electron has lost energy and has fallen back into its original shell. |
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What tool is useful for finding out properties of all the elements? |
The Periodic Table. |
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The chemical behavior of an atom mostly depends on what? |
The number of electrons in its outermost shell. |
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What is the outermost shell of electrons called? |
The valence shell. |
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What types of atoms are nonreactive in terms of electrons? |
Those whose valence shell is full/completed. |
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What does each electron shell represent in terms of distance? |
Representative of only the average distance between an electron in that shell and the nucleus. |
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What is the name for the three-dimensional space where electrons are found? |
In orbitals. |
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How many electrons can occupy a single orbital? |
No more than two. |
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How does reactivity of atoms occur? |
The presence of unpaired electrons in one or more orbitals of their valence shells. |
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Forces holding two atoms together is what? |
A chemical bond. |
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What happens in the valence shell/orbital in regards to chemical bonding? |
Atoms either share, receive, or transfer their electrons. |
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What is a covalent bond? |
The sharing of a pair a valence electrons by two atoms. |
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What is a molecule? |
Substance formed when two or more atoms are held together by covalent bonds. |
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What is formed by one pair of electrons, two pairs of electrons? |
Single bond. Double bond. |
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What is valence? |
The bonding capacity of an atom and usually equals the number of unpaired electrons required to complete the valence shell/orbital. |
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The attraction of a particular atom for the electrons of a covalent bond is called what? |
Electronegativity. |
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What is a non-polar covalent bond? |
Formation of two or more atoms of the same element where the electronegativity is equal. |
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The formation of two or more atoms of different elements where electronegativity is not equal is called what? |
Polar covalent bond. |
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An ionic bond occurs when? |
When an atom is has electrons completely removed. |
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What is an ion? |
A charged atom that has either lost or gained electrons. |
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What is a cation and anion? |
Cation is a positive ion. Anion is a negative ion. |
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How are ionic bonds formed? |
By the attraction of cations and anions. |
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What are ionic compounds? |
Compounds formed by the presence of ionic bonds. |
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What effects the strength of ionic bonds? |
The environment. |
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The noncovalent attraction between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atoms creates what? |
A hydrogen bond. |
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What are Van der Waals Interactions? |
Regions of positive and negative charge that enable atoms and molecules to interact. |
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What is vital to a molecule in relation to its function in a living cell? |
Its precise size and shape. |
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The making and breaking of chemical bonds to form new composition of matter is called what? |
Chemical reactions. |
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What is a reactant? |
The starting materials in an interaction. |
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What are products? |
The final materials in a reaction. |
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The number of molecules in a reaction are known as what? |
Coefficients. |
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Chemical reactions are able to be? |
Reversed. |
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What effects the rate of chemical reaction? |
The concentration of the reactants. |
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What is chemical equilibrium? |
The point at which the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction. |
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What molecule is the biological medium that makes like on Earth possible? |
Water. |
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How long did life on Earth evolve in water before moving to land? |
3 billion years. |
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Water molecules participate in what? |
Almost all chemical reactions needed to sustain life. |
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Is polar molecule is what? |
A molecule where the overall electric charge is unevenly distributed. |
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Properties of water arise from what? |
Differences in charges. |
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What is the term that describes two hydrogen bonds holding substances close together? |
Cohesion. |
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What is adhesion? |
The clinging of one substance to another. |
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The difficulty of stretching or breaking the surface of a liquid is known as what? |
Surface tension. |
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Heat is a form of what? |
Energy. |
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What temperature scale is frequently used in science? |
Celsius/Centigrade Scale. |
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Object transfer heat to one another when they? |
Are in close proximity. |
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What is a calorie? |
One measure of heat, which is the amount of heat needed to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. |
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What is another measure of heat besides the calorie? |
The joule. |
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Hydrogen bonding results in what? (Regarding heat) |
Water has a very high specific heat. |
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What is the heat of vaporization? |
Quantity of heat a liquid must absorb to become a gas. |
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Hydrogen Bonding results in what? (Regarding vaporization) |
Water has a very high heat of vaporization. |
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What is known as molecules with the greatest kinetic energy leaving first called? |
Evaporative cooling. |
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Hydrogen bonding results in what? (Regarding density) |
Water is one of the rare occurrences that it is less dense as a solid than as a liquid. |
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What is a solution? |
A liquid that is a mixture of two or more substances. |
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What is a solvent? |
The dissolving agent of a solution. |
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What is a solute? |
The substance that is dissolved. |
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What is an aqueous solution? |
Solution in which water is the solvent. |
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What is a hydration sphere? |
Water molecules surrounding a dissolved ion. |
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Substance that interacts with water is a what? |
Hydrophillic. |
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Substance that does not interact with water is a what? |
Hydrophobic. |
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What is a colloid? |
A stable suspension of fine particles in a liquid. |
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What is concentration? |
The amount of solutes in a solvent. |
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What is molecular mass? |
The sum of masses of all the atoms in a molecule. |
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The weight of a molecule in grams is a what? |
A mole. |
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What is Avogadro's number? |
6.022X10^23 Daltons. |
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The number of moles of solute in 1L of solution is what? |
Molarity. |
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A single proton with a charge of +1 often acquired from water molecule a a product of disassociation is what? |
A hydrogen ion (H+). |
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What is a hydroxide ion (OH-)? |
The remaining product when H+ leaves water. |
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What is a hyrdonium ion (H3O+)? |
The combination of a H+ and a water molecule. |
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What ion cannon exist on its own in solution and is always associating with another molecule? |
H+. |
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What substance increases the H+ concentration of a solution? |
An acid. |
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What is a base? |
A substance that decreases the H+ concentration in a solution. |
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Weak acids and bases fail to do what? |
Dissociate completely and help to balance pH. |
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A type of solute that dissociates into cation and anions other than H+ and OH- is what? |
Salts. |
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What combines with H+ to form a new molecule or form water to try to decrease the concentration of H+ in a solution? |
Bases. |
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What is pH? |
The concentration of H+ in a solution. |
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How is pH measured? |
As the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. |
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What has a 10^-7 M of H+ ions or pH 7.0? |
Pure (distilled) water. |
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A balance of H+ and OH- is known as what? |
Neutral pH. |
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Human blood pH is what? |
Ranges from 7.35 to 7.45. |
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A substance is acidic when? |
It has a pH lower than seven. |
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A substance is basic when? |
It has a pH higher than seven. |
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What scale has an inverse relationship with H+? |
The pH Scale. |
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What is a substance that minimizes changes in either the H+ or OH- ion concentration in a solution? |
A buffer. |
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How to buffers accomplish minimizing changes? |
Through acceptance or donation of ions where needed. |
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What is Sodium Bicarbonate? |
A very important substance to humans that's used as a buffer. |
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A basic compound that neutralizes acid by forming a salt is known as what? |
An antacid. |
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What effects the acidity of our atmosphere and pH balance on Earth? |
Burning of fossil fuels which releases compounds that can react with water vapor. |
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The main product of burning fossil fuels releases CO2 which dissolves in seawater and forms carbonic acid, lowering the pH of seawater, this is called what? |
Ocean acidification. |
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What is Acid Rain? |
The product of when sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, from burning fossil fuels, react with water in the air. |
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What is Acid Precipitation? |
Rain, snow, or fog with a pH lower than 5.2. |
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Rain with a pH of about 5.6 is considered what? |
Uncontaminated. |
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What has allowed us to greatly in prove our ability to deal with many problems faced today and find solutions for the future? |
The understanding of chemistry and chemical properties of compounds/molecules. |
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If water makes life possible; carbon is what? |
The basis of life. |
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All living organisms are made up of what? |
Chemicals based on carbon. |
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Carbon is unparalleled with other elements, why? |
Its ability to form molecules that are large complex and varied, making possible the huge diversity we have in organisms. |
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Carbon is contained in living organisms as what? |
The most important molecules that distinguish living from non-living matter. |
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What can range in size from simple molecules to large molecules like proteins and carbohydrates? |
Organic compounds. |
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What differentiates species and individuals from each other (above DNA)? |
Differences in organic compounds. |
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What is a mechanism? |
It's how something works. |
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What results in a 3 dimensional shape known as a tetrahedron? |
Carbon forming 4 covalent bonds. |
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What molecule is the primary source of carbon for all organic molecules in organisms? |
CO2. |
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Carbon chains form what? |
The backbone/skeleton of most organic molecules. |
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What forms the result of tremendous diversity of living organisms? |
Organic chains can vary in length, can be branched, or ringed, or combinations of these; plus the double bonding capacity. |
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Organic molecule that consists of only one carbon and one hydrogen? |
Hyrdocarbon. |
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What is a isomer? |
Compounds with the same number of atoms of the same elements but differ in their special location. |
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What are the three types of isomers? |
1) Structural 2) Cis-trans/geometric 3) Enantiomers |
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How do structural isomers differ? |
In their covalent arrangement of their atoms. |
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How do Cis-trans/geometric isomers differ? |
In their spatial arrangement due to the inflexibility of double bonds. |
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How are enantiomers best described? |
A mirror images of one another. (Left hand/Right hand) |
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What is a good example of enantiomers? |
S-ibuprofen is a good pain killer whereas R-ibuprofen is not. |
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What is the importance of chemical groups in relation to carbon chains? |
They provide important properties for that molecule. |
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What is another name for a chemical group? |
Functional group. |
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What are first four important chemical groups? |
1) Hydroxyl - OH 2) Carbonyl - CO 3) Carboxyl - COOH 4) Amino - NH2 |
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What are the last three important chemical groups? |
5) Sulfhydryl - SH 6) Phosphate - PO4 7) Methyl - CH3 |
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The first six chemical groups are also what? (2 things) |
Hydrophillic and serve as functional groups. |
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What do methyl groups mostly do? |
Act as marker/tags and are not very active. |
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What organic molecule is the primary source of stored energy needed for living organisms to undergo metabolism? |
ATP (adenosine triphosphate). |
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What is released when one of P-O (phosphate) bonds is broken and what happens? |
ADP (adenosine diphosphate) is released, which gives off large volumes of energy which can be converted to chemical energy to drive various chemical reactions in the cells of living things. |
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What are the four main categories of large molecules of all living organisms? |
1) Carbohydrates 2) Lipids 3) Proteins 4) Nucleic Acids |
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Huge molecules are also known as what? |
Macromolecules. |
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What is a polymer? |
Long molecules consisting of many similar, often identical, smaller monomers. |
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What is a monomer? |
Small molecules that serve as the building blocks of a polymer. |
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Specialized macromolecules that speed up chemical reactions are what? |
Enzymes. |
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A chemical reaction that involves the loss of water molecules is what? |
A dehydration reaction. |
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What happens when a bond in a polymer forms? |
Each monomer contributes either a OH- or a H+ to the formation of a water molecule. |
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What is a hydrolysis reaction? |
A reaction involving the gain of water molecules. |
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Digestion in many organisms involves many hydrolysis reactions which cause what? |
The release of water used by the body, expelled through sweat glands or urine. |
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The small differences among individuals in a given species is a result of what? (Molecules) |
The thousands of different macromolecules. |
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How many monomers are usually required to create a polymer? |
40-50. |
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What molecule is defined as sugar or a polymer of sugar? |
Carbohydrates. |
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What are monosaccharides? |
Simple sugars that are a multiple of CH2O and are the monomers from which complex carbs are created. |
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The most common monosaccharide which is central in the chemistry of life is what? |
Glucose. |
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What is glucose? |
1) The simplest sugar 2) An aldose 3) The preferred sugar source of almost all organisms. |
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What is an isomer of glucose that is also a ketose? |
Fructose. |
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What is aldose? |
An aldehyde sugar. |
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What is ketose? |
A ketone sugar. |
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What is a six carbon sugar? |
Hexose. |
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What is pentose? |
A five carbon sugar. |
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What is a three carbon sugar? |
Triose. |
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Simple sugar also serve as the main carbon source for? |
Amino acids and fatty acids. |
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Two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage is what? |
A disaccharide. |
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What is a glycosidic linkage? |
A covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides by a dehydration reaction. |
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What is created by the joining of two glucose molecules? |
Maltose. |
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Sucrose also known as what? And is created by what? |
Table sugar. Formed by the joining of glucose and fructose. |
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What is a polysaccharide? |
Macromolecules formed by the joining of many monosaccharides. |
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Polysaccharides serve as what? |
1) Storage molecules 2) Building materials |
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A plant storage molecule that is a polymer of glucose molecules is what? |
A starch. |
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Enzymes are used to do what to starch? |
Break them down into glucose molecules. |
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The simplest form of starch is known as what? |
Amylose. |
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What is glycogen? |
Polysaccharide storage molecule of animals that is a polymer of glucose, stored in the liver and muscle cells. |
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What polysaccharide is a major component of the tough walls that enclose plant cells? |
Cellulose. |
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What is main configuration of glucose monomers starch? |
a-Glucose. |
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What is the main configuration of glucose monomers cellulose? |
b-Glucose. |
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Parallel cellulose molecules held together by hydrogen bonding are grouped into units called what? |
Microfibrils. |
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Cellulose is the major constituent of what and only component of what? |
Paper and cotton. |
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Cellulose cannot be broken down by what animal? |
Humans. |
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What is chitin? |
A structural polysaccharide use by arthropods to make their exoskeleton. |
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What is an exoskeleton? |
Hard outer casing that surrounds the soft parts of an animal. |
