lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632 Biology Midterm Review
Please complete all of the following in your notebook!
Chapter 1: Introduction to Biology
1. Characteristics of living things – name and explain
a. Made of Cells – unicellular vs. multicellular
b. Grows and develops (cell division and size growth)
c. Obtains and uses energy – plants perform photosynthesis, all organism go through cellular respiration (turning
energy into a usable form, such as our mitochondria taking glucose and making ATP) d. Ability to reproduce
e. Responds to the environment (stimuli, forms a response and adapts)
f. Has a genetic code – DNA or RNA
g. Maintains stable internal environment (homeostasis)
h. Evolves – species adapt and evolve over time
Chapter 2: Biochemistry
2. What element is organic chemistry based on? Carbon
3. What are the 6 most common elements in organic molecules?
a. Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Phosphorous, and hydrogen (SPONCH)
4. Organic Molecules: Building Name of Compound Blocks
Structure – Draw monomer Function Examples Monomer
Energy (energy is stored in bonds)
Glucose, Ribose, deoxyribose, 5 or 6 carbon Carbohydrates
maltose, lactose, sucrose, ring Quick supply of energy cellulose to body (glucose)
Phospholipid (cell membrane); Long-term energy
waxes, steroids, hormones, storage oils Protection against Glycerol & Lipids water
Saturated (No double bonds) fatty acids Hormone Forms base of cell
Unsaturated: has at least one membrane double bond in the fatty acid tail Genes are translated
into proteins – they do
the work in the cell, and
they create the visible
Hemoglobin (carries oxygen in Proteins Amino acid traits that we see
blood); Enzymes (catalase in
the liver); muscles, etc. Act as enzymes by speeding up chemical reactions Nucleotide made of a Our genetic code (DNA) phosphate Nucleic Acids group, RNA transcribes and DNA and RNA nitrogen base, translates DNA into and ribose proteins sugar
5. What are enzymes? Proteins that speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy (the amount of energy to
get the reaction going) lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632
6. What type of organic molecules are enzymes? Proteins
7. How do enzymes work? By lowering activation energy – they bind to their substrate (like lactase binds to lactose) at the
active site, and then cause a conformational change, releasing the product(s)
8. What affects if enzymes work? Temperature and pH (denaturation – can cause the shape to change, and therefore their
ability to work), substrate concentration
9. Draw an enzyme with a substrate attached. Label the enzyme, substrate, active site, and products. Chapter 3: Cells
10. State the cell theory.
a. All living things are made of one or more cells
b. All cells come from preexisting cells
c. The cell is the basic structure and function of all living things 11. What are the differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
a. Prokaryotes are unicellular, simple, smaller, and do not have a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles
i. They have a nucleoid region, ribosomes, cytoplasm, and a cell membrane
ii. They may have: a cell wall, capsule, flagella, and/or pili b.
Eukaryotes have a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, they are larger and more
complex i. They can be unicellular or multicellular
12. Cell Structure and Function: Also be able to identify by looking at a picture. Organelle Function
Type of cell that has organelle Cell Membrane
Controls what enters/exits cells, protection and
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal outer layer Cell Wall
Extra outer layer outside membrane that provides
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
extra support and protection Cytoplasm
The “cell soup” – a nutrient rich liquid that
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
contains organelles outside of the nucleus Nucleus
Control center of the cell, contains the genetic information (DNA), and has a nucleolus that
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal makes ribosomes Nucleolus See above
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal Lysosomes
Membrane-bound organelle that contains
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
digestive enzymes- breaks down old/damaged cell
*Although a plant usually has
parts and assists in breaking down materials the peroxisomes instead of lysosomes cell needs Endoplasmic Reticulum
Membrane-bound organelle that is attached to
nucleus. The rough portion (covered in
ribosomes) is responsible for assembly of
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
membrane proteins, the smooth portion (no
ribosomes) is responsible for lipid assembly and detoxification lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632 Golgi Body
The UPS of the cell, a membrane-bound organelle that packages, labels, edits, and ships proteins
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal destined for different locations Chloroplast
Membrane-bound organelle that performs photosynthesis. Sunlight is absorbed by
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal chlorophyll and used to make glucose Vacuole
Membrane-bound organelle that stores stuff. In
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
plants, they have a large central that keeps the
*read description to left, different
cell pressurized so that it doesn’t wilt. In animals, depending on cell stores stuff Ribosomes Makes proteins
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal Mitochondria
Organelle that is responsible for aerobic
respiration – turning glucose into ATP (our cells’ energy currency)
Prokaryote / Plant / Animal
Surrounded by double membrane, has its own DNA
13. List 3 differences between plant and animal cells.
a. Plants have a cell wall, a central vacuole, and chloroplasts
14. Draw and label the cell membrane, including phospholipids bilayer, channel protein, receptor protein and marker protein. 15.
16. Explain the relationship between the structure of the cell membrane and how substances move in and out of it.
a. The phospholipid bilayer is semi-permeable. Only certain things are able to diffuse across due to size and/or
charge. Examples of things that can diffuse across: oxygen gas, carbon dioxide, water, etc. Things that are too large
or don’t have the right charge can move via facilitated transport (open protein channels) or active transport
(requires energy) such as a transport protein, endocytosis, exocytosis Chapter 4: Transport 17.
Vocabulary: Be able to describe and give examples of:
Passive Transport: Transport that doesn’t require energy, such as diffusion, osmosis, or
facilitated transport (and open protein channel that provides space for something to fit
through (it still diffuses following the concentration gradient
Diffusion: Random movement of particles down a concentration gradient, from an area
of high concentration to low, until equilibrium is reached (still continues to move though)
Osmosis: The diffusion of water down its concentration gradient
Concentration Gradient: See picture to left lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632
Active Transport: Transport that requires energy (usually ATP), examples would be transport proteins that are making
particles move against their concentration gradient, to
sodium-potassium pump, endocytosis, exocytosis
Sodium-Potassium pump: a form of active transport, used
in the action potential of neurons in the body
Endocytosis: Active transport, way of getting
large things into the cell
Exocytosis: Active transport, way of getting large things out of the cell
Hypertonic: above strength
Hypotonic: below strength
Isotonic: of equal strength
**Water always move towards the hypertonic solution
as it has the greater concentration of solutes (what is
dissolved, such as salt or sugar)
18. Draw a molecule of ATP and explain how where the energy is held and how cells can access that energy. a.
*They don’t really need to know this for the midterm, but: Stands for adenosine triphosphate b. Chapter 6: Mitosis
19. Know all of the following vocabulary words: a.
gametes: sex cells (eggs and sperms)
b. somatic cells: non-sex cells c.
binary fission: asexual reproduction in bacteria (splitting in two)
d. chromosome: condensed DNA wrapped around proteins
e. chromatid: copy of a chromosome f.
Centromere: the point where two sister chromatids attach lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632 g.
homologous chromosome: Homologous chromosomes
h. are chromosome pairs of approximately the same length, centromere position, with genes for the same
characteristics at corresponding locations. One homologous chromosome is inherited from the organism's mother;
the other from the organism's father i.
diploid: having two copies of chromosomes (humans’ diploid number is 46) j.
haploid: having one copy of chromosomes (humans haploid number is 23) k.
zygote: Formed after fertilization of an egg by a sperm l.
autosome: non-sex chromosome (pairs 1-22)
m. sex chromosome: give us our gender, XX in females, XY in males
n. karyotype: a person’s set of chromosomes
o. cell cycle: Growth 1, Synthesis, Growth 2, Mitosis & Cytokinesis
p. interphase: a term used to refer to growth one, synthesis, and growth 2 altogether (before cell division) q.
mitosis: division of the nucleus
r. cytokinesis: division of the cytoplasm, actual formation of two daughter cells
s. cancer: unregulated cell division
t. spindles: move chromosomes during cell division 20. Be able to identify which stage of the cell cycle cells are in. A: Anaphase B: Prophase C: Interphase D: Telophase E: Metaphase Chapter 7: Meiosis
21. Be able to identify which stage of meiosis cells are in. 1. Anaphase 1 2. Anaphase 2 3.
Prophase 1 (Crossing over!!!!!!) 4. Metaphase 1 5. Metaphase 2 6. Telophase 1 7. Prophase 2 8.
4 daughter cells (gametes) 22.
What is crossing over and why is it important? a. Crossing over occurs
during prophase one when tetrads line up
and exchange equivalent pieces of
chromosomes. This creates genetic diversity within the gametes
23. Fill in the following chart comparing mitosis and meiosis. lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632
24. Chart – Mitosis and Meiosis Comparison Mitosis Meiosis Type of cell involved Somatic Sex cells # of cells produced 2 4
# of chromosomes in parent cell 46 46
( human )
# of chromosomes in daughter cell 46 23
( human )
Daughter cells diploid or haploid? diploid haploid
Daughter cells genetically identical to Yes No parent cell?
Daughter cells genetically identical to Yes No one another Digestive System
25. List the organs of the digestive system and describe their functions.
a. Mouth: mechanically breaks food down, contains saliva which has amylase, which is an enzyme that begins to
break down sugars. The tongue helps to move food into the throat
b. Esophagus: muscular tube that pushed food from throat (pharynx) through muscular contractions called peristalsis
into the stomach through the sphincter
c. Stomach: mechanically breaks food down into a bolus; hydrochloric acid helps pepsin start to break down protein
d. Small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum): organ responsible for majority of absorption of nutrients into the
blood stream, bile (made in liver, stored in gall bladder) and lipases help to break down fats; other enzymes assist
with breaking down nutrients
e. Pancreas secretes insulin which triggers our cells to uptake glucose from the bloodstream; it also secretes
pancreatic juices, that works with the enzymes, etc. in the small intestine (food is in chyme form)
f. Appendix (no real important function)
g. Large intestine (ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon) – absorbs majority of water
and salt, makes vitamins with the assistance of bacteria, such as Vitamin K
h. Rectum: sends waste out
26. Give the name the parts of the digestive system in order starting from the mouth. See answer above Nervous System:
27. What is the main function of the nervous system? To receive information from the external environment, process it in the
internal environment and respond to it; controls your body
28. What is the main component that makes up the nervous system? How does it work? lOMoAR cPSD| 36490632
a. The neuron – receives signals, and sends an electrical message down the axon, neurotransmitters trigger nearby
neurons to receive the signal and pass it on b.