Biology exam

Nucleotide

A building block of DNA, consisting of a sugar covalently bonded to a base and a phosphate group.

Gene

A section of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific characteristic e.g. hair colour

Mutation

A change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information by changing the sequence of amino acids

DNA

A complex polymer containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes. Codes for amino acids which make proteins.

Double helix

The shape of a DNA molecule

Base

A-T and C-G are the examples.

T

The Base Pair A matches with

C

The Base Pair G matches with

Complementary Bases

The fact that A bonds with T and G with C shows that A and T and G and C are

Rosalind Franklin

British scientist who generated x-ray diffraction pictures of DNA, that provided evidence of of double helix data about DNA

global warming

An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes)

atmosphere

A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon.

Biosphere

Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.

Geosphere

the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle

Hydrosphere

all the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the earth's surface, such as clouds.

Albedo

the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface

terrestrial

Relating to the Earth or to land; worldly

terrestrial radiation

the radiation emitted by Earth to outer space

water cycle

The continual movement of water among Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land surface through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation

Condensation

The change of state from a gas to a liquid

Evaporation

The change of a substance from a liquid to a gas

Infiltration

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface.

Runoff

water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

Transpiration

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant

carbon cycle

The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again

Respiration

The process by which cells break down simple food molecules to release the energy they contain.

fossil fuels

resources that come from the remains of long ago plants and animals to form coal, oil and natural gas.

Photosynthesis

Plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars

greenhouse effect

Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth's atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases

climate change

a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

emissions

gases released into the air, especially by cars and factories

carbon dioxide

a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air (about 0.03 percent) and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.

carbon footprint

the total carbon dioxide emissions produced by an individual, group, or location

coral bleaching

Occurs when a coral becomes stressed and expels most of its colorful algae, leaving an underlying ghostly white skeleton of calcium carbonat

ocean acidification

when CO2 dissolves in seawater, it reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which lowers ocean pH

Conduction

The direct transfer of heat from one substance to another substance that it is touching.

Convection

The transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid or gas

La Nina

A climate event across the Pacific Ocean, it is caused by Strong Trade winds. It causes Australia to have extra rainfall.

El Nino

A climate event in the mid Pacific Ocean, it is caused by weak Trade winds. It causes Australia to have extra dry weather and droughts.

Carbon sinks/reservoirs

Anything that absorbs more carbon than it releases; examples: forests, soils, oceans and the atmosphere

renwable energy sources

examples -Solar, Wind, Hydro they never run out.

Evolution

Change in a species over time

Fossil

Any trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago

Law of Superposition

The farther down in the rock layer an organism is the older it is

Examples of fossils

Bones, Imprints, Teeth

Comparative Embryology

Comparison of fetal development to show common ancestry

Homologous Structures

Having the similar body structures but not always the same function

Homologous structure - example

Leg of cat and human arm

Analogous Structure

Having different body structures although used for the same purpose

Analogous structure - example

Bird wing and insect wing

Vestigial organ

Remnants of ancient ancestors that have little to no function

Vestigial organ - example

Wisdom teeth

Comparative Biochemistry

Comparison of DNA sequence can show common ancestry

survive and reproduce

Organisms with well suited traits

What causes a population to become separated?

Natural disaster, isolation

What is most likely the reason there are gaps in the fossil record?

they haven't found all the fossils yet

older

Fossils deep in the Earth's crust are most likely

age of fossils,past events ,life on earth

What information does the fossil record supply evidence for?

homologous structures

How do we know all organisms come from a common ancestor?

fossils, embryology, homologous structures, vestigial structures & DNA

How do scientists determine evolutionary relationships among species?

Fossil records

the millions of fossil that scientists have collected are

Embryology

similar in early development

Homologous structures

body parts that are structural similar in related species and that provide evidence for a common ancestor

Fossils

the preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past

Comparative Anatomy, DNA, Biogeography, embryology, & fossils

The 5 main points of evidence for evolution

evolution

the gradual change in a species over time

False

The presence of gill slits and a tail in the early stages of development of an embryo indicates its future as a fish.

ordovicians

444 mya; global cooling/ glaciation (severe in ice age); 86% of life

late devonian

375 mya; land olants caused erosion ➡️nutrient runoff into ocean➡️ a large bloom➡️ o2 depletion; 75% of life

permian

215 mya; volcanism and methane released from bacteria (global temp surge/ ocean acidification); 96% of life

triassic

200 mya; no clear cause (maybe ocean acidification or sea level drop?); 96% of life

Cretaceous

66 mya; giant meteor (6-9 mi wide at impact ➡️93 mi diameter crater!); 76% of life

holocene

NOW; anthropogenic (human caused) climate change and habitat life; ?% of life

Great Oxygenation Event

2.5 bya; evolution of photosynthetic bacteria (cyano bacteria) caused o2 accumulation in atmosphere➡️ killed other bacteria that found o2 toxic; o2 revolution

Mammoths and mastodons

Cenozoic

Pangaea breaks apart, 1st early mammals, dinosaurs, birds, 1st flowering plants. K-T Extinction (Asteroid Chicxulub)

Mesozoic

Oldest rocks

Precambrian

Ice ages and mountain ranges: Forming-Alps and Himalayas
Mammoths & Humans

Cenozoic

"The P-T" or "The Great Dying mass extinction

Occurs at the end of the Paleozoic Era

1st single-cell Algea and Bacteria, 1st multicellular animals

Precambrian

Earth forms & Cools

Beginning of Precambrian

1st land plants, fish, insects, snails, clams & pangea has formed,

Paleozoic

Oxygen is in atmosphere

2000mya

absolute age

the numeric age of an object or event, often stated in years before the present, as established by an absolute-dating process, such as radiometric dating

radiometric dating

method used to determine the age of rocks using the rate of decay of radioactive isotopes

relative dating

Method of determining the age of a fossil by comparing its placement with that of fossils in other layers of rock

half-life

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

phylogenic tree/cladogram

a diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor.

Gradualism

A proposed explanation in evolutionary biology stating that new species arise from the result of slight modifications (mutations and resulting phenotypic changes) over many generations.

punctuated equilibrium

the hypothesis that evolutionary development is marked by isolated episodes of rapid speciation between long periods of little or no change.

divergent speciation

When two or more similar species become more and more different.

phyletic speciation

abrupt mutations in a few genes occur in a species over time, related to punctuated equilibrium

Morphology

structure and appearance of an organism

Fossil

A preserved remnant or impression of an organism that lived in the past.

abiotic synthesis

the building of biological molecules from inorganic precursors

Reduced Atmosphere Hypothesis

Early earth conditions where there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere

Miller-Urey Experiment

Two scientists attempted to reproduce the condition of the (assumed) earth's primitive ocean's under a reducing atmosphere. They produced some of the key molecules to life (amino acids and nucleotides).

prokaryotic cell

A type of cell lacking a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles; found only in the domains Bacteria and Archaea.

Eukaryotic cells

Contain a nucleus and other organelles that are bound by membranes.