Exam 1 BIOL 1A Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms from the BIOL 1A study guide.

Scientific method

Systematic process to investigate phenomena: observe, ask questions, form hypotheses, make predictions, test with experiments, analyze results, draw conclusions, report findings.

Observation

Active noticing of phenomena to gather information for inquiry.

Question

A testable inquiry that guides the investigation.

Hypothesis

A testable, falsifiable explanation or educated guess.

Prediction

A specific outcome expected if the hypothesis is correct.

Experiment

Controlled test designed to test predictions and hypotheses.

Data analysis

Interpreting results to determine whether the hypothesis is supported.

Hypothesis testing

Evaluating whether collected data support or refute a hypothesis.

Falsifiability

Ability of a hypothesis to be proven false by evidence.

Basic science

Research aimed at understanding fundamental biological principles.

Applied science

Using basic science knowledge to solve real-world problems.

Inductive reasoning

From specific observations to general conclusions.

Deductive reasoning

From general principle to specific conclusions.

Peer review

Evaluation of research by independent scientists before publication.

Primary source

Original research reports following IMRaD format.

Secondary source

Summaries or syntheses of primary sources (e.g., literature reviews).

IMRaD format

Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections of a paper.

Oxygen

Element abundant in humans; essential for respiration and water chemistry.

Carbon

Central element in organic molecules; four covalent bonds allow diversity.

Hydrogen

Light element; forms H bonds; component of water and organic compounds.

Nitrogen

Component of amino acids and nucleic acids.

Proton

Positively charged subatomic particle; defines element identity.

Neutron

Electrically neutral subatomic particle; contributes to mass.

Electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle; determines chemical behavior.

Atomic number

Number of protons in the nucleus; defines the element.

Mass number

Total protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

Half-life

Time required for half of an isotope to decay.

Radioisotope

Isotope that emits radiation as it decays.

Electron configuration

Arrangement of electrons in atomic shells or orbitals.

Covalent bond

Bond formed by sharing electrons; generally strong.

Ionic bond

Bond formed by transfer of electrons, creating charged ions.

Anion

Negatively charged ion.

Cation

Positively charged ion.

Polar covalent bond

Covalent bond with unequal electron sharing due to electronegativity differences.

Nonpolar covalent bond

Covalent bond with equal sharing of electrons.

Hydrogen bond

Weak interaction between a partially positive hydrogen and an electronegative atom.

Water

Polar solvent with emergent properties supporting life.

Polarity

Unequal distribution of electrical charge within a molecule.

Buffer

Weak acid/base system that resists pH changes.

pH

Measure of hydrogen ion concentration; acidic

Hydrogen ion

H+, contributes to acidity of a solution.

Hydroxide ion

OH-, base component that neutralizes acids.

Monosaccharide

Simple sugar; basic unit of carbohydrates (e.g., glucose).

Disaccharide

Two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic bond.

Polysaccharide

Polymer of many monosaccharides; energy storage or structure.

Amylose

Unbranched starch polymer of alpha-glucose; energy storage in plants.

Cellulose

Structural polysaccharide of beta-glucose; forms strong fibers.

Triglyceride

Lipid with glycerol attached to three fatty acids; major energy store.

Phospholipid

Lipid with two fatty acids and a phosphate group; forms cell membranes.

Glycerol

Three-carbon backbone of triglycerides and phospholipids.

Fatty acid

Hydrocarbon chains that vary in length and saturation; part of lipids.

Saturated fat

Fatty acids with no double bonds; typically solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fat

Fatty acids with one or more double bonds; typically liquid at room temperature.

Trans fat

Unsaturated fat with trans configuration; often artificially produced.

Glycosidic bond

Bond joining carbohydrates in disaccharides and polysaccharides.

Amino acid

Building block of proteins; includes amino group, carboxyl group, R group, and chiral center.

Chiral carbon

Carbon attached to four different groups; enables enantiomers.

Enantiomer

Mirror-image isomer of a chiral molecule.

Structural isomer

Isomers with same atoms, different arrangement.

Cis-trans isomer

Isomers differing in orientation around a double bond or ring.

Polypeptide

Chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds; folds into protein.

Peptide bond

Bond between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next.

Primary structure

Amino acid sequence of a protein.

Secondary structure

Local folding (alpha helices, beta sheets) stabilized by hydrogen bonds.

Tertiary structure

Overall 3D shape of a protein due to R-group interactions.

Quaternary structure

Assembly of multiple polypeptide subunits into a functional protein.

Nucleic acid

Biomolecule for storing and expressing genetic information (DNA/RNA).

Nucleotide

Monomer of nucleic acids: phosphate, sugar, and nitrogenous base.

Purine

Nitrogenous bases with two rings (adenine, guanine).

Pyrimidine

Nitrogenous bases with one ring (cytosine, thymine, uracil).

DNA

Double-stranded, anti-parallel polymer of nucleotides; stores genetic information.

RNA

Usually single-stranded; ribose sugar; uracil replaces thymine; involved in gene expression.

Adenine-thymine pair

A-T base pairing with two hydrogen bonds in DNA.

Cytosine-guanine pair

C-G base pairing with three hydrogen bonds in DNA.

Phosphodiester bond

Bond linking nucleotides via 3'-OH and 5' phosphate ends to form DNA/RNA.

5' to 3' directionality

DNA/RNA polymerization proceeds from 5' end to 3' end.

Antiparallel

Two DNA strands run in opposite 5' to 3' directions.

Ribose

Five-carbon sugar in RNA with a 2'-OH group.

Deoxyribose

Five-carbon sugar in DNA lacking the 2'-OH group.