Pure biology flashcards

What is the definition for a species?

A species is a group of similar organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring

What is the binomial system?

The binomial system is an internationally agreed on system to scientifically name organisms using their genus and species.

What does the mnemonic “King Phillip confidently only fights golden snakes” stand for?

Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species

What are the five kingdoms?

Plants, animals, fungi, protoctists and prokaryotes (bacteria)

What does the animal kingdom get split up into?

Vertebrates (backbone plus skeleton) and invertebrates (no backbone plus exoskeleton)

what are the five types of vertebrates?

Mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians

What are the four types of invertebrates?

Myriapods, insects, arachnids and crustaceans

What two groups are plants split up into?

Flowering and non-flowering

What are the two types of flowering plants?

Monocotyledons and dicotyledons

Where does the energy in diffusion come from?

It comes from the kinetic energy of the random movement of the ions and molecules

What is the role of water in living organisms?

It is a solvent used in digestion, excretion and transport

What material is used to investigate osmosis?

A dailysis

What is the structure of DNA?

Two strands coiled together forming a double helix

What holds the strands in DNA together?

Pairs of bases

What does each strand of DNA contain?

Bases

What are types of bases are there in DNA?

A, C, T and G

What are the pairs of bases in DNA?

A and T or C and G

What is carbohydrates used for in a plant?

To produce cellulose for cell wall, starch as storage, glucose for respiration, sucrose as transport substance and for nectar to attract insects.

What are the four types of teeth?

Incisors, canine, pre-molars and molars

What is the job of the incisors and canine teeth?

To bite and tear food

What is the function of the pre-molars?

To tear and crush food

What is the function of the molars?

Crushing and grinding food

What are the five parts of a tooth?

The enamel, dentine, pulp (nerves and blood vessels), cement and gum.

How do you go from starch to glucose?

Starch + amylase → maltose, maltose + maltase → glucose

What are the two types of protease?

Pepsin and trypsin

What is the difference between trypsin and pipsin?

Pipsin works best in acidic environments (stomach) while trypsin works best in alkali environments (small intestines)

What is the funny bone thing in a villi called?

The lacteal

What is the function of the lacteal?

To absorb digested fats

How are digested fats in the small intestine transferred into the blood?

By first the absorption of fat by the lacteal where the lymph (fluid inside lacteal) transfers the fat to the bloodstream

What is the word equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast?

glucose → alcohol and carbon dioxide

What is the symbol equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast?

C6H12O6 → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

What are plants supported by?

Plants are supported by the pressure of water inside the plant cells pressing outwards on the cell wall

What moves molecules during active transport?

Protein carriers

What is the test for vitamin C?

The DCPIP test

What does chlorophyll do in terms of energy transfer?

Chlorophyll transfers energy from light into energy in chemicals, for the synthesis of carbohydrates

What role does the stomach play in physical digestion?

The strong muscular walls of the stomach contract and squeeze back in forth to churn the food, pounding and grinding the food into chyme

Where is water in the human body absorbed?

Most of the water is absorbed in the small intestines but some is also absorbed in the colon (large intestines)

What is the mechanism in the xylem that pulls water up called?

Transpiration pull

How does transpiration pull work?

During transpiration water evaporates and this creates a suction force, and water molecules stick tightly to each other so the water column doesn’t break off.

Which ventricle of the heart is thicker and why?

The left ventricle of the heart has a thicker muscular wall because it has to pump oxygen rich blood to the entire body

Why is the right side of the heart less thick?

Because it only needs to pump blood towards the lungs

Why are ventricles thicker than atria?

Ventricles are thicker than atria since they pump blood around the whole body while the atria only pump blood a small way into the adjacent ventricle

What is the importance of the septum?

It’s job is to separate oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood from each other

Where are both atrioventricular valves found?

Between the ventricle and atrium on both sides of the heart

Where are the semilunar valves located?

The pulmonary valve is located at the bottom of the pulmonary artery exiting the right ventricle, the aortic valve is found at the bottom of the aorta exiting the left ventricle

What are main the blood vessels in the kidneys?

The renal vein and renal artery

What is the process of clotting?

The conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin to form a mesh

What is Cholera and what is it caused by?

Cholera is a disease transmitted in contaminated water caused by a bacterium

What does the Cholera bacterium produce in the human body and what does it do?

Cholera produces a toxin that causes the secretion of chloride ions into the small intestines leading to osmotic movement of water into the gut which causes diarrhoea, dehydration and loss of ions from the blood

What do the internal intercostal muscles do?

The internal intercostal muscles contract to help depress the ribs during expiration (exhaling) and increase pressure in the lungs

What do the external intercostal muscles do?

The external intercostal muscles contract to help expand the ribs during inspiration (inhaling) and decrease pressure in the lungs

What effect does temperature have on respiration in yeast?

If temperature is increased during respiration in yeast, the rate of respiration increases

What is the purpose of cartilage for the trachea?

To protect the trachea

Where does the zygote implant itself during pregnancy?

Into the uterus lining

What connects the fetus and the placenta?

The umbilical cord

What is the placenta?

The placenta is where substances from the the mother and fetus are exchanged

What keeps the baby safe?

The amniotic fluid which supports the fetus but also lets it move

What holds the amniotic fluid?

The amniotic sac

How are nutrients passed between the mother and the fetus?

By diffusion across the blood of the mother and fetus

How is waste removed from the fetus?

It diffuses across the blood from the fetus to the mother

How does the placenta ensure the nutrients can be passed from the mother to the fetus?

By allowing the blood of the fetus to run closely along the blood of the mother

What is the protective feature of the placenta?

It acts as a filter that filters out most toxins and pathogens however not all

Where is oestrogen and progestoren produced?

In the ovules

What are the four hormones that are part of the menstrual cycle?

Oestrogen, progestoren, FSH and LH