BIOL 1009 Midterm 1 Study Guide Chapters 1-5

biosphere

consists of all life on Earth and all the places life exists

ecosystem

consists of all living things in particular area, along with all nonliving components

community

array of organisms inhabiting a particular ecosystem

species

group whose members can only reproduce with other members of the group

population

all individuals of species living within bounds of specified area that interbreed with each other

organisms

individual living things

organs

body part made of multiple tissues and has specific function in the body

tissues

group of cells that work together, performing a specialized function

cell

life's fundamental unit of structure and function

organisms can be unicellular or multicellular

organelles

various functional components present in cells

molecules

chemical structure consisting of 2+ atoms

reductionism

approach that reduces complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study

Emergent properties

due to arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases

ex - photosynthesis

exists everywhere in nature

systems biology

exploration of biological system by analyzing interactions among its parts

cell theory

1 - all living organisms are made of cells

2 - cells are basic unit of life

3 - all activities of organisms are based on activities of cells

prokaryotic cell

lacks nucleus or other membrane-enclosed organelles

eukaryotic cell

contains membrane-enclosed organelles

genomics

large scale analysis of genome

bioinformatics

uses computational tools to deal with sequence data

deoxyribonucleic acid

contains genes

encode info needed to build all molecules synthesized in cells

replicates to form cells

formed from nucleotides (A,T,C,G)

reproduction of cell

sperm cell to egg cell to fertilized egg to embryo's cell to offspring

gene expression

process by which info in gene directs manufacture of cellular product

genome

entire library of genetic info an organism inherits

feedback regulation

output or product of process regulates process

negative feedback

loop in which responses reduces initial stimulus

ex - insulin signaling

positive feedback

end product speeds up production

ex - blood clotting

every organism interacts with other organisms

can be...

mutually beneficial

one benefits and one is harmed

both harmed

every organisms interacts with physical factors in environment

ex - climate change

evolution

process of biological change in which species accumulate differences from ancestors as they adapt to different environments over time

Three Domains of Life

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

unicellular and prokaryotic

Bacteria and Archaea

Eukarya

Plantae, Fungi, Animalia, Protista

natural selection

"descent with modification"

1 - individuals in populations vary in traits

2 - population can produce more offspring than can survive to produce own offspring

3 - species generally suited to environment

conclusion: individuals with inherited traits are better suited to local environment are more likely to survive and reproduce than less well-suited individuals

inductive reasoning

deriving generalizations from large number of specific observations

deductive reasoning

involves logic that flows from general to specific

scientific process

model organism

species easy to grow in lab and lends itself particularly well to questions being investigated

Linnaean System

Why do we study biology?

to understand the world around us

curiosity about surroundings and how it works

improve healthcare

How do we study biology?

observation and description

form hypothesis from evidence and create experiments to test

taxonomy

classifying organisms

compound

made of atoms joined by bonds

atom

# of protons determines atom's identity

atom's electron distribution determines ability to form bonds

compounds properties depend on atoms and how they are bonded together

smallest unit of matter that still retain properties of an element

matter

anything that takes up space and has mass

exists in many forms

element

substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions

92 occur in nature

isotope

different atomic forms of same element

different # of neutrons

energy

capacity to cause change

potential energy

energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure

based on distance from nucleus

electron shells

areas where electrons are found in atom with different distance and energy level

electron orbital

where electron is found 90% of time

s, p, d, f

s is spherical

p is dumbbell

covalent bond

sharing of pair of valence electrons by two atoms

forms a molecule

sharing depends on electronegativity

different EN = polar

same EN = non polar

ionic bond

atom stripped completely from cation and given to anion

chemical reactions

making and breaking of chemical bonds

reactants to products

chemical equilibrium

point at which reactions affect one another exactly the same

hydrogen bonding

the intermolecular force in which a hydrogen atom that is bonded to a highly electronegative atom is attracted to an unshared pair of electrons of an electronegative atom in a nearby molecule

four emergent properties of water that contribute to Earth's suitability for life

cohesion of water molecules - H bonds hold water together; results in high surface tensions; contributes to transport of water and dissolved nutrients

moderation of temperature by water - water absorbs heat from air that is warmer and releases stored heat to air that is cooler

specific heat - water has a high specific heat due to H-bonds

evaporative cooling - as liquid evaporates, the surface that remains behind cools down; stabilizes temperature and prevents terrestrial organisms from overheating

adhesion

clinging of one substance to another

specific heat

amt of heat that must be absorbed or lost for 1 g of water by 1 degree C

water

the solvent of life

hydration shell

sphere of water molecules around each dissolved ion

acid

substance that increases H ion concentration of solution

base

substance that reduces H ion concentration of solution

pH scale

internal pH of most living cells is close to 7

less than 7 = acidic

greater than 7 = basic

buffer

substance that minimizes changes in concentrations of H+ and OH- in a solution

vanderwaals interactions

brief interaction that help other reactions take place in cell

take place between molecules at regions of negative or positive charge

chemical composition of organisms

inorganic - water

organic - carbohydrates, nucleic acids, proteins, lipids

Why is carbon the basis for all biological molecules?

carbon can make four bonds and can bond to itself and other atoms/groups of atoms

properties depend on arrangement of carbon skeleton and on its chemical groups

organic chemistry

study of compounds containing carbon

hydrocarbon

organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen

3 types of isomers

structural, cisterns, enantiomers

structural isomer

differ in covalent arrangements of atoms

cistrans isomer

aka geometric isomers

single bonds allow rotation

double bonds to not allow free rotation

enantiomers

isomers that are mirror images of each other and that differ in shape due to the presence of an asymmetric carbon

functional groups

chemical groups directly involved in chemical reactions

adenosine triphosphate

organic phosphate of 3 string chain

source of energy in cells

four important classes of biological molecules

carbs, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids

macromolecules

large carbs, proteins, and nucleic acids

polymers

long molecules consisting of many similar or identical building blocks linked by covalent bonds

monomer

repeating units that serve as building blocks of polymers

enzymes

specialized macromolecules that speed up chemical reaction

condensation reaction

reaction that connects a monomer to another monomer or polymer

dehydration reaction

each reactant contributes part of H2O molecule that is released during rxn

carbohydrates

sugars and polymers of sugars

monosaccharides

molecular formulas that are the same multiple of unit CH2O

disaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of two monosaccharides

polysacchardies

polymers of carbohydrate macromolecules

storage polysaccharides

store starch as granules within celluar structures

glycogen

a polymer of glucose that is like amylopectin but more extensively branched

structural polysacchardies

cellulose - major component of tough walls that enclose plant cells

lipids

one class of large biological molecular that doesn't include true polymers

hydrophobic

vary in form and function

fat

consists of glycerol molecule joined to three fatty acids

fatty acid

long carbon skeleton

synthesis of a fat (dehydration reaction)

one water molecule is removed for each fatty acid joined to glycerol

saturated vs unsaturated fats

Both are lipids - saturated have NO double bonds, are saturated with hydrogen, are animal based, solid at room temperature

unsaturated - have double bonds, are plant based, liquid at room temperature

trans fats

unsaturated fats with trans double bonds

phospholipid

only two fatty acids attached to glycerol rather than three

plasma membrane in cells

arranged in bilayer, hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic ends

steroids

lipids characterized by carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings

cholesterol

crucial molecule in animals' cell membranes

functions of proteins

speed up reactions, help in defense, storage, transport, cellular communication, movement, or structural support

polypeptide

polymer of amino acids