IB Biology - Topic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Flashcards for cell biology, covering cell theory, cell structures, membrane transport, cell division, stem cells, functions of life, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, human physiology, and reproduction.

What are the three main components of the cell theory?

All living things are made up of one or more cells; the cell is the smallest unit of life; new cells come from pre-existing cells by cell division.

What are some exceptions to the cell theory?

Skeletal muscle, giant algae, and aseptate fungi.

What is the main difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells do.

Name the primary structures and components of a cell.

Nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, cell membrane, cytoplasm, cell wall, chloroplasts, vacuole.

Describe the structure of the cell membrane.

The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins and cholesterol.

What are the different types of membrane transport?

Simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.

What are the four stages of mitosis?

Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

What are the different types of stem cells?

Totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent.

List the functions of life (MR SHENG).

Metabolism, Reproduction, Sensitivity, Homeostasis, Excretion, Nutrition, Growth.

What are the three main types of carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Summarize the stages of DNA replication.

Unwinding, template strand creation, base pairing, nucleotide joining, and semi-conservative replication.

Outline the processes of transcription and translation.

Transcription copies DNA into mRNA in the nucleus; translation reads mRNA at the ribosome to synthesize proteins.

What are the basic principles of molecular biology related to molecules and metabolism?

Atoms and molecules make up all living things; metabolism is the total of all chemical reactions.

What are the key properties of water that make it essential for life?

High boiling point, solvent properties, high specific heat capacity, and high heat of vaporization.

What elements make up carbohydrates and lipids?

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.

How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions?

Lowering activation energy.

Describe the steps of protein synthesis including transcription and translation

Transcription: DNA is copied into mRNA in the nucleus. Translation: mRNA is read by ribosomes in the cytoplasm to make proteins, with tRNA bringing amino acids.

What are the different types of mutations?

Substitution, insertion, and deletion.

Describe the structure of prokaryotic chromosomes.

One circular DNA molecule without histones and may contain plasmids.

What are the stages of meiosis?

Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, Telophase II.

What are Mendel’s Laws?

Law of Segregation and Law of Independent Assortment.

What are the key components of a pedigree?

Square = male, Circle = female, Shaded = affected individual.

What does PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) do?

Rapidly amplifies DNA in vitro.

What are the different levels of ecological organization?

Species, population, community, and ecosystem.

What is required for sustainability in ecosystems?

A continuous energy input, nutrient recycling, and detoxification and waste removal.

What are the different trophic levels?

Producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

What processes are involved in the carbon cycle?

Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition, and combustion.

What are the main greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide.

What is the main evidence supporting evolution?

Fossil record, selective breeding, comparative anatomy, vestigial structures, molecular biology, and observed evolution.

What are the key steps in natural selection?

Variation, overproduction, struggle for survival, survival of the fittest, inheritance, and adaptation.

What are the three domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Define the following key terms: Evolution, adaptation, natural selection, mutation, taxonomy, binomial nomenclature, clade, cladogram

Evolution, adaptation, natural selection, mutation, taxonomy, binomial nomenclature, clade, cladogram.

What is digestion?

Breaking down large food molecules into smaller molecules that the body can absorb.

What are the main digestive enzymes and what do they break down?

Amylase, protease, and lipase.

What enhances absorption in the small intestine?

Villi and microvilli.

What are the four chambers of the heart?

Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.

What are the three types of blood vessels?

Arteries, veins, and capillaries.

What are components that regulate heartbeats?

Sinoatrial node, sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node

What are its components of the the first line of defence

Skin, mucous membranes, cilia, tears and saliva.

What are the components of the second line of defense in the human innume system?

Phagocytosis, inflammation, and fever.

What are the components of the third line of defense?

B cells and T cells

What are the main structures of the respiratory system?

Nose and mouth, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

How are alveoli adapted for efficient gas exchange?

Large surface area, one-cell thick walls, moist lining, and surrounded by capillaries.

What are the key structures of a motor neuron?

Dendrites, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier, and axon terminal.

What is a synapse?

A junction between two neurons (or a neuron and a muscle).

Define the nature and effects of the work of hormones.

Slow-acting but long-lasting effects.

How does the pancreas regulate blood glucose levels?

High glucose → pancreas releases insulin → liver/muscle store glucose as glycogen. Low glucose → pancreas releases glucagon → glycogen broken into glucose.

What are the main organs of the male reproductive system?

Testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and penis.

What are the main organs of the female reproductive system?

Ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina.

What are the main steps of in vitro fertilization (IVF)?

Stop natural cycle, stimulate multiple follicles, egg collection, fertilization, culture embryos, and transfer embryos to uterus.

What are the three main components of the cell theory?

All living things are made up of one or more cells; the cell is the smallest unit of life; new cells come from pre-existing cells by cell division.

What are some exceptions to the cell theory?

Skeletal muscle, giant algae, and aseptate fungi.

What is the main difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells do.

Name the primary structures and components of a cell.

Nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, cell membrane, cytoplasm, cell wall, chloroplasts, vacuole.

Describe the structure of the cell membrane.

The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins and cholesterol.

What are the different types of membrane transport?

Simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.

What are the four stages of mitosis?

Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

What are the different types of stem cells?

Totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent.

List the functions of life (MR SHENG).

Metabolism, Reproduction, Sensitivity, Homeostasis, Excretion, Nutrition, Growth.

What are the three main types of carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Summarize the stages of DNA replication.

Unwinding, template strand creation, base pairing, nucleotide joining, and semi-conservative replication.

Outline the processes of transcription and translation.

Transcription copies DNA into mRNA in the nucleus; translation reads mRNA at the ribosome to synthesize proteins.

What are the basic principles of molecular biology related to molecules and metabolism?

Atoms and molecules make up all living things; metabolism is the total of all chemical reactions.

What are the key properties of water that make it essential for life?

High boiling point, solvent properties, high specific heat capacity, and high heat of vaporization.

What elements make up carbohydrates and lipids?

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.

How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions?

Lowering activation energy.

Describe the steps of protein synthesis including transcription and translation

Transcription: DNA is copied into mRNA in the nucleus. Translation: mRNA is read by ribosomes in the cytoplasm to make proteins, with tRNA bringing amino acids.

What are the different types of mutations?

Substitution, insertion, and deletion.

Describe the structure of prokaryotic chromosomes.

One circular DNA molecule without histones and may contain plasmids.

What are the stages of meiosis?

Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I, Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, Telophase II.

What are Mendel’s Laws?

Law of Segregation and Law of Independent Assortment.

What are the key components of a pedigree?

Square = male, Circle = female, Shaded = affected individual.

What does PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) do?

Rapidly amplifies DNA in vitro.

What are the different levels of ecological organization?

Species, population, community, and ecosystem.

What is required for sustainability in ecosystems?

A continuous energy input, nutrient recycling, and detoxification and waste removal.

What are the different trophic levels?

Producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

What processes are involved in the carbon cycle?

Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition, and combustion.

What are the main greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide.

What is the main evidence supporting evolution?

Fossil record, selective breeding, comparative anatomy, vestigial structures, molecular biology, and observed evolution.

What are the key steps in natural selection?

Variation, overproduction, struggle for survival, survival of the fittest, inheritance, and adaptation.

What are the three domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

What is digestion?

Breaking down large food molecules into smaller molecules that the body can absorb.

What are the main digestive enzymes and what do they break down?

Amylase, protease, and lipase.

What enhances absorption in the small intestine?

Villi and microvilli.

What are the four chambers of the heart?

Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.

What are the three types of blood vessels?

Arteries, veins, and capillaries.

What are components that regulate heartbeats?

Sinoatrial node, sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node

What are its components of the the first line of defence

Skin, mucous membranes, cilia, tears and saliva.

What are the components of the second line of defense in the human innume system?

Phagocytosis, inflammation, and fever.

What are the components of the third line of defense?

B cells and T cells

What are the main structures of the respiratory system?

Nose and mouth, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

How are alveoli adapted for efficient gas exchange?

Large surface area, one-cell thick walls, moist lining, and surrounded by capillaries.

What are the key structures of a motor neuron?

Dendrites, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier, and axon terminal.

What is a synapse?

A junction between two neurons (or a neuron and a muscle).

Define the nature and effects of the work of hormones.

Slow-acting but long-lasting effects.

How does the pancreas regulate blood glucose levels?

High glucose → pancreas releases insulin → liver/muscle store glucose as glycogen. Low glucose → pancreas releases glucagon → glycogen broken into glucose.

What are the main organs of the male reproductive system?

Testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and penis.