BIOL 150 Exam 1 Study Guide

All notes taken between 8/26 and 9/18 (will update)

What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest unit of life.

What does Life require?

Life requires expression and transmission of genetic material.

What does DNA do after it gets transferred from parent to offspring?

Provides instructions for making proteins.

What are the 2 main functions of proteins in cells?

1. Proteins are what do all the work in the cell.
2. Proteins in the cells define what type of cell it is.

How are proteins used in the cell?

1. For Structure
2. For Chemical Reactions

What is the process of transcription?

DNA -> Transcription -> mRNA -> Translation -> Chain of Amino Acids -> Protein Folding -> Protein

What is the first step of transcription?

DNA gets transcribed into mRNA

What is the second step of transcription?

mRNA gets translated into a chain of amino acids

What is the third step of transcription?

The chain of amino acids goes through protein folding

What is the final step of transcription?

After protein folding it becomes a protein

Are Humans producers or consumers?

Consumers

Are Plants producers or consumers?

Producers

What is evolution responsible for?

Both the unity and diversity of life

What are the 3 domains?

Domain Bacteria, Domain Archaea, Domain Eukarya

Why are animal limbs shaped the way they are?

Their limbs are shaped by the demands of their environment and their ways of life.

What is the process of Natural Selection?

Population with varied inherited traits -> Elimination of individuals with certain traits that make them more visible -> Reproduction of survivors -> Increased frequency of traits that enhance survival

What is the first step of Natural Selection?

Population with varied inherited traits

What is the second step of Natural Selection?

Elimination of individuals with certain traits that make them more visible

What is the third step of Natural Selection?

Reproduction of the survivors

What is the final step of natural selection?

Increased frequency of traits that enhance survival

What do Genes do in the process of natural selection?

Instead of making proteins, Genes make traits

Why are traits an important part of natural selection?

Traits can either benefit or worsen the survival rate of an organism

What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection?

Natural selection is done by nature and the natural order, artificial selection is done by humans to handpick the traits they want in an organism

What is the main result of natural selection?

Natural variety occurs

What are the 3 parts of an atom?

Protons, Electrons and Neutrons

What part of an atom has a positive charge?

Proton

What part of an atom has a negative charge?

Electron

What part of an atom has no charge?

Neutron

What makes up the Nucleus of an atom?

Protons & Neutrons

What orbits the Nucleus?

Electrons orbit the Nucleus

What determines the element?

The number of protons decide the element

What is an element?

An element is something that cannot be broken down by chemical reactions

What is the number in the top left of an element on the periodic table?

The atomic number

What does the atomic number determine?

Total number of protons found in an atom of that element

What is the number in the bottom of an element on the periodic table?

The mass number

What does the mass number determine?

Total number of protons and neutrons found in an atom of that element

Electrons are located where?

In the shells of the atom, they differ per element

How many electrons can be in the 1st shell?

2 electrons

How many electrons can be in the 2nd shell?

8 electrons

How many electrons can be in the 3rd shell?

18 electrons

When are atoms most stable?

When the outermost shell is full

What are these outermost shells called?

Valence Shells

What do atoms always want to have?

Full valence shells

What are atomic bonds?

Bonds are when 2 atoms interact

What happens when atoms bond?

Bonding is when atoms stick together

What happens if you take 2 atoms missing one electron in their valence shells?

They will tend to share each other's valence electron

What are the 2 different kind of atomic bonds?

Covalent and Non Covalent

What happens in a covalent bond?

When 2 atoms have unpaired electrons they share electrons

Is a covalent bond easy to break?

No, they're very difficult to break

What is a molecule?

2 or more atoms bonded together through covalent bonds

What is a non polar covalent bond?

The electrons are shared equally

What is a polar covalent bond?

The electrons are NOT share equally

What does it mean when an atom is electronegative?

The atoms takes more electrons for itself

What would be the reason things would be electronegative?

1. If the atom is closer to a valence shell
2. The smaller the atom, the more electronegative

What are the least electronegative elements?

Hydrogen & Carbon

What is the second most electronegative element?

Nitrogen

What is the most electronegative element?

Oxygen

Example of polar bonds?

O-H, O-C, N-H

Example of non polar bonds?

C-H, Same element-same element

2 things to keep in mind about polarity?

1. Polarity increases as you go right on the periodic table
2. Valence shells are smaller as you go up

What are properties of non covalent bonds?

1. They do NOT share electrons
2. They have a charge

What bonds fall under non covalent bonds?

Ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals interactions

What is an ionic bond?

When an atom loses or gains electrons to form charged particles

What is a Cation?

Atom with a positive charge

What is an Anion?

Atom with a negative charge

What is a hydrogen bond?

a weak bond between two partially charged atoms

What are some things to know about hydrogen bonds?

1. Non covalent
2. Between a hydrogen of one molecule and electronegative atom of another molecule
3. Hydrogen bonds ALWAYS require different molecules to form with hydrogen
4. Hydrogen bonds REQUIRE polar molecules to form
5. Hydrogen bonds on their own are very weak, when theres many of them theyre very strong

Why are hydrogen bonds important?

1. They determine if something will dissolve in water
2. They're very common and can be strong when many

What are Van der Waals forces?

a slight attraction that develops between the oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules (momentary dipoles)

What does water make?

Polar bonds

What are some things to know about water?

1. Water can have hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions
2. Water is POLAR and wants to interact with other polar molecules
3. Polar molecules are hydrophilic and non polar molecules are hydrophobic

What are some properties of water?

1. Water is the universal solvent
2. Water has a high specific heat capacity and absorbs heat well
3. Water has a high vaporization heat
4. Water's sold form (ice) has a lower density than the liquid form
5. Water has high cohesion (water to water) surface tension
6. Water has high adhesion (water to surface)

What are the 4 main types of biological molecules to learn in this class?

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Lipids
4. DNA & RNA

What is a macromolecule?

A large molecule made up of many atoms

What are the two forms of a molecule?

1. Monomer
2. Polymer

What do you need to know for each molecule?

1. Structure
2. Physical Properties
3. Function in the cell
4. Bonds

What are carbohydrates?

Sugars

Something to remember about carbohydrates?

They are polar

What are the 3 main functions of carbohydrates?

1. Short term energy storage
2. Cellular structure
3. Cell Identity

What is the monomer name for carbohydrates?

Monosaccharide

What is the polymer name for carbohydrates?

Polysaccharide

What is the name of the bond for carbohydrates?

Glycosidic Linkage

What are the physical features of carbohydrates?

1. Chains of carbon
2. Have a carbonyl (C=0)
3. Have multiple hydroxyl groups (OH)

What is the type of carbohydrate determined by?

1. Number of carbons in the chain
2. Location of carbonyl
3. Spatial arrangement of Atoms
4. How they fold into a ring

What actually changes the kind of carbohydrate?*

The number of carbons in the chain

Examples of monosaccharides?

Glyceraldehyde, Ribose, Glucose and Fructose

How do I tell monosaccharides apart?

1. Count the number of carbons in the chain
2. Check the location of the Carbonyl
3. Check the arrangement of the molecules
4. Check the folding pattern

What are polysaccharides?

large macromolecules formed from monosaccharides

What are disaccharides?

two monosaccharides joined together

Examples of polysaccharides are?

Amylose, Amylopectin, Glycogen, Cellulose

What are lipids?

fats (hydrophobic)

What are the function of lipids?

1. Long term energy storage
2. Membranes
3. Signaling molecules

Do lipids mix well with water

No, they are hydrophobic

Do lipids form polymers?

No, lipids do not form polymers.

What is fatty acid?

a long chain of carbons with a carboxyl at one end

What is the carboxyl for at the end of a fatty acid?

To help it be reactive

What are fats built off of?

A glycerol backbone with 3 fatty acids

What types of fats are there?

1. Saturated
2. Unsaturated

What are plant fats?

unsaturated

What are animal fats?

saturated