BIOL 1010 Exam 1

What is the scientific method?

A systematic process involving observation, hypothesis, experimentation, analysis, and conclusion

What is a hypothesis?

A testable and falsifiable explanation for an observation

What is a scientific theory?

A broad explanation supported by extensive evidence and widely accepted by scientists

What is basic science?

Science that expands knowledge without immediate application

What is applied science?

Science that solves real-world problems

What is biology?

The study of living organisms

What is homeostasis?

Maintaining stable internal conditions

What is evolution?

Change in allele frequencies in a population over time

What does “Order” mean in characteristics of life?

Organisms have organized structures such as cells

How do organisms respond to stimuli?

They react to environmental changes

What is reproduction in living organisms?

Producing offspring

What is growth and development?

Growing according to genetic instructions

What is energy processing?

Using energy for metabolism

What is homeostasis in living organisms?

Maintaining internal balance

What is evolutionary adaptation?

Population-level changes that improve survival

What is the Cell Theory?

All living things are made of cells; cells are the basic unit of life; all cells come from preexisting cells

What is the structure of a virus?

Genetic material inside a protein capsid, sometimes with an envelope

How do viruses replicate?

They attach, enter, replicate, assemble, and exit host cells

What components are found in all cells?

Membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, and ribosomes

What is a tissue?

A group of specialized cells working together

What is a colony?

Independent cells living together

What is a population?

Members of the same species in an area

What is a community?

All living organisms in an area

What is an ecosystem?

Living organisms plus the nonliving environment

What is the biosphere?

All ecosystems on Earth

What is taxonomy?

Classifying organisms by shared traits

What does biotic mean?

Living components of an ecosystem

What does abiotic mean?

Nonliving components of an ecosystem

What are prokaryotes?

Cells without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles

What are eukaryotes?

Cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

Which cell type is oldest?

Prokaryotes

What is Domain Bacteria?

Domain of prokaryotes

What is Domain Archaea?

Domain of prokaryotes

What is Domain Eukarya?

Domain of eukaryotes

What do ribosomes do?

Make proteins

What does the nucleus do?

Stores DNA

What do mitochondria do?

Produce ATP

What do chloroplasts do?

Perform photosynthesis

What is a microbe?

A microscopic organism

What is an epidemic?

A disease outbreak in one region

What is a pandemic?

A disease outbreak that spreads globally

What is an antibiotic?

A substance that kills bacteria

What does an epidemiologist do?

Studies disease patterns and spread

What is a communicable disease?

A disease that spreads person to person

What is a non-communicable disease?

A disease that does not spread between individuals

What is antibiotic resistance?

When bacteria evolve traits that let them survive antibiotics

Which population evolves antibiotic resistance?

Bacteria, not humans

What is the Human Microbiome Project?

A project mapping microbes living on and in humans

How do microbes benefit humans?

They aid digestion, immunity, and protect against pathogens

How does breastfeeding affect a baby’s microbiome?

Provides beneficial microbes and antibodies

What happened when mice microbiomes were changed?

Their behavior, weight, and immunity changed

How do gut microbes help digestion?

They break down food and extract nutrients

How do gut microbes support immunity?

They train and regulate the immune system

What is the gut–brain axis?

Interaction between gut microbes and brain function

What is a pathogen?

A disease-causing organism

What is a host?

The organism a pathogen infects

What is an antigen?

A molecule that triggers an immune response

What is an antibody?

A protein that binds antigens

What is a macrophage?

A phagocyte that engulfs pathogens

What is an antigen-presenting cell?

A cell that displays antigens to activate T cells

What is a leukocyte?

A white blood cell

What are physical barriers to infection?

Skin, mucus, and other protective surfaces

What are chemical barriers to infection?

Stomach acid, enzymes, antimicrobial chemicals

What is innate immunity?

Fast, non-specific immunity

What is adaptive immunity?

Slow, specific immunity with memory

How do vaccines work?

They introduce antigens to produce antibodies and memory cells

What is autoimmunity?

When the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues

How does coronavirus enter cells?

Its spike protein binds to ACE2 receptors

What is the coronavirus spike protein?

The protein that binds to host ACE2 receptors

What genetic material do coronaviruses have?

RNA

What is an allele?

A version of a gene

What is a phenotype?

Physical expression of a trait

What is a genotype?

Genetic makeup of an organism, set of alleles that determine a trait

What is an adaptation?

A trait that increases survival or reproduction

What is a vestigial structure?

A reduced structure with little or no function

What is speciation?

Formation of new species

Who described natural selection?

Darwin and Wallace

What is Darwin’s principle of variation?

Individuals differ within populations

What is Darwin’s principle of inheritance?

Traits are passed from parents to offspring

What is Darwin’s principle of overproduction?

More offspring are produced than resources allow

What are the sources of genetic diversity?

Mutation and sexual reproduction

What evidence supports evolution?

Fossils, DNA, anatomy, biogeography, observed evolution

How did XBB evolve?

Through recombination and mutation

How did spike protein mutations affect XBB?

Improved immune evasion and ACE2 binding

What does the F486P mutation do?

Increases XBB.1.5 transmissibility

How does vaccination slow viral evolution?

Reduces spread and mutation opportunities

What is XBB?

A recombinant family of Covid‑19 subvariants

What is a T cell?

A lymphocyte that helps regulate and carry out adaptive immunity

What are elephant tusks?

Overgrown upper lateral incisors

Why are some African elephants tuskless?

Poaching selected for tuskless females who survived and reproduced

What genetic factor may cause tusklessness?

Mutations in tooth‑development genes such as wnt10a

What does “conserved” mean in evolution?

A trait that remains unchanged because it is essential

What is the relationship between teeth and tusks?

Tusks are modified teeth

How can tusk size affect survival?

Large tusks attract poachers; small or absent tusks increase survival

How can tusklessness evolve over time?

Individuals without tusks survive poaching and pass on the trait

Who are the Bajau people?

A Southeast Asian group known for extreme free‑diving

What physical adaptation do the Bajau have?

Enlarged spleens

How does a larger spleen help diving?

It releases extra oxygenated red blood cells during breath‑holding