bio final

What are the characteristics that define something as alive?

Cellular organization, ordered complexity, sensitivity, growth, development and reproduction, energy utilization, homeostasis, evolutionary adaptation, emergent properties.

What is the atomic number?

The number of protons in an atom.

What defines a cation?

A positive ion formed by the loss of electrons.

What is a covalent bond?

A bond formed when one or more pairs of valence electrons are shared by two atoms.

What is the primary function of enzymes?

Enzyme catalysis.

What is the octet rule?

Atoms tend to establish completely full outer energy levels.

What is the definition of hydrophilic?

Water-loving, typically refers to polar molecules.

What does ATP stand for?

Adenosine triphosphate, the main energy source for cellular processes.

What is the function of the sodium-potassium pump?

Transports sodium out of the cell and potassium into the cell against their concentration gradients.

What is a ribosome's function?

Makes proteins by decoding mRNA.

What happens during glycolysis?

The breakdown of glucose into two molecules of pyruvate, producing a net gain of ATP and NADH.

What is pH?

A measure of concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution.

What is the structure of a phospholipid?

A molecule with a hydrophilic (polar) head and two hydrophobic (nonpolar) tails.

Define transcription.

The process by which DNA is used as a template to synthesize RNA.

What are introns?

Non-coding sequences in a gene that are removed during RNA splicing.

What is crossing over in meiosis?

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I.

Define phenotype.

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism determined by its genotype.

What is the role of tRNA in protein synthesis?

Transfer RNA carries amino acids to the ribosome, where they are added to a growing polypeptide chain.

What is a mutation?

A change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA that may lead to changes in the organism.

Define anabolic pathways.

Metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units, requiring energy input.

What are signal transduction pathways?

Processes that convert a signal from outside the cell into a functional response within the cell.

What is the function of chaperone proteins?

Assist in the folding of other proteins.

What is a gene?

A unit of heredity that is a segment of DNA which codes for a particular protein.

What is a diploid cell?

A cell containing two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Define 'ligand' in the context of signaling.

A signaling molecule that binds to a receptor to induce a cellular response.

What are secondary messengers?

Molecules that relay signals received at receptors on the cell surface to target molecules in the cytoplasm.

What is endocytosis?

The process by which cells internalize substances from their external environment.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, while phenotype refers to the observable traits.

What results from mutations in DNA?

Mutations can result in changes to protein sequences, potentially affecting organism's traits and functions.

Define homeostasis.

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

What is the basic unit of life?

The cell.

What are macromolecules?

Large organic molecules, typically composed of hundreds or thousands of atoms.

What is the function of nucleic acids?

Store and transmit genetic information.

What are the characteristics that define something as alive?

The characteristics that define something as alive include: cellular organization (composed of one or more cells), ordered complexity (having a structured arrangement), sensitivity (response to environmental stimuli), growth and development (the ability to change and grow), reproduction (ability to produce offspring), energy utilization (expenditure of energy for metabolic processes), homeostasis (maintaining internal stability), evolutionary adaptation (changes over time to better suit the environment), and emergent properties (complex functions arising from simpler interactions).

What is the atomic number?

The atomic number is defined as the number of protons present in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity and its position in the periodic table.

What defines a cation?

A cation is a positively charged ion that is created when an atom loses one or more electrons, resulting in more protons than electrons.

What is a covalent bond?

A covalent bond is a chemical bond formed between two atoms when they share one or more pairs of valence electrons to achieve stability.

What is the primary function of enzymes?

Enzymes primarily function as biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy required.

What is the octet rule?

The octet rule is a chemical principle stating that atoms tend to bond in such a way that each atom has eight electrons in its outermost energy level, achieving a stable electronic configuration.

What is the definition of hydrophilic?

Hydrophilic refers to substances that have an affinity for water; often these are polar molecules that can interact with water molecules to form hydrogen bonds.

What does ATP stand for?

ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, which is a nucleotide that serves as the primary energy carrier in all living organisms, providing necessary energy for various cellular processes.

What is the function of the sodium-potassium pump?

The sodium-potassium pump is a crucial membrane protein that transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, against their respective concentration gradients, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis and membrane potential.

What is a ribosome's function?

Ribosomes serve as the cellular machinery that synthesizes proteins by reading messenger RNA (mRNA) and linking together the appropriate amino acids to form polypeptide chains.

What happens during glycolysis?

During glycolysis, one molecule of glucose is metabolically broken down into two molecules of pyruvate, resulting in a net gain of two ATP molecules and two NADH molecules, which are utilized in cellular respiration.

What is pH?

pH is a numeric scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution, reflecting the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) present; lower pH values indicate more acidic solutions, while higher values indicate more basic conditions.

What is the structure of a phospholipid?

A phospholipid is composed of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) phosphate head and two hydrophobic (water-repelling) fatty acid tails, forming a bilayer in cell membranes that allows for selective permeability.

Define transcription.

Transcription is the biochemical process whereby a specific segment of DNA is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) by the enzyme RNA polymerase, serving as an essential step in gene expression.

What are introns?

Introns are non-coding intervening sequences within a gene that are transcribed into mRNA but are removed during RNA splicing before the mRNA is translated into protein.

What is crossing over in meiosis?

Crossing over is a genetic recombination process that occurs during prophase I of meiosis, where homologous chromosomes exchange segments of their genetic material, increasing genetic diversity in gametes.

Define phenotype.

The phenotype is the observable physical and biochemical characteristics of an organism, which result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

What is the role of tRNA in protein synthesis?

Transfer RNA (tRNA) plays a crucial role in translating the genetic code carried by mRNA into proteins by transporting specific amino acids to the ribosome, where they are sequentially added to a growing polypeptide chain.

What is a mutation?

A mutation is defined as a permanent alteration in the DNA sequence of a gene, which can result in changes to the amino acid sequence of a protein, potentially affecting the function of the organism.

Define anabolic pathways.

Anabolic pathways are metabolic routes that build complex molecules from simpler ones, typically requiring energy input, and are involved in processes like biosynthesis and growth.

What are signal transduction pathways?

Signal transduction pathways are complex cellular processes that translate external signals received at cellular receptors into specific responses within the cell, often involving a series of molecular interactions.

What is the function of chaperone proteins?

Chaperone proteins assist in the correct folding of nascent polypeptides into their functional three-dimensional structures, preventing aggregation and ensuring proper function.

What is a gene?

A gene is defined as a unit of heredity that is comprised of a specific segment of DNA which encodes the instructions for producing a particular protein or RNA molecule.

What is a diploid cell?

A diploid cell is characterized by having two complete sets of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent, typically represented as 2n.

Define 'ligand' in the context of signaling.

In the context of signaling, a ligand is a molecular signal that binds specifically to a receptor protein on a target cell, initiating a physiological response.

What are secondary messengers?

Secondary messengers are intracellular molecules that relay and amplify signals received by cell surface receptors, facilitating communication within the cell and leading to a cellular response.

What is endocytosis?

Endocytosis is the cellular process by which substances from the extracellular environment are engulfed and internalized, facilitating transport of nutrients and signaling molecules into the cell.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

The Golgi apparatus is an organelle responsible for modifying, sorting, and packaging proteins and lipids produced in the endoplasmic reticulum for secretion or distribution to other organelles.

What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?

Genotype refers to the complete set of genetic information in an organism (the alleles it carries), while phenotype encompasses the observable traits and characteristics that result from the gene expression and interaction with the environment.

What results from mutations in DNA?

Mutations in DNA can result in alterations to protein structure and function, which may lead to changes in an organism's traits and can contribute to genetic variation and evolutionary processes.

Define homeostasis.

Homeostasis is the self-regulating process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment, such as temperature and pH, despite fluctuations in external conditions.

What is the basic unit of life?

The basic unit of life is the cell, which is the smallest structural and functional unit capable of all life processes.

What are macromolecules?

Macromolecules are large and complex organic molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, typically composed of long chains of atoms and essential for life.

What is the function of nucleic acids?

Nucleic acids, which include DNA and RNA, are responsible for storing and transmitting genetic information, playing vital roles in heredity, protein synthesis, and cellular controls.