Biology Exam 1 Flashcards

List the characteristics that determine a living organism?

Cellular Organiztion, Metabolism, Homeostasis, Growth, Reproduction & Adaptation

In our determination of pseudoscience mixed with bad science, why are Zombies not considered living?

Do not exhibit the essential characteristics of living organisms, such as cellular organization, metabolism, and the ability to reproduce or adapt, making them a product of fiction rather than a biological reality.

Organs donation: name the 7 types of tissues which can be donated?

They are bones, skin, corneas, heart valves, veins, tendons/ligaments, and nerves.

What are the two reasons that an organ can be removed to be donated?

Living donation (where a living person donates a partial liver or one kidney) or deceased donation (where organs are recovered after the donor has passed away).

Write a description of the technique used for growing organs?

Relies on tissue engineering, a technique that combines living cells, structural scaffolds, and chemical growth factors to build functional biological replacements.

Define Homeostasis. Name some levels in the body which help keep us alive?

Is the body’s ability to maintain a stable, relatively constant internal environment despite changes in the outside world or your activity level. Cellular, body temperature, blood sugar, blood pressure & heart rate and fluid & electrolyte levels.

Describe how the body uses negative feedback to regulate body temperate.

To counteract temperature deviations. Thermoreceptors detect changes and signal the hypothalamus.

How does the liver and pancreas work together to regulate blood sugar levels? 

The pancreas acts as the control center, producing insulin to lower blood sugar and glucagon to raise it. The liver acts as the storage bank, adding or removing glucose from the blood.

Seeing that they give organs to those who have been on the list ____________and will_____ without it.  Do you think most people waiting will get an organ donated?

1. Longest

2. Will die

No, most people will not.

Describe the kidneys function in your body.

Their primary job is to filter blood, removing waste products and excess water to produce urine.

How does alcohol affect the kidneys? How can you avoid dehydration if you are drinking? 

It blocks vasopressin (the antidiuretic hormone), causing your kidneys to reabsorb less water and expel it as excess urine. Avoid binge eating, skip salty snacks and electrolyte replacement.

Heavy drinking damages the liver.  What other health issues can arise from drinking excessively?

Cardiovascular diseases, various cancers, neurological complications, and gastrointestinal issues like pancreatitis.

Are enzymes a protein?  How do they play a part in biological rxns?

They are specialized proteins (or in some rare cases, RNA molecules) that act as biological catalysts. They accelerate chemical reactions by binding to specific reactant molecules (substrates) and significantly lowering the activation energy required for those reactions to take place.

What is specificity?

The highly selective and precise interactions between biological molecules—like enzymes and substrates, or antibodies and antigens.

According to the catalase experiment, enzymes are affected by what three things?

Temperature, pH levels, and substrate concentration.

What does a plant cell have that an animal cell does not (3 things)

A rigid cell wall for structural support, chloroplasts for photosynthesis, and a large central vacuole for water and nutrient storage

___________ are the smallest units that have properties of any given element.

Atoms

What are the sub atomic particles of an atom?

Protons, neutrons and electrons.

Name the four macromolecules  

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Nucleus

The control center of the cell; it stores DNA and coordinates all cellular activities like growth and reproduction.

Ribosomes

The protein factories of the cell; they read genetic instructions to assemble amino acids into proteins.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

A network of membranes studded with ribosomes; it helps manufacture and transport proteins.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

A membrane network lacking ribosomes; it synthesizes lipids and detoxifies chemicals.

Golgi Apparatus

The packaging and shipping center; it modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids into vesicles for delivery.

Mitochondria

The powerhouse of the cell; they perform cellular respiration, converting nutrients into usable energy (ATP).

Lysosomes

The cleanup crew; these sacs contain digestive enzymes to break down foreign invaders, waste, and worn-out cell parts.

Chloroplasts

Found only in plant cells; they capture sunlight and convert it into chemical energy via photosynthesis.

Vacuoles

Storage sacs for water, nutrients, and waste products. Plants have one large central vacuole, while animal cells have several smaller ones.

Cell Membrane

The gatekeeper; a semi-permeable lipid barrier that controls exactly what enters and exits the cell.

Cell Wall

A rigid exterior layer found in plant cells (and some bacteria/fungi); it provides structural support and protection.

Cytoplasm

The jelly-like fluid that fills the cell and suspends the organelles in place.

Cytoskeleton

A network of protein fibers that gives the cell its shape and aids in internal movement.

Centrioles

Structures that assist in organizing chromosome separation during cell division.