Unit 1: Basic Biological Principles & Cells and Organelles Notes

Hierarchy of Life

• Organization levels:
  • Organism
  • Population
  • Community
  • Ecosystem
  • Biosphere
    • Biotic (living) vs. Abiotic (non-living)

Characteristics of Life

• Cells: All living things are made of cells.
  • Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic cells.
    • Prokaryotic: Unicellular, no membrane-bound organelles.
    • Eukaryotic: Multicellular, have membrane-bound organelles.
  • Animal vs. Plant Cells:
    • Both: Cell membrane, DNA, ribosomes, cytoplasm.
    • Animal: Centrioles, small vacuoles
    • Plant: Cell wall, chloroplasts, central vacuole
  • Organelles:
    • Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): Rough ER
    • Golgi Apparatus
    • Lysosomes
    • Chloroplasts
    • Mitochondria
    • Cytoskeleton
    • Vacuole
• Reproduction: Ability to reproduce.
• Respond to Stimuli: Ability to respond to changes in the environment.
• Energy: Need for energy.
• Homeostasis: Maintaining a stable internal environment.
• Growth & Development: Ability to grow and develop.
• Adaptations & Evolve

Scientific Method

1. Observations
2. Hypothesis (If/Then statement)
3. Experiment
   • Independent Variable: Variable that is changed.
   • Dependent Variable: Variable that is measured.
4. Analysis
5. Conclusion

• Theory vs. Law

Chemistry of Life

• Water (H_2O):

  • Polarity (+/-)
  • Cohesion: Capillary action.
  • Adhesion
  • Hydrogen Bonds: Weak bonds.
  • High Density
  • High Heat Capacity
  • High Heat of Vaporization
  • Universal Solvent
  • Surface Tension

• Covalent Bonds

• Types of Solutions:

  • Solute: Substance that gets dissolved.
  • Solvent: Substance that dissolves the solute.
  • Solution: Mixture of solvent and solute.

• Acids, Bases, and pH Scale

• pH: A measure of how acidic/basic water is.

Macromolecules

• Polymers and Monomers

• Dehydration Synthesis: Process of making polymers by removing water.

• Hydrolysis: Process of breaking down polymers by adding water.

• Carbohydrates (CHO):

  • Monomer: Monosaccharide (e.g., Glucose (C6H{12}O_6)).
  • Function: Fast-acting energy.

• Lipids (CHO):

  • Monomers: Glycerol and fatty acids.
  • Function: Long-term energy storage (e.g., fats, oils, waxes).

• Proteins (CHON):

  • Monomer: Amino acid.
  • Function: Speed up reactions (enzymes), regulation.
  • Enzymes get denatured and never used up.

• Nucleic Acids (CHONP):

  • Monomer: Nucleotide.
  • Function: Store genetic information (e.g., DNA).

Carbon

• Forms up to 4 bonds
• Stable covalent bonds
• Organic Compounds: Contain both carbon and hydrogen.
• Inorganic Compounds: Contain carbon, but not hydrogen.

Delo's Quote of the Day

• "A good mood doesn't mean that life is perfect. It means that you have chosen to see the good despite the imperfections."