Science Midterm Rev

Fall Semester Exam Review

Unit 1: Introduction to Science (SEP Chapter)

⦁ What are the steps of the scientific method?

Make a hypothesis- possible explanation that can be tested

Make a prediction- statement of what will happen next in a sequence of steps

Conduct the investigation- collect data on different variables

Analyze and interpret results- identify patterns and relationships; typically uses graphs

Draw conclusions- decided whether data supports or refutes the hypothesis

Communicate results- can be done via professional journals, magazines, or news outlets

⦁ What are some different ways that scientists can record quantitative data?

Charts, data tables, models (diagrams), graphs

⦁ What is qualitative data?

Qualitative data is any data typically collected by using the 5 senses. These are often adjectives and descriptive words.

⦁ What is quantitative data?

This data involves numbers and involves measurements. Things like finding density, creating a graph with data, times, masses, etc.

⦁ What are lab safety preventative measures?

Using gloves, aprons, and gloves

⦁ What are the emergency lab safety tools?

Fire extinguishers, fire blanket, shower, eye wash station, first aid kit

⦁ What are ways to maintain safety in the lab?

Keep your hair back, don’t wear loose clothing, wear closed toed shoes, don’t eat in the lab, always tell the teacher in the case of broken equipment, read all procedures before starting the lab.

⦁ What is an independent variable?

It is the variable that is being tested. It is what is intentionally changed during the experiment to test the response. It is always graphed on the x-axis.

⦁ What is a dependent variable?

It is the variable that is measured in an experiment. This is the response variable and is always graphed on the y-axis.

⦁ What makes a hypothesis valid?

It is able to be tested and will give both independent and dependent variables defined in the hypothesis.

⦁ What are the 3 types of investigation?

Experimental, comparative, descriptive

⦁ What are the differences between the 3 types of investigations?

An experimental investigation must include an IV, DV, and a control group to compare results to. A comparative investigation finds similarities and differences between things, such as comparing how a beach has changed over time.

A descriptive investigation typically involves drawings and descriptions, such as looking at something under a microscope and describing what you see..

⦁ What type of graphs do we use to compare variables?

Scatter plot- large amounts of data with multiple variables

Pie chart- numbers and percentages

Line graph- relationships between 2 variables and typically includes a line of best fit or best curve

Bar graph- compares different categories of data to see how they measure against each other

Units 2 and 3: Cells and Genetics (Chapter 8)

⦁ What are the functions of the following organelles: cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, vacuole, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria,

Cell Membrane Protects the inside of a cell from the environment outside of the cell, regulates what materials move in/out of the cell

Cell Wall Protects a plant cell from attack by viruses and other harmful organisms; Provides structural support, which helps maintain the cell shape

Cytoplasm Provides shape, structure, and movement for the cell; suspends cell organelles, and contains salts and other molecules

Nucleus Directs cell activity, including protein production, metabolism, and cell growth; contains genetic information stored in DNA

Ribosomes Helps manufacture proteins

Mitochondria Breaks down food and releases energy needed for cellular processes, such as growth, cell division, and material transport

Chloroplast Uses light energy and makes food (glucose) from water and carbon dioxide through photosynthesis

Vacuoles Used for temporary storage of materials such as food, water, and waste material

Golgi Apparatus Packages proteins for transport

Endoplasmic Reticulum Makes lipids, transports proteins

⦁ What organelles are found in both plant and animal cells, and what organelles are ONLY found in plants?

Plant only- cell wall, chloroplast

Both- cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, vacuoles (large in plant, multiple in animal), mitochondria, ribosomes, cytoplasm, nucleus

⦁ What are the characteristics and differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic- genetic material not surrounded by a membrane, most are unicellular, no nucleus

Eukaryotic cells- plants, animals, fungi, and protists; genetic material surrounded by a membrane, typically larger than eukaryotic cells. Contain organelles.

⦁ What are the main types of eukaryotic cells?

Two main types of plant and animal cells. Since eukaryotic cells have a nucleus, they will also have chromosomes in that nucleus.

⦁ Describe chromosomes and give characteristics of them.

A chromosome is a DNA- containing structure that carries genetic information from one generation to the next. We get one chromosome from each parent to create pairs. Chromosomes contain genes. These genes carry information for one single trait.

⦁ What are alleles?

Alleles are different forms of a gene and can be dominant or recessive. Dominant alleles always present themselves in offspring.

⦁ What are the definitions for genetics and heredity?

Genetics is the study of genes.. Heredity is the study of how those genes are passed on through generations.

⦁ Where do we find DNA?

DNA is found in the nucleus and specifically is what a gene is made up of that determines traits in offspring.

⦁ Knowing what you do about traits and heredity, how do genetic disorders get passed on from parents to offspring?

For an offspring to have a genetic disorder, it means they had to receive that genetic material from the parents. An example would be hemophilia and how mothers are often carriers, but it is the males in the line that typically present the disorder.

⦁ What is the difference between inherited traits and learned behavior?

Inherited traits are passed down from parents to their children and are things such as eye color, height, hair color, etc. Learned behaviors are things we learn over time, like how to speak.

⦁ What function, besides storage, do vacuoles have in plants?

They help plants maintain their shape. When plants do not have enough water in their vacuole, they wilt.

⦁ What are genotypes vs phenotypes?

Genotypes are the actual genes present, such as homozygous dominant (BB), heterozygous dominant (Bb), or homozygous recessive (bb). Phenotype is how those genes are expressed in offspring such as blue eyes, green eyes, purple flower, white flower

⦁ Draw a Punnett Square that shows parents that are heterozygous dominant for brown eyes (Ee)

⦁ Using the Punnett Square above, what are the genotype ratios above?

1 EE: 2 Ee: 1 ee

⦁ What is the ratio percentage for phenotypes?

75% brown eyed, 25% blue or green eyes

⦁ What are the 3 types of adaptations?

Physiological, structural, behavioral

⦁ Describe the 3 types of adaptations:

Physiological- these are internal adaptations such as production of venom or toxins, blubber to keep warm, hollow bones for flight, etc.

Structural- these are external adaptations such as spines on a cactus, claws, long eye-lashes on camels

Behavioral- patterns of behavior for survival such as dancing to attract mates, migration, hibernation

Unit 4: Ecosystems (Chapter 7)

⦁ What are some negative effects of human impact on ecosystems? (give at least 3)

Deforestation- removal of trees that limits habitats and displaces animals

Mining- strips the land of plants and also disrupts animals

Overfishing- taking too many fish from an ecosystem that can be replenished and impacting entire food webs

⦁ Use the food web below to answer the questions:

What would happen to the lizard population if the grasshopper population came into contact with a pesticide?

The lizard population would lose its only food source in this food web and the numbers would dramatically decrease. The population left would need to find an additional food source or move to locate more grasshoppers in order to stabilize the population.

⦁ What populations would increase with the removal of the rabbit?

The producer populations would increase because the rabbit population is no longer there to eat it.

⦁ What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is all the different organisms that make up an ecosystem.

⦁ Why is biodiversity important?

The greater the biodiversity, the more likely the ecosystem is to remain stable if a natural disaster struck.

⦁ What is sustainability?

The ability for an ecosystem to maintain its structure and processes over time and despite outside disasters or influences.

⦁ Why are non-native species so dangerous to ecosystems?

Non-native species often do not have natural predators and so their populations often grow unchecked. An example of this is in the Everglades and the Burmese pythons that were released there. These snakes are not native and have no natural predators and are damaging the Everglades ecosystem by taking away resources from native animals.

⦁ What is primary succession vs secondary succession?

Primary succession begins with bare rock. Secondary succession does not take as long as it begins with exposed dirt. Secondary succession happens quicker as the lichen stage is not necessary since soil is already present.

⦁ What are some causes of primary succession?

Primary succession is often caused by natural disasters such as volcanic explosions, rock slides, or the movement of glaciers.

⦁ What are some causes of secondary succession?

Secondary succession can be caused due to floods, storm surges, mud slides, and fires.

⦁ Describe or illustrate the stages of primary succession.

⦁ Describe or illustrate the states of secondary succession.

⦁ What are limiting factors in an ecosystem?

Any factor that limits a population

⦁ What are the main types of limiting factors?

Food, water, shelter

⦁ What is competition?

Organisms that are competing for resources such as food, water, mates, shelter

⦁ What are pioneer species?

First plants seen during succession

⦁ What are the pioneer species in primary succession?

Lichen and mosses

⦁ What are the pioneer species in secondary succession?

Annual plants and some grasses

⦁ What is the beginning source of energy for all life?

The sun

Unit 5: Climate & Weather (Chapter 5)

⦁ What are the 4 Types of Air Masses and what are their characteristics?

Continental Polar - Over land, Dry Cold air

Continental Tropical - Over land, Warm Dry Air

Maritime Polar - Over water, Cold Moist Air

Maritime Tropical - Over water, Warm Moist Air

⦁ What are the 4 types of Fronts and what are their symbols and characteristics?

⦁ Cold Front: Cold air mass stronger than warm air mass. Typical weather conditions include thunderstorms with lots of rain, snow, or hail. Shown on map with blue triangles pointing in the direction the front is moving.

⦁ Warm Front: Warm air mass stronger than cold air mass. Typical weather conditions are drizzly rain as the warm air mass slowly takes over the cooler air mass. Shown on map with red semi-circles pointing in the direction of the front.

⦁ Stationary Front: Warm air mass and Cold air mass are the same strength. Brings days of drizzly rain. Either one of the two air masses will become stronger and create a warm or a cold front, or they will both die out.

⦁ Occluded Front: A warm air mass is caught between (sandwiched) two cold air masses. This front brings lots of precipitation to an area due to so much warm air rising to create clouds.

⦁ How does the sun’s energy affect the oceans’ convection currents?

The sun heats the earth unevenly and causes differences in density to the air and water on Earth. These changes in density cause currents to circulate throughout the earth causing a natural cooling effect to Earth’s oceans and air (Wind).

⦁ What is Specific Heat and how does it apply to Earth’s oceans and atmosphere?

Specific heat is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of an object by 1℃.

⦁ How does specific heat affect our oceans and atmosphere?

Air does not take much thermal energy to change its temperature whereas water takes more thermal energy from the sun to warm.

⦁ What are Gyres?

Gyres are looped systems of surface currents moving in the same direction. They help cycle the water throughout Earth’s Oceans.

⦁ What characteristics do they have in different hemispheres?

Gyres in the northern hemisphere flow in a clockwise direction while gyres in the southern hemisphere flow in a counterclockwise direction.

⦁ Describe High and Low Pressure systems and how they affect our weather.

High pressure systems: Cool dense air that sinks from our atmosphere down to the ground. When it nears the ground it spreads out towards areas of low pressure in a clockwise manner.

Low Pressure systems:. Warm, moist air that is less dense than high pressure air. It rises into the atmosphere in an inward and upward motion.

⦁ What is the Coriolis effect?

The curving of winds and currents in a circular pattern due to Earth’s rotation.

⦁ What 3 things impact wind?

Convection, pressure, and coriolis effect

⦁ What 3 things impact surface currents?

Continental deflection, coriolis effect, and global winds

⦁ What 2 things impact deep currents?

Temperature and salinity

⦁ What is El Nino?

A weather phenomenon that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and is a change in where high and low pressure are located. It disrupts global weather patterns in both the Americas and Asia and Australia

⦁ What type of pressure often brings precipitation and why?

Low pressure as air rises, cools, and condenses to form clouds. This can lead to rain

⦁ What type of weather is associated with high pressure?

High pressure air is cool and sinking, so clouds cannot form and skies are typically sunny and clear.

⦁ How do you know what direction a front is moving on a weather map?

The symbols point in the direction the front is moving.

Unit 6: Impacts on Climate

⦁ What are the 3 ways that carbon is fast cycled?

Decomposition, photosynthesis, cellular respiration

⦁ In what sphere does fast cycling occur?

Biosphere

⦁ What is the greatest output on earth of greenhouse gases?

Automobiles and the burning of fossil fuels

⦁ What is coral bleaching?

When ocean temperatures get too warm and coral releases their photosynthetic algae into the water. This essentially kills the coral.

⦁ How does deforestation impact carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Deforestation is the removal of large amounts of trees and forests. This reduction in producers allows more carbon dioxide to remain in the atmosphere that would otherwise be absorbed by the trees in photosynthesis.

⦁ What are the main types of greenhouse gases?

Methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and nitrous oxide

⦁ How do producers impact the carbon cycle?

Producers absorb carbon through photosynthesis. This removal of carbon through photosynthesis reduces the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

⦁ How do seasons impact the carbon cycle with producers?

Plants are actively doing photosynthesis during spring and summer and more carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere during these seasons. In fall and winter, many plants die down or go dormant and are not doing photosynthesis at this time.

⦁ Where does carbon first enter food webs?

From plants as they absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

⦁ What would be the side effects to the carbon cycle in the case of a volcanic eruption?

Global temperatures could potentially cool due to the ash and sulfur dioxide particles in the atmosphere. This would also limit plant growth due to the lack of sunlight for photosynthesis.

⦁ What does an increase in ultraviolet radiation tell us?

Ozone layer possibly thinning and more ultraviolet radiation able to get through the atmosphere.

⦁ What does the thickness or thinning of polar ice caps tell us?

Global temperatures are warming and changes to Earth’s climate are happening.