Unit One Bio

Life: The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the : for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems, representing the zone of life on Earth.

Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Community: A group of different species that live together in one area.

Population: A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.

Organism: An individual living entity that can react to stimuli, reproduce, grow, and maintain homeostasis.

Organ System: A group of organs that work together to perform one or more functions.

Organ: A structure composed of different types of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.

Tissue: A group of cells that work together to perform a specific function.

Cell: The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism.

Organelle: A specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function.

Molecule: A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound.

Atom: The basic unit of a chemical element.

Evolution: The process through which species change over time through variations and natural selection.

Scientific Method: A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

Hypothesis: A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, serving as a starting point for further investigation.

Scientific Theory: A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that is based on a body of evidence.

Fact: A statement that can be proven true or false.

Controlled Experiment: An experiment in which all variables are kept constant except for the one being tested.

Blind Experiment: An experiment in which the participants do not know whether they are receiving the treatment or a placebo.

Placebo: A substance with no therapeutic effect, often used as a control in testing new drugs.

Dependent vs. independent variable: The dependent variable is the outcome being measured, while the independent variable is the one that is manipulated.

Pseudoscience: A collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method.

Matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Element: A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Compounds: Substances formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded together.

Chemical Reactions: Processes that involve the rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance.

Periodic Table of the Elements: A tabular arrangement of the chemical elements, organized by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties.

Subatomic particles: Particles smaller than an atom, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Isotopes: Variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Chemical bonds: The lasting attraction between atoms that enables the formation of chemical compounds.

Ionic bond: A type of chemical bond that involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent bond: A type of bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

Hydrogen bond: A weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.

Water: A polar molecule essential for all known forms of life.

Cohesion: The tendency of molecules of the same kind to stick together.

Adhesion: The tendency of different kinds of molecules to stick together.

Solvent: A substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution.

Solution: A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.

Aqueous solution: A solution in which water is the solvent.

pH scale: A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Acid: A substance that increases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

Base: A substance that reduces the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

Buffer: A solution that resists changes in pH when an acid or base is added.

Carbon: A chemical element that is essential for life, forming the backbone of organic molecules.

Organic compounds: Compounds that contain carbon and are found in living organisms.

Functional Groups: Specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules.

Macromolecules: Large complex molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Hydrolysis reaction: A chemical reaction that involves the breaking of a bond in a molecule using water.

Polymer: A large molecule composed of many repeated subunits, known as monomers.

Monomer: A molecule that can join together with other molecules to form a polymer.

Dehydration Synthesis Reaction: A chemical reaction that involves the loss of a water molecule from the reacting molecule.

Metabolism: The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms.

Hydrophobic: Having an aversion to water; tending to repel or fail to mix with water.

Nucleic Acids: Biological molecules essential for life, including DNA and RNA.

Carbohydrates: Organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically in a ratio of 1:2:1.

Monosaccharides: The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of a single sugar molecule.

Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

Disaccharides: Carbohydrates formed from two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides: Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

Starch: A storage polysaccharide in plants consisting of a large number of glucose units.

Cellulose: A polysaccharide that is a major component of plant cell walls.

Glycogen: A storage form of glucose in animals.

Chitin: A structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of arthropods.

Lipids: A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, including fats, oils, and steroids.

Phospholipids: A class of lipids that are a major component of all cell membranes.

Cholesterol: A type of fat found in the blood that is essential for the formation of cell membranes.

Triglycerides: A type of fat found in the blood, made up of three fatty acids and glycerol.

Fatty Acid: A carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic chain, which can be saturated or unsaturated.

Steroids: Lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings.

Saturated Fat: A type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all or predominantly single bonds.

Unsaturated Fat: A type of fat that contains one or more double bonds in the fatty acid chains.

Trans Fat: A type of unsaturated fat that is uncommon in nature but can be created artificially.

Hydrogenation: The process of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to make them more solid.

Omega 3 fatty acids: A type of polyunsaturated fat that is beneficial for heart health.

Proteins: Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues.

Amino acids: The building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain.

Peptide bond: The chemical bond formed between two amino acids.

Polypeptide: A chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

Enzymea; A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in the body.

Substrate: The reactant on which an enzyme works.

Active site: The region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Activation energy: The minimum energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Inhibitors: Substances that decrease the activity of enzymes.

pothesis: Proposed explanation, made on the basis of limited evidence, as a starting point for further investigation 

  • Scientists do not look to “prove” hypothesis 

  • Results either support or do not support a hypothesis

Scientific Method: 

  • Observation, question, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion

  • Biology: Study of Life 

Properties of Living Things:

  • Order: Each living thing has a complex but well-ordered structure 

  • Energy and Matter Processing: Every organism takes in energy, converts it to useful forms

  • Reproduction: all organisms reproduce their own kind 

  • Growth and Development: Information carried by genes controls the pattern of growth in all organisms

  • Responding to Environment: all organisms respond to changes in environment - the living maintain a balance – homeostasis

  • Evolutionary Adaptations: These traits evolve over the countless generations by the reproduction success of individuals with heritable traits which are best suited to their environments 

What about Viruses?

  • A virus is highly ordered

  • Viruses can evolve over time

  • Although viruses can infect a wide range of organisms, they cannot reproduce on their own

  • Are they alive? Not alive, don't have every characteristic (reproduction)

  • Exists in a state between living organisms and nonliving chemicals

Life can be studied at many levels: 

  • The biosphere consists of all life on Earth 

  • An ecosystem consists of the living and nonliving components 

    • Living: Fungi, plants, animals, and bacteria 

    • Non-Living: Rocks, water, sediments, air, dead matter, temperature, and fire  

  • A community consists of all the interacting populations in an ecosystem (MULTIPLE all together)

  • A population is a group of interacting individuals of one species (ALL the zebras)

  • An organism is an individual living being 

  • An organ system is a group of organs that work together 

  • An organ consist of multiple tissues that cooperate to perform a specific function

  • A tissue is an integrated group of cells that work together (fat, muscle, nervous)

  • A cell is the fundamental unit of life smallest while maintaining characteristics of life

  • A organelle is a component of the cell that performs a specific functions 

  • A molecule is a group of atoms bonded together

  • An atom is the fundamental unit of matter – smallest to go while maintaining elemental properties (electrons, protons, neutrons, nucleus)

Several major themes run throughout the study of biology 

  • Focusing on these themes helps us organize and understand biology 

  • All activities of the cell require energy and matter to proceed

  • Sunlight required

  • Study of life extends from the microscope to global 

  • Within biological systems, structure shapes something and functions helps what it does

Information Flow 

  • Inherited diseases result from improper information in form of gene mutation (cancer)

  • Information in all genes are encoded in identical chemical language common to all organisms

  • Evolution: The descent of modifications of ancestral species to modern day ones 

Inquiry is a fundamental process 

  • Biologists use the process of science to study life

  • Science is the approach to understanding natural world through scientific method, experimenting, information, and evidence

  • A hypothesis is a proposed explanation to a question that can be investigated (testable statement) 

  • Independent variable: is what you change and mess with

  • Dependent: it depends on what you do with the independent 

  • Observations lead to a hypothesis:

    • Proposed explanation, made on the basis of limited evidence, as a starting point for further investigation

  • Scientists do not look to “prove” hypotheses

    • Always open to new inquiry or data

  • Results either support or do not support a hypothesis

  • The process of science has a flow, but is not always linear 

  • An Experiment is a hypothesis test when conditions can be easily controlled 

  • Further observation is used when investigating a hypothesis about aspects that cannot be easily controlled, like ecology

  • Recorded observations called data, are the evidence upon which scientific inquiry is based 

  • Analyzing data leads to results and conclusions 

    • Communicate outcomes 

Theory vs. Hypothesis: 

  • Casual Theory: opinion

  • Scientific Theory: Ex: Theory of Gravity - A well-substantiated explanation which is comprehensive and able to explain a great many observations

  • Hypothesis: Proposed explanation, made on the basis of limited evidence, as a starting point for further investigation 

    • Must be falsifiable

    • Narrow in scope

    • Subject to immediate testing

  • Everyday Language: Conjecture, Speculation, and opinion 

  • Scientific Language: Well supported, testable ideas, and objective data 

Types of Experiments:

  • Controlled Experiment: A test is run multiple times with only one variable changing 

  • Independent Variable: What is being manipulated as a potential cause 

  • Dependent Variable: Response, output, or effect under investigation

  • Blind experiment: Information is withheld from participants (single-blind) or from both participant and experimenter (double-blind)

  • Placebo effect: when a patient feels better after believing treatment was given, even if none actually was given

Scientists communicate data using graphs

  • Scientific investigations produces data, resulting from measurements

  • Tables are a way to collect, organize, and share data 

  • Graphs are a means of displaying data visually, which can help summarize 

    • Bar graphs are often used to compare categories of data (do not the data to overlap)

    • Line graphs are often used to display data that changes continuously (time)

    • Pie charts are often used to visually show the breakdown of data

  • Error bars help communicate the likelihood of of a meaningful difference

  • Subjects are randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group

  • Placebo: A treatment that doesn’t contain the substance being studied 

  • Critical thinking: the unbiased analysis and evaluation of information in border to form a judgement

  • Critical thinking can help you recognize pseudoscience:

    • A collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on the scientific method 

  • Features of science

    • Adheres to an established and well-recognized scientific method

    • Repeatable results

    • Testable claims that can be disproven

    • Open to outside review

    • Multiple lines of evidence

  • Features of pseudoscience (Examples are false claims with small samples size)

    • Does not adhere to generally accepted process of science 

    • Results cannot be duplicated by others 

    • Unprovable claims reliance on assumptions that are not testable 

    • Rejection of external review to accept contradictory evidence 

    • Overreliance on a small amount of data 

  • Sample Size: = N: How many subjects are in each group - want it to be big not small

  • Control Group: Provides more confidence in the difference for variables tested

  • Reproducibility: Other groups should be able to reproduce results

Different Sources of Information 

  • Primary Source: Original material presented for the first time by the person who performed the research 

  • Secondary Source: description or review of primary sources

  • Wikipedia: common first source, good place to start, allows anybody to edit articles

  • Peer review is the evaluation of work by impartial, qualified, often anonymous, outside experts

  • A study published in a peer-reviewed journal is generally considered the “gold standard” for recognizing valid scientific work 

  • Bad Sources: Not a lot of data, doesn’t cite sources, hasn’t been peer reviewed, bad grammar

  • Good Sources: Big sample size, cites sources, has been peer reviewed, other sources agree, .org or .gov, good spelling and grammar, trusted organizations



Chapter 2: Pt 1 Chemistry


  • Chemistry is important to understand biological processes

  • The smallest amount of an element is an atom

    • Atoms are the smallest units that retain all of the properties of their type of matter

  • Element is a basic substance that can’t be broken down

  • Atom is smallest you can get without losing characteristics

  • Compounds is multiple element combined

  • Atoms are usually bonded to each other to form molecules 

  • Reactants are transformed into products through chemical reactions

  • The periodic table lists all of the chemical elements, ordered by atomic number

    • Number on top is the protons, number on bottom is protons plus electrons (atomic weight)

    • Know atomic number and weight 

  • Elements are listed in order of atomic number  

  • Four Main Elements: 

    • 96% Oxygen 

    • 18% Carbon 

    • 9.5% Hydrogen

    • 3% Nitrogen 

  •  Most common element in your body is oxygen 

  •  Body Needs a little bit it: 

    • Calcium

    • Sulfur

    • Sodium 

    • Chlorine

    • Magnesium 

    • Potassium

  •  Trace elements:

    • Boron, chromium, cobalt, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, tin, vanadium, zinc

  • Protons determine the identity of an element  

  • Isotopes: variations of an element that differ in their neutron number

    • Isotopes are less stable and may decay over time, emitting radiation 

  • When an atom loses or gains electrons, it become electrically charged

  • Charged atoms are called ions

Atoms are held together by chemical bonds:

  • Ionic bonds involve the transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to another (transfer)

  • Covalent bonds involve the sharing of one or more electrons between atoms

  • Nonpolar covalent bonds: equal sharing of electrons

  • Polar covalent bond is sharing unequally of electrons  

  • Receiving atom is negatively charged 

  • Donating atom is positively charged

  • The two atoms are now held together by attraction of their opposite charges

  • Atoms may share (single), two (double), or three (triple) electrons 

  • Covalent bonds are the strongest of the chemical bonds

  • Hydrogen bonds are the weakest bonds

  • Bionic is the medium bonds 

  • Oxygen is more negative, Hydrogen is more positive 

  • A hydrogen bond is fairly weak by itself  

    • However, one water molecules may participate in several hydrogen bonds  

  • In liquid water, hydrogen bonds constantly break and reform

  • Water molecules form networks of hydrogen bonds 

FOUR PROPERTIES OF WATER 

  •  Ice (frozen water) floats - hydrogen bonds are solid and stop moving, less dense, if it sank - lakes and rivers would freeze from bottom and fish would die

    • Water is an effective solvent

    • Temperature regulation: water resists temperature changes

    • Cohesion and adhesion: water molecules stick together

  •  As water freezes, stable hydrogen bonds hold molecules apart 

  •  A chunk of ice has fewer water molecules than an equal volume of liquid water

  • Solvent: Does the dissolving 

  • Solution: after the dissolving it forms a solution 

  • Solute: Substance that is dissolved into the water  

  • Liquid water can absorb and store large amount of heat while only changing a few degrees in temperature 

    • Water, therefore, moderates temperature   

  •  The large amount of water on our planet means that our temperatures are fairly stable

  •  Evaporative cooling is one way that living things can use water to regulate temperatures 

    • Sweating is an example of an organism regulating temperature 

  • Cohesion is the tendency of molecules to stick together 

  • From hydrogen bonding, water molecules have a strong cohesion and create surface tension 

  • An aqueous solution is one that contains a substance dissolved in water 

  • In any aqueous solution, some water molecules break apart into hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-) 

  • The concentration of H+ ions in solution  

  • Each number in the pH scale represents a tenfold change in H+ ion concentration

  • pH scale runs from acidic (0-6)  to basic (8-14) 

  • Cells regulate their pH through the use of buffers, chemicals that minimize changes in pH by accepting H+ ions 

  • Buffers within your blood counteract a drop in pH that occurs whenever you exercise

  • As carbon dioxide concentrations increase more is absorbed by oceans and chemicals reactions with seawater reduce pH (making the ocean more acidic) 

  • Low pH conditions impair the ability of many marine organisms to build their skeletons or shells 


Chapter 2: Pt 2 Macromolecules 

Why is all life on earth based on carbon?

After water you are mostly made up of carbon based molecules 

  • Life on Earth is “carbon based” 

  • These chains are the skeletons for a wide variety of chemical compounds 

FOUR MACROMOLECULES 

  • Polymer: carbohydrate

  • Monomer: Sugar, single parts 

  • Polymer: lipid 

  • Monomer: fatty acid

  • Polymer: proteins

  • Monomer: amino acids

  • Polymer: nucleic acids

  • Monomer: nucleotides (DNA or RNA)


  • Hydrolysis adds a molecule of water and breaks bonds between monomers during digestion

  • This reaction is how your body digests polymers 

  • Polymers (protein) break down into monomers (amino acids) - Chemical Process 

  • A dehydration synthesis reaction links two monomers together and remove a molecule of water 

  • Carbohydrates are common source of dietary energy for animals and important building blocks of plants

  • “Carbs” include simple sugars and larger molecules made from sugars 

  • This is why carbs will taste sweet after being broken down by your saliva enzymes

  • Monosaccharides are simple sugars 

  • Carbohydrates consist of one or more monosaccharides joined together

  • Many sugars have names that end in the suffix - ose 


  •  Disaccharide - two monosaccharides

  •  Plants put together the polysaccharides starch and cellulose from glucose 

  •  Polysaccharide: joining many monosaccharides together

  • Examples of complex carbs

    • Starch - dietary energy

    • Cellulose - chained together - cannot break down in body

    • Glycogen -  high energy carbohydrate stored in muscles

    • Chitin - complex carbohydrate strong structure 

  • Lipids: fatty acid chains 

  • Fat helps store long term energy in the body 

  • Fats perform essential functions in the human body, including:

    • Energy Storage 

    • Cushioning 

    • Insulation 

    • Membrane Function (every single cell has a lipid membrane) 

    • Hormone regulation

  • All Lipids are hydrophobic (they do not mix with water)   

  • This property allows for the formation of cell membranes

  • Each phospholipid contains a phosphate group in its hydrophilic (“water loving”) head and two long hydrophobic tails

  • Cholesterol maintains fluidity in most animal cell membranes  

  • Animal cells use cholesterol to synthesize several important lipid hormones 

  • Cholesterol is produced in your body 

  • Types of Cholesterol: 

    •  LDL: Low-density lipoprotein (“Bad cholesterol”) - levels can be increased through diet high in red meat

    • HDL: high density lipoprotein (“Good Cholesterol”) - levels can be increased through exercise and reduce levels of heart disease 

  • Cholesterol is found in animal-derived foods such as eggs and red meat

  • Steroids differ because their carbon skeleton is bent too from four fused rings 

  • Attached functional groups affect function 

  • Estrogen and testosterone are types of steroids 

  • Anabolic steroids can increase body mass but may have dangerous side effects

    • Blood clots

    • Infertility

    • Heart attack/stroke

  • Dietary fats come in two basic varieties: saturated fats and unsaturated fats  

  •  Saturated Fats 

    • All single bonds, straight shape 

    • Solid at room temperature 

    • Found in higher amount in animal products 

    • Less healthy 

  •  Unsaturated fats

    • Double bonds, bent shape

    • Stays liquid at room temperature

    • Found in higher amounts in plant products

    • Healthier

  • Hydrogenation is a process that can produce trans fat, a type of unsaturated fat that contains unusual bonds  

  • Trans fats are very unhealthy

    • Trans fats raise your LDL and cause build up of cholesterol in your arteries 

  • Fats containing omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce the risk of heart disease 

  • Healthy fats include: beans, nuts, fish, avocado, grass-fed beef, coconut, and olive oil

  • Proteins are the most diverse molecules that play important roles in your body 

  • Each kind of protein in a cell has a unique structure and shape

  • There are 20 kinds of amino acids 

  • A peptide bond joins amino acids

  • Polypeptide contains amino acids chains 

  • Twists and fold lead to a unique three-dimensional shape

  • Chains may be joined together into a large complex  

  • Any enzyme doing a specific job is a protein  

  • The protein may not perform if the amino acid sequence or shape is changed even a little 

  • The sum total of all the chemical reactions in an organism is called its metabolism  

  • An enzyme is a protein that speeds up a chemical reaction without being changed itself

  • Almost every metabolic reaction occurs with the help of an enzyme

  • Enzyme lowers the activation energy bar  

  • Inhibitors are molecules that prevent enzymes from working 

  • Competitive inhibitors bind to the active site 

  • Noncompetitive inhibitors bind to a distant site 

  • Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down lactose 

  • Gene mutations can change the shape of lactase and make it ineffective leading to lactose intolerance

  • Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids   

  • Each nucleotide is composed of three molecules:

    • Sugar

    • Phosphate group

    • Nitrogenous base 

  • Nucleic acids carry genetic information

Types of Nucleic Acids 

  • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)  

  • Ribonucleic acid (RNA) 

  • RNA and DNA store up all of our genetic information 

 KAHOOT QUESTIONS 

  • The monomer of carbohydrates - sugar 

  • The hydrolysis reaction - Breaks down polymers 

  • Starch cellulose glycogen and chitin are all forms made by - glucose 

  • Functions of fat - Energy storage, membrane function 

  • Hydrophobia mean - afraid of water 

  • Access triglycerides are stored - adipose tissue 

  • What nutrient are found in healthy fats - Omega-3’s 

  • The polymer of amino acids - Proteins 

  • This protein lowers the activation energy of chemical reactions - enzymes 

  • The enzyme that breaks down the sugar and milk - lactase

  • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)  

  • Ribonucleic acid (RNA) 

  • RNA and DNA store up all of our genetic information 

  • The monomer of carbohydrates - sugar 

  • The hydrolysis reaction - Breaks down polymers 

  • Starch cellulose glycogen and chitin are all forms made by - glucose 

  • Functions of fat - Energy storage, membrane function 

  • Hydrophobia mean - afraid of water 

  • Access triglycerides are stored - adipose tissue 

  • What nutrient are found in healthy fats - Omega-3’s 

  • The polymer of amino acids - Proteins 

  • This protein lowers the activation energy of chemical reactions - enzymes 

  • The enzyme that breaks down the sugar and milk - lactase

    Describe the steps in the scientific method. 
    - observation: looking at and using physical features of an object
    - question: the initial problem or inquiry that the investigation aims to answer
    - hypothesis: a proposed explanation or educated guess about a phenomenon that can be tested through experimentation
    - experiment: controlled procedure designed to test a hypothesis by manipulating variables 
    - conclusion: statement that summarizes the results of an experiment

  • Are viruses alive? 
    No, they do not have every characteristic of life (don't reproduce)

  • what is the order of life?
    biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, organism, organ system, organ, tissue, cell, organelle, molecule, atom

  • what are the major themes?

    - energy and matter
    - sunlight
    - structure
    - functions
    - microscope to global

  • What is considered biology’s unifying theme?
    Sunlight.

  • Why are scientists not looking to "prove hypothesis"?

    Always open to new inquiry/data

  • What is the difference between a hypothesis and scientific theory? 

    Hypothesis: proposed explanation, made on the basis of limited evidence, as a starting point for further investigation
    Scientific Theory: A well-substantiated explanation which is comprehensive and able to explain a great many observations

  • Explain how controlled experiments and blind experiments are important for the
    validity of experiments.

  • Contrast saturated and unsaturated fats.

    Saturated fats: single bonds, solid at room temperature, animal products, less healthy

    Unsaturated fats: healthier, double bonds, liquid at room temperature, easier to digest, plant products

    List major functions of proteins.

    - Structure: Keratin
    - Transport: Hemoglobin, carries oxygen through the body
    - Enzymes: breaks down milk and sugar lactose
    - Movement: enables muscles to contract
    - Defense: antibodies bind foreign invaders

    Explain the shape of the protein and how it relates to function.

    Answer: The shape of the protein is crucial to its function, especially the 3-dimensional structure which determines which molecules it can interact with..

    Describe how enzymes function.

    1. The substrate binds to the enzyme as the active site
    2. The enzyme and substrate each change shape slightly to allow for tight fit

  • Contrast the terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

    Hydrophobic - do not mix with water

    Hydrophilic - mixes with water, "water loving"


    What are functions of lipids?

    fats (cushion organs, insulation, membrane function, hormone regulation, store long term memory


    What are the types of complex carbs? Examples?

    - Starch
    - Cellulose
    - Glycogen
    - Chitin

  • Identify the monomers of proteins, nucleic acids and carbohydrates.

    Proteins: amino acids

    Nucleic Acids: nucleotides

    Carbohydrates: sugar

  • How are polymers formed?

    Monomers link together to create a long chain.

  • What are the four macro molecules?

    Carbohydrate: sugar

    Lipids: fatty acids

    Proteins: amino acids

    Nucleic acids: nucleotide

    - Polymer: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids

    - Monomer: Sugar, fatty acid, amino acids, nucleotide

  • Discuss the relevance of understanding the pH scale (such as acid rain, ocean
    acidification)

    Answer: As carbon dioxide concentrations increase more is absorbed by oceans and chemicals reactions with seawater reduce pH (making the ocean more acidic)
    Low pH conditions impair the ability of many marine organisms to build their skeletons or shells

    Show less

    Provide examples of levels and types of liquids


    nterpret a pH scale, be able to name examples of acids and bases.

    pH scale: 0-14 (acidic 0-6, basic 8-14, neutral 7)

    Acids: Stomach Acid, Wine, Vinegar, Lemon Juice

    Bases: Ammonia, Soap, Bleach, Soda

  • Explain the 4 properties of water that are described in your textbook (short answer) (be able to explain at least one)

    - Ice: (frozen water) floats
    - Water: effective solvent
    - Temperature Regulation: water resists temperature changes
    - Cohesion and Adhesion: water molecules stick together

  • Explain the significance of hydrogen bonds to life on Earth. 

    Answer: As water freezes, stable hydrogen bonds hold molecules
    apart. A chunk of ice has fewer water molecules than an equal
    volume of liquid water. If ice did not float,
    ponds, lakes, and
    even the oceans
    would freeze solid.
    Life in water could
    not survive if bodies
    of water froze solid.

  • Why is water a polar molecule?

    Answer: unequal sharing of bonds, (oxygen)

  • Compare and contrast the different types of chemical bonds.

    Ionic bonds: transfer of electrons
    Covalent Bonds: sharing of electrons

  • Why are isotopes important/what is an isotope?

    Answer: variation of an element that differ in their neutron number

  • know oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen (main 4 in living organisms)

  • Be able to draw the basic structure of an atom.

    Why is chemistry important to study in a biology class?

    Answer: We need to know basic chemistry in order to understand
    many important biological processes.

  • Explain how to identify a reliable source of information. 

    Bad: Not a lot of data, doesn’t cite sources, hasn’t been peer reviewed, bad grammar, have advertisements

    Good: Big sample size, cites sources, has been peer reviewed, other sources agree, .org or .gov, good spelling and grammar, no advertisements, trusted organizations.


  • List a few pros and cons of using a primary source verses other sources of
    information.

  • Provide examples of pseudoscience. How would you recognize pseudoscience
    from actual science?

    - Ex: claim that vaccines cause autism, faked the data, no one else could reproduce the data

    - Science adheres to an established and well-recognized scientific method while, repeatable results, testable claims that can be disproves, open to outside review, multiple lines of evidence pseudoscience doesn't adhere to generally accepted processes of science, cannot be duplicated, unprovable or untestable claims, rejection of external review or refusal to accept contradictory evidence, small sample sizes

  • Examine the bar graph, line graph and pie charts. Be able to interpret data that
    is represented.

    Bar: used to compare
    Line graph: used to display data that changes continuously
    Pie chart:

  • Explain how controlled experiments and blind experiments are important for the
    validity of experiments.

  • Life

    The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

    Biosphere

    The global sum of all ecosystems, representing the zone of life on Earth.

    Ecosystem

    A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

    Community

    A group of different species that live together in one area.

    Population

    A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.

    Organism

    An individual living entity that can react to stimuli, reproduce, grow, and maintain homeostasis.

    Organ System

    A group of organs that work together to perform one or more functions.

    Organ

    A structure composed of different types of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.

    Tissue

    A group of cells that work together to perform a specific function.

    Cell

    The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism.

    Organelle

    A specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function.

    Molecule

    A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound.

    Atom

    The basic unit of a chemical element.

    Evolution

    The process through which species change over time through variations and natural selection.

    Scientific Method

    A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

    Hypothesis

    A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, serving as a starting point for further investigation.

    Scientific Theory

    A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that is based on a body of evidence.

    Fact

    A statement that can be proven true or false.

    Controlled Experiment

    An experiment in which all variables are kept constant except for the one being tested.

    Blind Experiment

    An experiment in which the participants do not know whether they are receiving the treatment or a placebo.

    Placebo

    A substance with no therapeutic effect, often used as a control in testing new drugs.

    Dependent vs. independent variable

    The dependent variable is the outcome being measured, while the independent variable is the one that is manipulated.

    Pseudoscience

    A collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method.

    Matter

    Anything that has mass and takes up space.

    Element

    A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

    Compounds

    Substances formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded together.

    Chemical Reactions

    Processes that involve the rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance.

    Periodic Table of the Elements

    A tabular arrangement of the chemical elements, organized by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties.

    Subatomic particles

    Particles smaller than an atom, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

    Isotopes

    Variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

    Chemical bonds

    The lasting attraction between atoms that enables the formation of chemical compounds.

    Ionic bond

    A type of chemical bond that involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

    Covalent bond

    A type of bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

    Hydrogen bond

    A weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.

    Water

    A polar molecule essential for all known forms of life.

    Cohesion

    The tendency of molecules of the same kind to stick together.

    Adhesion

    The tendency of different kinds of molecules to stick together.

    Solvent

    A substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution.

    Solution

    A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.

    Aqueous solution

    A solution in which water is the solvent.

    pH scale

    A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

    Acid

    A substance that increases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

    Base

    A substance that reduces the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

    Buffer

    A solution that resists changes in pH when an acid or base is added.

    Carbon

    A chemical element that is essential for life, forming the backbone of organic molecules.

    Organic compounds

    Compounds that contain carbon and are found in living organisms.

    Functional Groups

    Specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules.

    Macromolecules

    Large complex molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

    Hydrolysis reaction

    A chemical reaction that involves the breaking of a bond in a molecule using water.

    Polymer

    A large molecule composed of many repeated subunits, known as monomers.

    Monomer

    A molecule that can join together with other molecules to form a polymer.

    Dehydration Synthesis Reaction

    A chemical reaction that involves the loss of a water molecule from the reacting molecule.

    Metabolism

    The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms.

    Hydrophobic

    Having an aversion to water; tending to repel or fail to mix with water.

    Nucleic Acids

    Biological molecules essential for life, including DNA and RNA.

    Carbohydrates

    Organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically in a ratio of 1:2:1.

    Monosaccharides

    The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of a single sugar molecule.

    Glucose

    A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

    Disaccharides

    Carbohydrates formed from two monosaccharides.

    Polysaccharides

    Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

    Starch

    A storage polysaccharide in plants consisting of a large number of glucose units.

    Cellulose

    A polysaccharide that is a major component of plant cell walls.

    Glycogen

    A storage form of glucose in animals.

    Chitin

    A structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of arthropods.

    Lipids

    A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, including fats, oils, and steroids.

    Phospholipids

    A class of lipids that are a major component of all cell membranes.

    Cholesterol

    A type of fat found in the blood that is essential for the formation of cell membranes.

    Triglycerides

    A type of fat found in the blood, made up of three fatty acids and glycerol.

    Fatty Acid

    A carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic chain, which can be saturated or unsaturated.

    Steroids

    Lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings.

    Saturated Fat

    A type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all or predominantly single bonds.

    Unsaturated Fat

    A type of fat that contains one or more double bonds in the fatty acid chains.

    Trans Fat

    A type of unsaturated fat that is uncommon in nature but can be created artificially.

    Hydrogenation

    The process of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to make them more solid.

    Omega 3 fatty acids

    A type of polyunsaturated fat that is beneficial for heart health.

    Proteins

    Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues.

    Amino acids

    The building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain.

    Peptide bond

    The chemical bond formed between two amino acids.

    Polypeptide

    A chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

    Enzyme

    A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in the body.

    Substrate

    The reactant on which an enzyme works.

    Active site

    The region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

    Activation energy

    The minimum energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

    Inhibitors

    Substances that decrease the activity of enzymes.