Biology Semester Exam

Unit 1 Topic Checklist

Characteristics of Life

  • List characteristics that make organisms ‘alive’.

  • Explain why an example is alive.

  • Explain why an example is not alive.

  • Explain why homeostasis is important.


Water Structure

  • Explain what is meant by a covalent bond.

  • Explain what is meant by a non-polar covalent bond.

  • Explain what is meant by a polar covalent bond.

  • Explain why oxygen is a polar molecule.

  • Explain why hydrogen bonds form between water molecules.

  • State what adhesion is and explain its importance for life.

  • State what cohesion is and explain its importance for life.

  • State the thermal properties of water and explain its importance for life.

  • Describe how an ionic bond forms.

  • Describe what it means if a substance is hydrophilic.

  • Describe what it means if a substance is hydrophobic.

  • Describe the solubility (in water) of hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances. 

  • Provide an example of a useful hydrophilic substance in the body.

  • Provide an example of a hydrophobic substance. 

  • Describe how the thermal properties of water provide cooling.


Carbohydrates and Lipids

  • State four types of macromolecules.

  • Describe the elements present in each macromolecule.

  • Describe the structure of each macromolecule.

  • Describe the biological functions of macromolecules.

  • Provide specific examples of each macromolecule.


Proteins & Enzymes

  • Describe the role of enzymes

  • State the word equation of the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide by catalase.

  • Explain why enzymes are specific.

  • State factors which may affect enzyme activity.

  • State the word equation for the breakdown of starch by amylase. 

  • State factors which may affect enzyme activity.

  • Describe the effect of substrate concentration on enzyme activity.

  • Explain what happens to enzymes at high temperatures. 

  • Explain what happens to enzymes in conditions with an extreme pH.

  • Describe what is meant by ‘optimum’ conditions.

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Nucleic acids

  • Describe the elements present in each nucleic acids.

  • Describe the structure of nucleic acids.

  • Describe the biological functions of nucleic acids.

  • Provide specific examples of nucleic acids.



Unit 2 Topic Checklist

Make a copy and highlight the area’s you have revised and feel confident in.


Cells

  • Identify cell organelles and their functions

  • State which organelles are present in animal and plant cells

  • Identify organelles by their structure

  • Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

  • Calculate the size of cells and organelles in micrometers


Specialized Cells

  • Explain what it means to be a specialized cell

  • Explain how a sperm cell is specialized to carry out its function.

  • Explain how red blood cells are specialized to carry out its function 

  • List more examples of specialized cells. 


Stem Cells

  • Explain what is meant by the term stem cell

  • Describe the process of differentiation

  • State the two types of stem cells and where they are derived from

  • Compare and contrast embryonic stem cells and tissue derived stem cells

  • State the difference between pluripotent and multipotent stem cells and examples of each 

  • State the reasons why embryonic stem cells may cause ethical issues

  • State what iPSC are and how they are made

  • Describe the role of stem cell research 

  • Give examples of therapeutic uses of stem cells


Transport Across a Membrane 

  • Describe the structure of the cell membrane

  • Describe the process of diffusion

  • Examples of Permeable substances which can cross a membrane

  • Describe the process of osmosis

  • Explain the effect of osmosis on red blood cells

  • Explain the effect fo osmosis on plant cells

  • Describe the process of active transport

  • Describe how and why the energy required for active and passive transport differs

  • Describe and explain the factors that affect the rate of osmosis from an experiment you studied. 


Respiration 

  • State the word equation for aerobic respiration. 

  • State the difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

  • Describe the stages of aerobic respiration and where they take place

  • Describe the stages of anaerobic respiration and where they take place

  • State the word equation for fermentation in animals 

  • State the word equation for fermentation in plants

  • State what happens when muscles become fatigued 

  • Describe the process of fermentation in plants and yeast.