Bio101 Review Sheet
Bio101 Review Sheet – Lab Exam 1
Lab 1: The Scientific Method and Experimental Design
Steps of the Scientific Method:
Be able to state the steps in order:
Observation
Question
Hypothesis
Experiment
Data Collection
Conclusion
Communication
Descriptions of Each Step:
Observation: Gathering information and noticing phenomena.
Question: Formulating a question based on observations.
Hypothesis: A proposed explanation made on limited evidence. It must be testable and clearly defined.
Experiment: Conducting tests to validate or invalidate the hypothesis.
Data Collection: Gathering quantitative or qualitative data from experiments.
Conclusion: Interpreting the data to accept or reject the hypothesis, indicating whether it was supported.
Communication: Sharing results with the scientific community.
Hypothesis:
A hypothesis may either be accepted (supported) or rejected.
It must be clearly defined, measurable, and falsifiable.
Recognize good hypotheses based on these criteria.
Variables in Experiments:
Understand the distinction:
Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated.
Dependent Variable: The variable that is measured or observed in response to changes.
Axes on Graph:
Independent Variable is plotted on the X-axis.
Dependent Variable is plotted on the Y-axis.
Lab 2: Laboratory Tools
Types of Measurements in Metric System:
Be familiar with four basic types:
Length: Meter (m)
Mass: Gram (g)
Volume: Liter (L)
Temperature: Celsius (°C)
Metric System Prefixes:
Understand the prefixes and their corresponding multiples:
Centi- (0.01 or 1/100)
Kilo- (1000)
Others include milli- (0.001) and deci- (0.1).
Examples:
1 gram = 1000 milligrams.
Conversions:
Be able to perform conversions among base and prefixed units.
Example: Convert 1 meter to centimeters (1 m = 100 cm).
Convert 1 meter to kilometers (1 m = 0.001 km).
Larger to Smaller: 1 cm = 10 mm.
Key Temperatures:
Boiling Point of Water:
Freezing Point of Water:
Room Temperature: Approximately
Human Body Temperature:
Types of Laboratory Glassware:
Understand types used to measure volume:
Beaker: qualitative measurement.
Graduated Cylinder: quantitative measurement.
Pipette: for precise volume measurement.
Determine accuracy comparison between glassware.
Microscope Objectives:
Know the three common objectives:
Scanning (4x), Low Power (10x), High Power (40x).
Identify objective by its magnification.
Total Magnification Calculation:
Total Magnification = Eyepiece Magnification x Objective Magnification.
Focusing Differences:
Coarse Focus: For initial focusing.
Fine Focus: For delicate focusing.
High Power: Coarse focus must never be used at this magnification.
Lab 3: Characteristics and Classification of Living Organisms
Properties of Life:
Characteristics that define living organisms, including growth, reproduction, and response to the environment-
reproduction
growth and development
energy processing
regulation
response to the environment
evolutionary adaptation
Levels of Organization of Life:
Know the levels in order:
Atom
Molecule
Cell
Tissue
Organ
Organ System
Organism
Ability to detect incorrect sequences or missing levels in given hierarchies.
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic:
Understand the defining characteristics:
Prokaryotic: Lack a nucleus, generally unicellular (e.g., bacteria).
Eukaryotic: Contain a nucleus, can be unicellular or multicellular (e.g., plants, animals, fungi).
Example: Identify Euglena as eukaryotic.
Cellular Organization:
Determine if organisms are unicellular or multicellular, based on examples provided in lab.
Organisms such as amoeba and paramecium function as unicellular entities, while examples like humans and oak trees illustrate multicellular complexity.
Fungi, such as yeast, are also unicellular, whereas mushrooms represent multicellular forms.
Taxonomic Ranks Order:
Learn the order: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
Three domains of life
Archaea: prokaryotic and unicellular organisms that often live in extreme environments
Bacteria: Diverse group of unicellular organisms with various shapes and metabolic types
Eukarya: Can be unicellular or multicellular, including fungi, plants, and animals.
Know the four eukaryotic kingdoms.
Protista: A diverse group of mostly unicellular organisms, including protozoa and algae.
Fungi: Kingdom consisting of multicellular organisms that absorb nutrients from organic materials, including mushrooms and yeast.
Plantae: Kingdom of multicellular organisms that perform photosynthesis, including mosses, ferns, and flowering plants
Animalia: Kingdom composed of multicellular organisms that are heterotrophic and typically have complex nervous and muscular systems.
Know what heterotrophic and/or autotrophic organisms are
Heterotrophic: Organisms that obtain their food by consuming other organisms or organic matter, as seen in animals and fungi.
Autotrophic: Organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and certain bacteria.
Know whether a particular kingdom contains unicellular and/or multicellular organisms and heterotrophic and/or autotrophic organisms.
Protista: Diverse kingdom that can be unicellular or multicellular; includes both autotrophic (e.g., algae) and heterotrophic (e.g., protozoa) organisms.
Fungi: Kingdom primarily composed of multicellular, heterotrophic organisms that absorb nutrients from their environment through external digestion, with examples including mushrooms and molds.
Bacteria: Unicellular organisms that can be autotrophic or heterotrophic, playing crucial roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling, with examples such as Escherichia coli and Streptococcus.
Archaea: Unicellular organisms similar to bacteria but with distinct biochemical and genetic properties, often found in extreme environments, such as high-salinity or high-temperature habitats, with examples including halophiles and thermophiles.Can be both heterotrophic or autrotroph
Viruses: Microscopic agents that require a host cell to replicate, considered non-living due to their inability to carry out metabolic processes independently, with examples including HIV and the influenza virus.
Know which two taxa define the scientific name of an organism. Know how to properly write a scientific name
The two taxa that define the scientific name of an organism are the genus and species
When writing a scientific name, the genus name should always be capitalized, while the species name is written in lowercase and both names should be italicized, for example, Homo sapiens.
Additionally, it is important to remember that after the first mention of a scientific name, the genus can be abbreviated to its initial form, such as H. sapiens.
Understand taxonomic hierarchy (example; do organisms in a particular family all share the same phylum? Do they all share the same genus?).
Yes, organisms within a particular family do share the same phylum, but they may not necessarily share the same genus, as a family can contain multiple genera.
Be able to use a taxonomic key to identify an example organism.
This involves following a series of choices based on physical characteristics, ultimately leading to the correct identification of the organism.
Lab 4: Biomolecules
Types of Carbohydrates:
Recognize forms: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides: Simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose, that serve as the building blocks for more complex carbohydrates.
Disaccharides: Composed of two monosaccharides linked together, examples include sucrose and lactose.
Polysaccharides: Long chains of monosaccharides, such as starch and cellulose, that play key roles in energy storage and structural support.
Functions:
Monosaccharides provide quick energy and serve as precursors for other biomolecules.
Disaccharides can be broken down into monosaccharides for energy, and they also serve as transport forms of sugar in plants.
Polysaccharides are essential for energy storage (e.g., starch in plants, glycogen in animals) and contribute to the structural integrity of cell walls in plants (cellulose).
Polymer Formation:
Dehydration Synthesis: Process of joining two molecules or compounds together with the removal of water.
Hydrolysis: A reaction involving the breaking down of a polymer into monomers by addition of water during digestion, which is essential for processing carbohydrates in the body. Monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, serve as the building blocks for these polysaccharides, linking together through glycosidic bonds.
Proteins as Polymers:
Understand that proteins are polymers composed of amino acid monomers.
Enzymes are a type of protein that act as catalysts to speed up reactions.
Reagents for Tests:
Test for Simple Sugars: Benedict’s reagent.
Positive reaction indicated by a range of colors, with intensity reflecting sugar quantity. (orange to brick red) blue if nothing detected, gren if small amt, orane for intermediate, and red for a lot
Test for Starch: Iodine reagent.
Positive result indicated by a blue-black color. but yellow or brown if none present and indicates the absence of starch in the tested solution.
Test for Proteins: Biuret reagent.
Positive result indicated by a violet color to pink color depending on protein quantity or blue if none present
Nutritional Labels:
Ability to read and interpret nutritional labels for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats by type and amount.
Lab 5: The Structure and Function of Cells
Cell Type Recognition:
Identify if a cell is prokaryotic or eukaryotic based on the presence of organelles.
Differentiate eukaryotic cells as plant or animal based on if told which organelle is present or not and note the key differences in cellular structures, such as cell wall presence in plant cells and the presence of lysosomes in animal cells.
Organelle Functions:
Recognize the functions of key organelles:
Nucleus: Control center, contains DNA.
Ribosomes: Protein synthesis.
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum: Lipid synthesis, detoxification.
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum: Protein synthesis and processing.
Golgi Apparatus: Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins.
Lysosomes: Digestion and waste removal.
Mitochondria: Energy production via ATP.
Chloroplasts: Photosynthesis in plant cells.
Cell Membrane: Barrier, controls what enters and leaves the cell.
Cell Size:
Distinguish the size difference between prokaryotic cells (usually smaller) and eukaryotic cells (generally larger). Prokaryotic cells typically range from 0.1 to 5.0 micrometers, while eukaryotic cells can range from 10 to 100 micrometers or more, showcasing the structural complexity and compartmentalization of eukaryotic cells.
Shapes of Prokaryotic Cells:
Identify three shapes:
Cocci (spherical), Bacilli (rod-shaped), Spirilla (spiral).
Lab 6: Eukaryotic Cell Diversity
Fundamental Differences:
Understand distinctions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells contain a true nucleus and organelles such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.
Eukaryotic cells are generally larger and more complex than prokaryotic cells, allowing for higher levels of specialization and functionality.
Know differences among the four eukaryotic kingdoms (Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists):
Unicellular and Multicellular Organisms: Identification based on descriptions provided in the kingdom introductions.
Autotrophic vs. Heterotrophic: Identification based on the nutritional modes of each kingdom.
Dichotomous Key Use:
Ability to utilize a dichotomous key to identify an example organism.
Examples of Eukaryotic Organisms:
Recognize five examples of Protists and three examples of Fungi by name.
Protists: Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena, Diatoms, Red Algae
Fungi: Yeast, Mucor, Penicillium
Fungi: Yeast, Mushrooms, and Mold.
Plant Tissue Types:
Understand differences among the four tissue types in plants (e.g., parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma, and xylem/phloem).
Parenchyma: Loose, flexible tissue primarily responsible for photosynthesis, storage, and tissue repair.
Collenchyma: Provide structural support while allowing for growth, commonly found in stems and leaves.
Sclerenchyma: Rigid tissue that strengthens the plant, composed of lignin with dead cells at maturity.
Xylem: Tissue responsible for the transport of water and minerals from roots to other parts of the plant.
Phloem: Tissue responsible for the transport of sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves.
Parenchyma: The most abundant and versatile plant tissue, involved in storage, photosynthesis, and tissue repair, consisting of living cells with thin walls.
Collenchyma: Flexible tissue providing support, especially in young stems and leaves, composed of living cells with unevenly thickened walls.
Sclerenchyma: A supportive tissue that provides strength and rigidity to the plant, composed of dead cells with thick, lignified walls.
Meristematic tissue: Tissue responsible for growth in plants, consisting of undifferentiated, actively dividing cells that contribute to the formation of new tissues at the tips of roots and shoots.
Xylem: Tissue responsible for the transport of water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots to the rest of the plant, composed of tracheids and vessel elements that facilitate this movement.
Phloem: The tissue responsible for the transport of sugars and nutrients produced during photosynthesis throughout the plant, consisting of sieve tube elements and companion cells that work together to ensure efficient distribution.
Cell Type Differences:
Distinction between erythrocytes (red blood cells) and lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the context of the kingdom they belong to (Animalia)
Erythrocytes: Specialized cells that lack a nucleus and are primarily responsible for oxygen transport; they are abundant in mammals and adapted for efficient gas exchange.
Lymphocytes: A type of leukocyte that plays a crucial role in the immune response, characterized by a large nucleus and the ability to recognize and respond to pathogens.
Summarization of Eukaryotic Kingdoms:
Ability to summarize the characteristics of each eukaryotic kingdom as provided in course materials.