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: 100^ ext{°C}
Freezing Point of Water: 0^ ext{°C}
Room Temperature: Approximately 20-22^ ext{°C}
Human Body Temperature: 37^ ext{°C}
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.
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.
Taxonomic Ranks Order:
Learn the order: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
Lab 4: Biomolecules
Types of Carbohydrates:
Recognize forms: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharides.
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.
Proteins as Polymers:
Understand that proteins are 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.
Test for Starch: Iodine reagent.
Positive result indicated by a blue-black color.
Test for Proteins: Biuret reagent.
Positive result indicated by a violet color to pink color depending on protein quantity.
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 organelle presence.
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).
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.
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.
Plant Tissue Types:
Understand differences among the four tissue types in plants (e.g., parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma, and xylem/phloem).
Cell Type Differences:
Distinction between erythrocytes (red blood cells) and lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the context of the kingdom they belong to (Animalia).
Summarization of Eukaryotic Kingdoms:
Ability to summarize the characteristics of each eukaryotic kingdom as provided in course materials.