College Bio

1. What is the difference between reactants and products?

Reactants are substances that start a chemical reaction; products are the substances formed by the reaction.

2. Identify the components of fats.

Fats are made of glycerol + 3 fatty acids.

3. What are enzymes? What determines the function they will have?

Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions. Their shape (structure) determines their function.

4. What is energy? The difference between kinetic and potential energy? Give an example of each.

Energy is the ability to do work.

• Kinetic energy = energy of movement (e.g., a rolling ball).
  
  

• Potential energy = stored energy (e.g., a rock perched on a cliff).
  
  

5. Briefly describe the process of diffusion.

Diffusion is the movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration.

6. Describe the role of proteins within organisms.

Proteins provide structure, enable movement, speed reactions, transport substances, and defend the body.

7. What are phospholipids? How are they used by organisms?

Phospholipids are molecules with a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails. They form cell membranes.

8. Where is ATP created? What does it do?

Made in the mitochondria. ATP stores and provides energy for cell processes.

9. Identify hypo-, iso-, and hypertonic solutions. Know how cells respond to each type.

• Hypotonic: more water outside → cell swells.
  
  

• Isotonic: equal water → cell stays the same.
  
  

• Hypertonic: more water inside → cell shrinks.
  
  

10. Explain the process of active transport.

Using energy (ATP) to move molecules from low to high concentration across a membrane.

11. What is osmosis?

Diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

12. How can enzymes be “turned off”?

Temperature changes, pH changes, or inhibitors can denature or block enzyme activity.

13. How many chromosomes are in a typical human body cell?

46 chromosomes.

14. What are monomers?

Monomers are small molecules that join together to form polymers.

15. Describe the bonds that hold a water molecule together. What about the bonds that hold one water molecule to another?

Within a water molecule → covalent bonds.

Between water molecules → hydrogen bonds.

16. Why are polymers necessary for good health?

They build structures (proteins), store energy (carbs), and carry information (DNA/RNA).

17. What sugars are found in carbohydrates? List.

Monosaccharides like glucose, fructose, galactose; disaccharides like sucrose, lactose; polysaccharides like starch and glycogen.

18. What substances are found in lipids?

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen—mostly carbon and hydrogen.

19. What is cellular respiration? Where does it take place?

Process that breaks down glucose to make ATP. Happens in mitochondria.

20. What is the role of organelles?

Organelles perform specific jobs within the cell (energy production, storage, transport, etc.).

21. What do lysosomes do? How do they do this?

They break down waste using digestive enzymes.

22. What does the extracellular matrix do in animal cells?

Provides support, protection, and helps cells communicate.

23. Identify key differences between plant and animal cells.

Plants have chloroplasts, a cell wall, and a large vacuole. Animals do not.

24. How do antibiotics work? What part of a cell do they typically target?

They kill or stop bacteria by targeting cell walls, ribosomes, or DNA processes.

25. What does Golgi apparatus do to a cell?

Modifies, packages, and ships proteins.

26. Where are ribosomes put together?

In the nucleolus.

27. Identify the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats.

Saturated = no double bonds, solid at room temp.

Unsaturated = double bonds, liquid at room temp.

28. Where did all humans most likely gain the ability to tolerate lactose?

Humans gained lactose tolerance through mutations in populations that domesticated dairy animals.

29. Know the complementary base pairs for DNA and RNA.

DNA: A–T, C–G

RNA: A–U, C–G

30. What does it mean for a compound to be organic?

Contains carbon and is usually made by living things.

31. What similarities do proteins and lipids likely share?

Both are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; both are essential biological molecules.

32. What is the difference between a covalent and ionic bond?

Covalent bond = sharing electrons.

Ionic bond = transferring electrons.

33. Name 3 differences between DNA and RNA.

1. DNA has deoxyribose; RNA has ribose.
   
   

2. DNA uses thymine; RNA uses uracil.
   
   

3. DNA is double-stranded; RNA is single-stranded.
   
   

34. What is a steroid? Name the most common male and female steroids.

Steroid = lipid with four fused rings.

Male: testosterone.

Female: estrogen.

35. What is the determining factor in a protein’s function?

Its shape (structure).

36. What is the difference between the two sugars found in DNA and RNA?

DNA sugar = deoxyribose (missing an oxygen).

RNA sugar = ribose.

37. Explain why carbon is such a versatile element.

It can form 4 bonds and create complex molecules.

38. List some monosaccharides. Disaccharides. Polysaccharides.

Mono: glucose, fructose, galactose.

Di: sucrose, lactose, maltose.

Poly: starch, glycogen, cellulose.

39. What are the five components that make up amino acids?

Central carbon, hydrogen, amino group, carboxyl group, and R-group.

40. What are trace elements? List some of the most important to your body.

Needed in small amounts. Examples: iron, zinc, iodine, copper.

41. What are some options for treating prostate cancer?

Surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy.

42. What is a cell?

The basic unit of life.

43. What is an isotope? What is the difference between a radioactive isotope and a nonradioactive one?

Isotope: same element, different number of neutrons.

Radioactive isotopes decay; nonradioactive do not.

44. What are the four most common elements found in living things?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen.

45. What is cancerous cell division? What problems does it cause?

Uncontrolled cell growth; forms tumors and disrupts organ function.

46. What is the difference between an acid and a base? (Know what they remove or release from solution.)

Acids release hydrogen ions (H+).

Bases remove H+ or release OH– ions.

47. What is atomic number? Atomic mass? Be able to identify number of protons, electrons, neutrons.

Atomic number = number of protons.

Atomic mass = protons + neutrons.

Electrons = same as protons (in neutral atom).

48. What is a buffer?

A substance that resists changes in pH.

49. What is adhesion?

Water sticking to other surfaces.

50. Be able to identify how many atoms are in a reaction by looking at the equation.

This means counting the subscripts and coefficients.

51. What is a neutral solution? How does it affect bases? An acid?

Neutral (pH 7).

Neutralizes acids and bases to form water + salt.

52. Why are some small insects able to walk on water?

Surface tension from hydrogen bonds.

53. What is an ion?

An atom with a positive or negative charge.

54. What is radiometric dating?

Using radioactive isotopes to determine age of rocks/fossils.

55. What is entropy?

Measure of disorder/randomness in a system.

56. What is metabolism?

All chemical reactions in an organism.

57. What is phagocytosis?

“Cell eating”—cell engulfs large particles or pathogens.