Biology 1 - Semester 1 Final Study Guide 2025

Biology 1 - Semester 1 Final Study Guide 2025

Overview of the Final Exam

  • The final will include:
    • Multiple choice questions
    • Application questions
    • A few short answer questions
    • Labeling exercises
  • Recommend using chapter test study guides and vocabulary to help in preparation.

Chapter 1: Lab Safety

  1. Lab Safety Fundamentals

    • Importance of following lab rules to ensure safety in the laboratory environment.

  2. Controlled Experiments

    • Scientists isolate and test specific variables in a controlled experiment to determine relationships and effects.
    • Key Terminology:
      • Independent Variable: Variable that is altered or manipulated.
      • Dependent Variable: Variable measured in response to the independent variable.
      • Controlled Variable: Constant factors kept the same throughout the experiment.

  3. The Scientific Method

    • A step-by-step process used to investigate questions and solve problems.
    • Begins with: A question or observation.
    • Purpose: Understand phenomena through observation and experimentation.

  4. Hypothesis

    • A hypothesis is a testable guess about a phenomenon or relationship.
    • It is often structured as an "if-then" statement to predict the outcome of an experiment.

  5. Data Types

    • Data: Information collected from experiments.
    • Two kinds of data:
      • Quantitative Data: Numerical information that can be measured.
      • Qualitative Data: Descriptive information that cannot be measured numerically.

  6. Graphical Representation of Variables

    • Variables plotted on a graph:
      • Independent Variable: Typically plotted on the X-axis (horizontal).
      • Dependent Variable: Typically plotted on the Y-axis (vertical).

  7. Control Group

    • A control group in an experiment is a group that does not receive the treatment being tested and serves as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do.

  8. Characteristics of Living Organisms

    • Organisms exhibit the following characteristics:
      • Made of cells
      • Organized structure
      • Growth and development
      • Reproduction
      • Response to stimuli
      • Ability to adapt

Chapter 2: Biochemistry

  1. Subatomic Particles in Atoms

    • Subatomic Particles:
      • Protons: Positively charged particles (+1)
      • Neutrons: Neutral particles (no charge)
      • Electrons: Negatively charged particles (-1)
    • Charge Summary:
      • Protons: +1
      • Neutrons: 0
      • Electrons: -1

  2. Atomic Mass and Structure

    • Be capable of calculating atomic mass and atomic number based on the information provided in the periodic table.
    • Understand the composition of an atom in terms of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

  3. Types of Chemical Bonds

    • Ionic Bonds: Involve the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.
    • Covalent Bonds: Involve the sharing of electrons between atoms.

  4. Chemical Reactions

    • Components of a chemical reaction include:
      • Reactants: Starting substances involved in the reaction.
      • Products: Substances produced as a result of the reaction.
      • Catalysts: Substances that speed up a reaction without being consumed in the process.

  5. Cohesion and Adhesion

    • Cohesion: Attraction between molecules of the same substance.
    • Adhesion: Attraction between molecules of different substances.
    • Both phenomena are caused by intermolecular forces.

  6. Solvents and Solutes

    • Solvent: The liquid in which substances are dissolved.
    • Solute: The substance that is dissolved in the solvent.
    • Universal Solvent: Water is often referred to as the universal solvent due to its ability to dissolve many substances.

  7. Types of Liquid Mixtures

    • Solutions: Homogeneously mixed components.
    • Suspensions: Mixtures where particles can settle over time.
    • Colloids: Mixtures with particles that do not settle out but can scatter light.

  8. Organic Molecules in Living Organisms

    • There are four classes/types of organic molecules:
      • Carbohydrates: Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen (CHO).
      • Monomers: Glucose
      • Lipids: Also composed of CHO.
      • Monomers: Fatty acids and glycerol
      • Function: Energy storage, membrane structure.
      • Proteins: Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen (CHON).
      • Monomers: Amino acids
      • Functions: Enzymes, transport, structural.
      • Nucleic Acids: Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus (CHONP).
      • Monomers: Nucleotides
      • Function: Store and transmit genetic information.

  9. Enzymes

    • Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in the body by lowering the activation energy required to start the reaction.

  10. Activation Energy

    • Definition: The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

  11. Nucleic Acids

    • Function: Store genetic information essential for the development and functioning of living organisms.