(1) Biological Foundations of Psychology

Question 1

The hippocampus (memory) is larger in…

Answer 1

women

Question 2

the amygdala (emotion) is larger in…

Answer 2

men

Question 3

Biological mechanisms and processes underpin all…

Answer 3

behaviour

Question 4

What are the 4 levels of analysis?

Answer 4

1. Social interaction – brain responses
2. Gross anatomy of the brain
3. Single neuron activity
4. Molecular properties

Question 5

What are Prokaryotes?

Answer 5

(mainly bacteria) not internal membrane-bound structures (PRO before)

Question 6

What are Eukaryotes?

Answer 6

(higher plant and animal cells) Internal membrane-bound structures (EU truly)

Question 7

What is a plasma membrane?

Answer 7

The boundary between the cell and its environment

Question 8

What does a plasma membrane do?

Answer 8

Maintains homeostasis (GO: good stuff, nutrients, STOP: bad stuff, waste)

Question 9

What is Selective permeability?

Answer 9

the plasma membrane allows some molecules into the cell and keeps some out

• Some molecules can cross the plasma membrane (water)
• Others must go through channels (Sodium NA, Calcium Ca)

Question 10

Are Fatty acid tails hydrophobic or hydrophilic

Answer 10

hydrophobic

Question 11

Are Phosphate heads hydrophobic or hydrophilic

Answer 11

hydrophilic

Question 12

What is the purpose of the Nucleus?

Answer 12

• The leader of the cell

- Gives directions for the making of the proteins

Question 13

What is the chromatin?

Answer 13

• The master set of directions is in chromatin

- During cell division, chromatin condenses to form chromosomes

Question 14

What is inside the nucleus and what does it do?

Answer 14

Inside the nucleus is the nucleolus

-Makes ribosomes

Question 15

What are ribosomes?

Answer 15

-Ribosomes are sites where proteins are made, according to instructions from DNA

Question 16

What is a gene?

Answer 16

a molecular unit of heredity, a region of DNA that codes for a unit of inheritance (polypeptide: short chain of amino acids)

Question 17

What are proteins?

Answer 17

one of more biologically functional polypeptide

Question 18

Proteins are synthesised from a ‘menu’ of…

Answer 18

20 amino acids

Question 19

The amino acids must be put together in the…

Answer 19

correct sequence, in order to be synthesised (DNA)

Question 20

What are amino acids?

Answer 20

Small molecules bases around a carbon chain with an amino group and a carboxyl group

Question 21

How many nucleotide bases do DNA have?

Answer 21

4

Question 22

What does adenine pair with?

Answer 22

Adenine and thymine pair together like a lock and key

Question 23

What does guanine pair with?

Answer 23

Guanine and cytosine pair together due to their complementary shapes

Question 24

Where is DNA?

Answer 24

in the nucleus

Question 25

RNA differs from DNA in 3 ways:

Answer 25

1. RNA is single stranded 2. The sugar in RNA is Ribose instead of deoxyribose 3. RNA has uracil instead of thymine

Question 26

What are the three RNAs?

Answer 26

messenger, ribosomal and transfer

Question 27

What does Messenger RNA (mRNA) do?

Answer 27

- brings messages from the DNA to the cytoplasm | - Carries the genetic information copied from DNA in the form of a series of three-base code 'words' -> amino acids

Question 28

What does Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) do?

Answer 28

- helps ribosomes connect to mRNA | - Associates with a set of proteins to form ribosomes

Question 29

What does Transfer RNA (tRNA) do?

Answer 29

- transports the amino acids to the ribosomes | - Is the key to deciphering the code words in mRNA

Question 30

The genes in DNA encode...

Answer 30

protein molecules, which are the "workhorses" of the cell, carrying out all the functions necessary for life

Question 31

What is Transcription?

Answer 31

The information in DNA is transferred to a mRNA molecule by way of a process -DNA of a gene serves as a template for complementary

Question 32

What is Translation?

Answer 32

mRNA is 'read' according to the genetic code, which relates the DNA sequence to the amino acid sequence in proteins

Question 33

-A complete DNA molecule is called a

Answer 33

chromosome

Question 34

What is Rett Syndrome?

Answer 34

a genetic disorder that causes mental retardation and impairs movement

Question 35

What is the MECP2 gene?

Answer 35

the gene lies on the X chromosome – females with a faulty copy usually have a normal version too, males with a mutated MECP2 gene do not usually survive beyond infancy