Biology for IGCSE (Chapters 2-6) Flashcards
Define cells
The smallest units from which all organisms are made
Too see smaller things inside a cell, a/n _____________ microscope is used. A picture taken with it is called a/n ____________________
Electron, electron micrograph
What part of a cell is located around the outside?
Cell membrane
What is meant by, “A cell membrane is said to be partially permeable”?
It means that a cell membrane will let some substances through but not others
What are cell walls in plants made up of?
Cellulose
What is cytoplasm?
The jelly-like material that fills a cell
What is a vacuole?
A fluid-filled space inside a cell which is surrounded by its own membrane
What is the name of the solution of sugars and other substances that fills a vacuole?
Cell sap
What is the name for the small vacuoles in animal cells, which also contain solutions?
Vesicles
What is the importance of the nucleus in a cell?
It is where the genetic information is stored.
What is genetic information kept on in a nucleus?
Chromosomes, which are inherited from the organism’s parents.
What are chromosomes made of?
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
If chloroplasts are never found in animal cells, where are they found?
Within the cells of all auto-trophic organisms
What is the mitochondrion?
A small structure in a cell, where aerobic respiration releases energy from glucose; it is the powerhouse of the cell
Can mitochondria be seen via a light microscope?
No, they are so small that they can only be seen with an electron microscope.
What are ribosomes?
Very small structures in a cell that use information on DNA to make protein molecules
Name some features of bacterial cells
- They always have a cell wall; this wall is not made of cellulose, but instead peptidoglycan
- A partially permeable cell membrane is pressed tightly against the inside of a bacterial cell wall
- They have cytoplasm and ribosomes
- They do not have mitochondria or chloroplasts
- They do not have a definite nucleus; instead, a circle of DNA. This is sometimes called a bacterial chromosome
- They also have one or two small circles of DNA, called plasmids
What is a tissue?
A group of similar cells that work together to perform a particular function
What is an organ?
A group of different tissues that carry out a function together
What is an organ system?
Several organs that work together to perform a particular function
What is the formula for magnification?
Size of image
————————
Size of object
What is diffusion?
The net movement of particles down a concentration gradient.
What is osmosis?
The diffusion of water molecules through a partially permeable membrane
What is meant by high water potential?
An area where there are a lot of water molecules—a dilute solution
What is meant by low water potential?
An area where there are not many water molecules—a concentrated solution
What is meant by water potential gradient?
A difference in water potential between the two areas
Explain what happens to animal cells when they are placed in pure water (3 marks)
The cells burst because water enters by osmosis
Why does a plant cell not burst in pure water?
Because the strong cell wall stops it from bursting
What is meant by turgid?
A description of a plant cell that is tight and firm
What is turgor pressure?
The pressure of the water pushing outwards on a plant cell wall
What is meant by flaccid?
A description of a plant cell that is soft
What is meant by plasmolysed?
A description of a cell in which the cell membrane tears away from the cell wall
What is active transport?
The movement of molecules or ions against a concentration gradient using energy from respiration
What are carrier proteins?
Protein molecules in cell membranes that can use energy to change shape and move ions or molecules into or out of a cell
What are some examples of carbohydrates?
Starch, cellulose and sugar.
More specific examples include: Glucose, etc.
What are the linked-together glucose molecules in animals called?
Glycogen; it is used as an energy store in animal cells
What is starch?
A carbohydrate that is used as an energy store in plant cells
How can we detect the presence of starch?
By using iodine solution; it turns from brown to blue-black if starch is present
Most sugars can be detected by _____________________
Benedict’s solution
What happens to Benedict’s solution when heated with reducing sugars?
It changes from blue to orange-red.The colour change is gradual, so the blue solution becomes green and yellow before finally turning orange-red.
What are fats?
Lipids that are solid at room temperature
What are oils?
Lipids that are liquid at room temperature
What are lipids?
They are substances containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen that are used as energy stores in organisms. They are also insoluble in water.
What are amino acids?
The building blocks of protein
What are some of the functions of proteins in organisms?
- Antibodies, which help protect the body against pathogens.
- Enzymes
- Haemoglobin
- Forming cell membranes
- Keratin: the protein that forms hair and fingernails
DNA is made of smaller molecules called __________________
Nucleotides
What is a base in DNA?
One of the components of DNA; there are four bases, A, C, G, and T, and their sequence determines the proteins that are made in a cell
What is complementary base pairing?
The way in which the bases of the two strands of DNA pair up; A always with T, and C with G
Vitamin C is tested using ______________
DCPIP (Dichlorophenolindophenol)
What is a catalyst?
A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction and is not changed by the reaction
What is an enzyme?
Proteins that are involved in all metabolic reactions, where they function as biological catalysts
What does an amylase do?
Catalyses the breakdown of starch to maltose
What does protease do?
Catalyses the breakdown of protein to amino acids
What does catalase do?
Catalyses the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen
The names of enzymes often end in -ase. Using this, name the enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids, and maltose.
- Carbohydrases
- Lipases
- Maltase
The substance that an enzyme changes is called _______________
substrate
Each enzyme has molecules with a very specific shape. The enzyme molecule has a ‘dent’ in it called ____________________
Active site
What is the photosynthesis equation?
———————————-sunlight
and
chlorophyll
carbon dioxide + water———> glucose + oxygen
6CO2 + 6H2 —> C6H12O6 + 6O2
What are vascular bundles?
Collections of xylem tubes and phloem vessels running side by side, which form the veins in a leaf
What is the epidermis?
The outer layer of tissue on a plant
What is the cuticle?
A thin layer of wax that covers the upper surface of a leaf
What is the palisade mesophyll?
The layer of cells immediately beneath the upper epidermis, where most photosynthesis happens
What is the spongy mesophyll
The layer of cells immediately beneath the palisade mesophyll, where some photosynthesis happens; this tissue contains a lot of air spaces between the cells
What are stomata?
Openings in the surface of a leaf, most commonly in the lower surface; they are surrounded by pairs of guard cells, which control whether the stomata are open or closed. Guard cells are the only cells in the epidermis that contain chloroplasts