Chapter 1: Textbook

Question 1

What is evolution?

Answer 1

The process of change over time that has resulted in the multiple array of organisms found on earth. An organism’s adaptations to its environment are the results of evolution.

Question 2

Properties of life

Answer 2

1. Order
2. Energy processing
3. Evolutionary adaptation
4. Regulation
5. Growth and development
6. Response to environment
7. Reproduction

Question 3

What are the levels of biological organization and give an explanation for each.

Answer 3

1 Biosphere: consists of all life on earth and all the places where life exists, most regions of land and most bodies of water and the atmosphere
2. Ecosystems: consist of all living and non living things in a particular area
3. Communities: array of organisms inhabiting an ecosystem is called a community
4. Population: consists of all individuals of a species living within a specified area
5. Organism: individual living things
6. Organs: a body part made up of multiple tissues and functions
7. Tissues: group of cells that work together
8. Cells: life’s fundamental unit of structure and function
9. Organelles: various functional components in cells
10. Molecules: chemical structure consisting of 2 or more units called atoms

Question 4

What’s the difference between a eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell?

Answer 4

A eukaryotic cell contains membrane enclosed organelles while a prokaryotic cell lacks a nucleus and other membrane enclosed organelles

Question 5

What are genes?

Answer 5

The unit of inheritance that encode the information necessary to build all the molecules synthesized within a cell which establishes cell identity and function

Question 6

What is the molecular structure of DNA?

Answer 6

Is made up of 2 long chains called strands arranged in a double helix . Each chain is made up of 4 kinds of chemical building blocks called nucleotides (A,T,C,G)

Question 7

Explain the process of gene expression

Answer 7

Protein are produced using a molecule called RNA. The sequence of nucleotides along a gene is transcribed into RNA which is then translated into a series of protein building blocks called amino acids. Once an amino acid chain is formed, a protein with a unique shape and function is manufactured. This entire process is called gene expression

Question 8

Explain what happens during the transcription, translation and protein folding steps.

Answer 8

Transcription: using the information in the sequence of DNA nucleotides, the cell transcribes the sequence into mRNA.

Translation: the cell translates the information in the sequence of mRNA to make a protein which is a series of linked amino acids

Protein folding: the chain of amino acids folds into a specific shape of protein

Question 9

What is a genome?

Answer 9

The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits

Question 10

Explain the process of energy flow in ecosystems

Answer 10

There is a one way flow of energy in an ecosystem. During photosynthesis, plants convert energy from sunlight into chemical energy (stored in food molecules as sugars) which is used by plants and other organisms to do work and is eventually lost as heat

Question 11

Define proteomics

Answer 11

The study of sets of proteins and their properties

Question 12

Explain the chemical cycle

Answer 12

Chemicals are recycled with an ecosystem because the chemicals that a plant absorbs from the air or soil are incorporated into the plant’s body and then passed down to the animal that eats the plant. The chemicals are then returned to the environment and broken down by decomposers and are available to be used again by plants

Question 13

What is the most common form of regulation in living systems?

Answer 13

Negative feedback loops

Question 14

Explain feedback regulation using insulin as an example

Answer 14

For the regulation of glucose using insulin
1. High blood glucose levels stimulate cells in the pancreas to secrete insulin into blood
2. Insulin circulates in the blood throughout the body
3. Insulin binds to body cells causing them to take in glucose
4. Blood glucose levels are then lowered

Question 15

Explain positive feedback with an example

Answer 15

When an end product speeds up it’s own production
The clotting of blood in response to injury is an example. When w blood vessel is damaged, structure in the blood called platelets begin to form at the site. Positive feedback occurs as chemicals released by platelets attract more platelets - this seals the wound

Question 16

What are the three domains of life

Answer 16

Bacteria, archaea and eukarya

Question 17

Define the bacteria domain

Answer 17

Most diverse prokaryotes with rod shaped structure

Question 18

Define archaea domain

Answer 18

Prokaryotes that live in earth’s extreme environments such as boiling hot springs

Question 19

What are the two main points that Charles Darwin wrote down in his book?

Answer 19

1. Contemporary species arose from a succession of ancestors that suffered from them
2. Theory of natural selection is the primary cause of descent with modification

Question 20

Define natural selection

Answer 20

Mechanism of evolutionary adaptation because the natural environment consistently selects for the propagation of certain traits

Question 21

Which of the following best demonstrates the unity among all organisms?
- emergent properties
- descent with modification
- structure and function of DNA
- natural selection

Answer 21

Structure and function of DNA