Final Exam Flashcards
Is yeast alive?
Yes, yeast is alive because it displays all of the characteristics of living things.
Are viruses alive?
No, viruses are not alive. Although they show some of the characteristics of living things, they fail to survive on their own, making them non living.
What is a control group?
The control group is defined as the group in an experiment or study that does not receive treatment and is then used as a benchmark to measure how other test subjects do.
What is an independent variable?
The variable you have control over, what you can choose and manipulate. Usually what will affect the dependent variable.
Identify and explain the six characteristics of living things.
- All living things are composed of cells.
- All living things are highly organized at both the molecular and cellular levels.
- All living things use energy in a process called metabolism, which is the sum of all of the chemical processes that occur in the organism.
- All living things maintain stable internal conditions.
- All living things grow.
- All living things have the ability to reproduce.
What is a dependent variable?
What you measure in the experiment and what is affected during the experiment. Responds to the independent variable.
What are the 6 steps of the scientific method?
- Observe
- Ask a question
- Collect data
- Hypothesize
- Experiment + Analyze
- Draw conclusions
What were the Redi, Spallanzani and Pasteur experiments attempting to disprove?
Spontaneous Generation.
Summarize the Redi experiment. Describe each group involved.
Francesco Redi studied the appearance of maggots on rotting meat. The control group had meat exposed to adult flies and witnessed maggots appear. The experimental group contained rotting meat that adult flies were attracted to but could not access, no maggots appeared. This confirmed Redi’s theory that all living things come from other living things.
Summarize the Spallanzani experiment. Describe the outcome of each group.
Spallanzani attempted to prove that all microorganisms came from other microorganism rather that “vital force”. The control group contained boiled broth that was exposed to the air, it became cloudy. The experimental group had boiled broth that was sealed, and stayed clear.
Summarize Pasteur’s Experiment. Describe the outcome of this experiment.
Pasteur used a swan neck flask and boiled broth. The flask did not allow microorganisms to enter, but air could. When the neck was removed the broth became cloudy, disproving the idea of spontaneous generation.
What did Oparin believe were the “ingredients” of early earth?
Oparin suggested that the early atmosphere contained ammonia, hydrogen gas, water vapour and hydrogen/carbon compounds.
What was Oparin’s theory on how earth’s atmosphere came to be as it is today?
With heat and pressure, simple organic may have formed. Oparin hypothesized that when vapour condensed to form bodies of water, the simple organic compounds would have collected in the water. Through energy fields by lightning and UV radiation, the compounds would have changed into molecules such as protein.
What did Miller and Urey build to test Oparin’s hypothesis? What was inside?
In order to test Oparinms hypothesis, Miller and Urey built an apparatus that included a gas chamber. This gas chamber held the gasses that Oparin assumed were present in the early Earth.
What did Miller/Urey substitute in their experiment?
Sparks for lightning.
What was produced from the Miller/Urey experiment?
A variety of compounds, along with Amino Acids.
Define: Law of Superposition.
States that successive layers of layers of rock/soil were deposited on top of one another by wind/water. This can aid in finding the relative age of material through layers of stratum.
Explain Lamarck’s theory of evolution.
Lamarck theorized that acquired traits were passed down to offspring, and therefore life evolved.
