Key concepts in Biology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Cell?

A

The smallest, basic unit of life that is responsible for all life’s processes.

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2
Q

What are Animal and Plant cells called?

A

Eukaryotic cells

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3
Q

What is in a Eukaryotic cell?

A

Cell membrane, Cytoplasm and a Nucleus containing DNA.

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4
Q

What are Bacterial cells called?

A

Prokaryotic cells.

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5
Q

What is in a Prokaryotic cell?

A

Cell wall, Cell membrane, cytoplasm and Singular strand of DNA and Plasmids.

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6
Q

What is the function of a Nucleus?

A

Contains genetic material that controls the activities of the cell.

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7
Q

What is the function of the Cytoplasm?

A

Where most of the chemical reactions happen. It contains Enzymes which control these chemical reactions.

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8
Q

What is the function of the Cell membrane?

A

Holds the cell together and controls what enters and exits the cell.

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9
Q

What is the function of the Mitochondria?

A

These are where most of the reactions for respiration take place. Respiration transfers energy that the cell needs to work.

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10
Q

What is the function of the Ribosomes?

A

Involved in translation of genetic material in the synthesis of proteins.

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11
Q

What is the function of the Cell wall?

A

Made of cellulose, it supports the cell and strengthens it.

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12
Q

What is the function of the Vacuole?

A

Contains cell sap, store food or any variety of nutrients a cell might need to survive.

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13
Q

What is the function of the Chloroplasts?

A

Where photosynthesis occurs, contain a green substance called chlorophyll.

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14
Q

What is the function of Chromosomal Dna (one long circular chromosome) in the Bacterial cell?

A

Controls cell’s activities and replication. Floats free in the cytoplasm.

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15
Q

What is the function of the Plasmid DNA?

A

Small loops of extra DNA that aren’t part of the chromosome. contains genes for things like drug resistance.

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16
Q

What is the function of the Flagellum?

A

Long, hair like structure that rotates to make the bacterium move, used to move bacteria away from harmful substances.

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17
Q

What is a Specialised cell?

A

A cell which has a specific function.

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18
Q

What are the 2 cells which are specialised for reproduction?

A

Egg cells and Sperm cells.

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19
Q

What happens in sexual reproduction?

A

The nucleus of an egg cell fuses with the nucleus of a sperm cell to create a fertilised egg, which then develops into an embryo.

20
Q

What is the function of an Egg cell?

A

Contains nutrients in the cytoplasm to feed the embryo
has a haploid nucleus
after fertilisation, its membrane changes structure to stop any sperm getting in. This is to end up with the right amount of DNA.

21
Q

What are the functions of the Sperm cell?

A

To transport the males DNA to the female’s egg.

22
Q

Name the Key features of a Sperm cell.

A

Long tail so it can swim
lots of mitochondria to provide energy
an acrosome where it stores enzymes needed to digest its way through the membrane of the egg
contains a haploid nucleus.

23
Q

What is the function of the Ciliated Epithelial Cell?

A

To move substances in one direction, along the surface of the tissue.

24
Q

What is the function of the Enzyme?

A

Reduce the need for high temperatures and we only have enzymes to speed up the useful chemical reactions in the body.

25
Q

What is the Substrate?

A

The molecule changed in the reaction.

26
Q

What does every Enzyme have?

A

An active site, part where it joins on to its substrate to catalyse the reaction.

27
Q

What is needed for the enzyme to work?

A

The substrate has to fit into the active site.

28
Q

What affects the Rate of Reaction?

A

Temperature, pH and Substrate concentration.

29
Q

What happens if the temperature gets TOO hot?

A

Some of the bonds holding the enzyme together break.

30
Q

How does pH affect the Enzymes?

A

If too high or too low, it interferes with bonds holding Enzyme together. This changes the shape of the active site and denatures the enzyme.

31
Q

How does Substrate Concentration affect the Enzyme?

A

Once all active sites are full, adding more makes no difference.

32
Q

What do Enzymes called Carbohydrase do?

A

Convert carbohydrates into simple sugars.

33
Q

What do Enzymes called Proteases do?

A

Convert proteins into amino acids

34
Q

What do Enzymes called Lipases do?

A

Convert lipids into glycerol and fatty acids

35
Q

How can Carbohydrates be synthesised?

A

Joining together simple sugars

36
Q

How can Proteins be synthesised?

A

Joining amino acids together

37
Q

What do Microscopes do?

A

Uses lenses to magnify images. they also increase the resolution of an image.

38
Q

What is Resolution?

A

Means how well a microscope distinguishes between 2 points that are close together. Higher resolution = Image can be seen more clearly and in more detail.

39
Q

what is a light microscope?

A

They work by passing light through the specimen. let us see things like nuclei and chloroplasts and we can also use them to study living cells.

40
Q

what is an electron microscope?

A

Use electrons rather than light. they have a higher magnification and resolution than light microscopes, so they let us see much smaller things in more detail like the internal structure of mitochondria and chloroplasts.

41
Q

How do you work out the total magnification of an image?

A

Total magnification = eyepiece lens x objective lens magnification

42
Q

What formula would you use to work out the magnification of an image if you didnt know which lenses were used?

A

Magnification = image size/real size

43
Q

What is diffusion?

A

The net (overall) movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration

44
Q

In what states of matter does diffusion occur?

A

Both liquids and gases because the particles in these substances are free to move about randomly.

45
Q

What is osmosis?

A

The net movement of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane from a region of higher water concentration to a region of lower water concentration.

46
Q

what is a partially permeable membrane?

A

One with very small holes in it. so small only tiny molecules can pass through them.

47
Q

What is Active Transport?

A

The movement of particles across a membrane against a concentration gradient using energy transferred during respiration