Major Lab Quiz #1 Flashcards
What are the steps in the scientific method (in order)?
- Observation
- Hypothesis
- Prediction
- Test
- Results
- Conclusion
Dependent Variable
The observed result of the independent variable being manipulated
Independent Variable
The variable representing the value being manipulated or changed
Control
What is held constant between experimental groups
What is the cycling process?
The cycling of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and other elements essential to life via assimilation and decomposition.
Assimilation
When microbes convert inorganic elements into forms that are usable by other microbes, plants, and animals
Decomposition
When microbes break down organic matter and recycle it so it can once again be made available to other organisms
How are microbes used in industry?
Food industry → making bread, cheese, yogurt, wine and beer
Medical industry → used to produce insulin, interferon, human growth hormone, and vaccines
What is the goal of the Minnesota Mississippi Metagenomics Project (M3P)?
To understand the function and diversity of microbial life in the Mississippi River and how humans impact it.
What is the M3P’s hypothesis?
Humans do impact the structure and function of the microbial community and this impact is magnified downstream as the Mississippi accumulates water and pollutants from its tributaries and confluences.
Why is the M3P important?
Because we know very little about the microbes inhabiting the Mississippi, which is a large and important river that provides drinking water to ~18 million people in more than 50 cities
Taxonomy
The science of finding, describing, and naming organisms
Taxon (singular taxa)
Different groups of organisms, which are organized through a process called classification
Phylogeny
Evolutionary relationships between organisms
Clades
Groups on a cladogram that are delineated by the two branches and their common ancestory
What is a phylogenetic tree and why is it important?
Similar to family trees, but can provide information about the evolution of a species.
• Important because it can show evolutionary relationships
What are the eight different taxonomic groups of classification?
DUMB KINGS PLAY CHESS ON FUZZY GREEN SQUARES 1. Domain 2. Kingdom 3. Phylum 4. Class 5. Order 6. Family 7. Genus 8. Species → can be 9 if you include the super group that further distinguishes eukaryotic organisms
Heterotroph
Obtain preformed organic carbon-containing molecules from other organisms
ex: amoeba, euplotes, aramecium, blepharisma, stentor, daphnia, tardigrade, and rhizopus
Autotroph
Obtain their carbon from CO2
ex: chlamydomonas, volvox, spirogyra
Genomics
Studies the genome of a single species, as opposed to all organisms in a given sample
Metagenomics
The study of the entire array of genetic information from a given environmental sample
Monophyletic
(of a group of organisms) descended from a common evolutionary ancestor or ancestral group, especially one not shared with any other group
Paraphyletic
(of a group of organisms) descended from a common evolutionary ancestor or ancestral group, but not including all the descendant groups
Polyphyletic
(of a group of organisms) derived from more than one common evolutionary ancestor or ancestral group and therefore not suitable for placing in the same taxon
Metabolism
All of the chemical reactions of an organism taken as a whole
Metabolic Pathway
A set of reactions (usually to form a certain product)
Catabolic Pathway
A metabolic pathway that can break down complex molecules
Anabolic Pathway
A metabolic pathway that can synthesize complex molecules
Collision Theory
The concept that, for a reaction to occur, the reactants (atoms or molecules) must be in the proper orientation with respect to another as they come into contact with one another.
Essentially, REACTANTS MUST COME INTO CONTACT.
Activation Energy
The amount of kinetic energy (particles in motion) necessary to change particles from their current level of energy to the minimum kinetic energy needed to initiate the reaction
How do enzymes relate to activation energy?
Enzymes lower the activation energy of a reaction, which makes reactions easier and happen quicker
How is the activation energy different in an enzymatic reaction compared to a non-enzymatic reaction?
The activation energy is higher in a non-enzymatic reaction than in an enzymatic reaction (because enzymes lower activation energy)
Enzyme
An organic catalyst, usually a type of protein, which is composed of amino acids (determined by a DNA sequences of nucleotides) which are linked together by peptide bonds.
Catalyst
?
Enzyme-Substrate Complex
Forms after the enzyme binds with the substrate of the reaction. It is here that the substrate is converted into the appropriate product(s).
Denaturation
The complete loss of three-dimensional conformation that results in the inability of an enzyme to catalyze a reaction
Depth of Field
Vertical zone where an object is perhaps not in sharp focus, but still visible.
Depth of field decreases as magnification increases.
Field of View
The circular illuminated area that is seen when you look through the eyepiece of a microscope.
When you increase the magnification, the amount of object you see would appear smaller.
How do you find total magnification?
Objective x Eye (10)
So 4X x 10 would be a total magnification of 40
1 millimeter is how many micrometers?
1000
