Molecular Biology

Question 1

Metabolism

Answer 1

The same of all chemical reactions that occur in the body.
Catabolic reactions: break down large chemicals and release energy.
Anabolic reactions: build up large chemicals and require energy.

Question 2

Ingestion

Answer 2

The acquisition and consumption of food and other raw materials.

Question 3

Digestion

Answer 3

The process of converting food into a usable soluble form so it can pass through membranes in the digestive tract and enter the body.

Question 4

Absorption

Answer 4

The passage of nutrient molecules through the lining of the digestive tract into the body proper.
Absorbed molecules pass through cells lining the digestive tract by diffusion or active transport.

Question 5

Transport

Answer 5

The circulation of essential compounds required to nourish the tissues and the removal of waste products from the tissues.

Question 6

Assimilation

Answer 6

The building up of new tissues from digested food materials.

Question 7

Respiration

Answer 7

The consumption of oxygen by the body. Cells use oxygen to convert glucose into ATP, a ready source of energy for cellular activities.

Question 8

Excretion

Answer 8

The removal of waste products (like carbon dioxide, water, and urea) produced during metabolic processes like respiration and assimilation.

Question 9

Synthesis

Answer 9

The creation of complex molecules from simple ones (anabolism).

Question 10

Regulation

Answer 10

The control of physiological activities. The body’s metabolism functions to maintain its internal environment in a changing external environment.
Homeostasis: steady state of the internal environment, includes regulation by hormones and the nervous system.
Irritability: the ability to respond to a stimulus and is part of regulation.

Question 11

Growth

Answer 11

An increase in size caused by cell division and synthesis of new materials.

Question 12

Reproduction

Answer 12

The generation of additional individuals of a species.

Question 13

Respiration Detailed

Answer 13

Involves the conversion of the chemical energy in molecular bonds into the usable energy needed to drive the processes of living cells.
Need energy for growth, maintenance of homeostasis, defense mechanisms, repair, and reproduction.
Respiration refers to the use of oxygen by an organism.
This process includes the intake of oxygen from the environment, the transport of oxygen in the blood, and the ultimate oxidation of fuel molecules in the cell.

Question 14

External Respiration

Answer 14

The entrance of air into the lungs and the gas exchange between the alveoli and the blood.

Question 15

Internal Respiration

Answer 15

The exchange of gas between the blood and the cells and the intracellular processes of respiration.

Question 16

Respiration Detailed cont…

Answer 16

Carbohydrates and fats are the favored fuel molecules in living cells.
As hydrogen is removed, bond energy is made available.
During respiration, high-energy hydrogen atoms are removed from organic molecules (dehydrogenation) - oxidation reaction).
The subsequent acceptance of hydrogen by a hydrogen acceptor is the reduction component of the redox reaction.