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Biology A Level > Topic 1 - Lifestyle and Risk > Flashcards

Topic 1 - Lifestyle and Risk Flashcards

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1
Q

What do animals require to survive?

A

Essential substances like oxygen and carbon dioxide

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2
Q

What method do small organisms use to transport substances?

A

Diffusion

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3
Q

What happens to the surface area to volume ratio as the size of the organism increases?

A

It decreases

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4
Q

What increases as the size of the organism grows?

A

Diffusion distance and metabolic rate

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5
Q

What becomes insufficient for larger organisms, necessitating a different transport system?

A

Diffusion

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6
Q

What is a mass transport system in larger organisms composed of?

A

Heart and circulation

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7
Q

What are the four features of a mass transport system?

A
  • A network to move through (e.g., vessels)
  • A medium for movement (e.g., blood)
  • Controlled direction
  • Maintenance of speed
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8
Q

What is the role of valves in a mass transport system?

A

To control the direction of flow

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9
Q

What is the significance of hydrogen bonding in water?

A

Creates cohesion and adhesion for effective transport

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10
Q

What type of molecule is water, and why?

A

Polar molecule due to uneven distribution of charge

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11
Q

What is the result of water’s high heat specific capacity?

A

Minimizes temperature fluctuations in living organisms

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12
Q

Fill in the blank: Water is a _______ solvent.

A

polar

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13
Q

True or False: The contraction of the heart helps maintain the speed of blood flow.

A

True

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14
Q

What is the effect of hydrogen bonding on water’s temperature stability/specific heat capacity?

A

Requires a lot of energy to change temperature

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15
Q

What do arteries carry to the body tissues?

A

Oxygenated blood

Other than the pulmonary artery

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16
Q

What is the lumen size of arteries and why is it significant?

A

Small lumen

Maintains high blood pressure

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17
Q

What type of lining do arteries have and why?

A

Smooth inner endothelial lining

Reduces resistance to blood flow

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18
Q

What components allow arteries to control their diameter?

A

Thick layer of smooth muscle and elastic fibres

Contract and relax to dilate and constrict blood vessels

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19
Q

What provides strength and support to arteries?

A

Collagen fibres

Lots of collagen fibres are present

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20
Q

What do veins carry to the lungs?

A

Deoxygenated blood

Except the pulmonary vein

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21
Q

What is the lumen size of veins and its significance?

A

Large lumen

Minimises resistance to flow

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22
Q

What features characterize the structure of veins?

A

Thinner layer of muscle, reduced elastic fibres, and valves

Valves prevent backflow

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23
Q

What are capillaries and their key characteristics?

A

Very small blood vessels

Fit between cells with a narrow lumen and thin endothelium

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24
Q

What is the structure of the heart?

A

Four chambers

Right and left atria, right and left ventricles

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25
Q

Name the four main blood vessels associated with the heart.

A
  • Pulmonary vein
  • Aorta
  • Vena cava
  • Pulmonary artery
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26
Q

What are atrioventricular valves and their types?

A

Valves separating atria from ventricles

Mitral or tricuspid/bicuspid valves

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27
Q

What are semilunar valves and their function?

A

Valves separating arteries from ventricles

Include pulmonary and aortic valves

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28
Q

What prevents atrioventricular valves from turning inside out?

A

Tendinous chords/valve tendons

Prevent valve inversion due to pressure

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29
Q

What is the function of the septum in the heart?

A

Prevents mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood

Composed of muscle and connective tissue

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30
Q

What are coronary arteries?

A

Wrapped around the heart to supply blood to cardiac muscle

Coronary arteries are essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the heart tissue.

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31
Q

Why is cardiac muscle thicker on the left-hand side?

A

Higher pressure is needed to pump blood further

The left ventricle pumps blood to the entire body, requiring more muscle mass.

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32
Q

What are the three stages of the cardiac cycle?

A

1) Atrial systole 2) Ventricular systole 3) Cardiac diastole

Each stage plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the heart.

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33
Q

What happens during atrial systole?

A

The atria contract, forcing the atrioventricular valves open and blood flows into the ventricles

This stage initiates the filling of the ventricles with blood.

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34
Q

What occurs during ventricular systole?

A

Contraction of the ventricles causes atrioventricular valves to close and semilunar valves to open

This allows blood to exit the heart through the aorta and pulmonary artery.

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35
Q

Describe cardiac diastole.

A

Atria and ventricles relax, causing semilunar valves to close and preventing backflow of blood

This phase allows the heart to fill with blood again.

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36
Q

What is atherosclerosis?

A

Hardening of arteries caused by the build-up of fibrous plaque called an atheroma

Atherosclerosis is a key factor in many cardiovascular diseases.

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37
Q

What initiates atheroma formation?

A

Damage to the endothelium caused by high cholesterol levels, smoking, or high blood pressure

Endothelial damage is the first step in the development of atherosclerosis.

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38
Q

What build up causes plaque formation in arteries?

A

White blood cells, cholesterol, calcium salts, and fibres build up and harden

This accumulation leads to the formation of an atheroma.

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39
Q

How does atherosclerosis affect blood flow?

A

It narrows the artery and restricts blood flow, increasing blood pressure

This creates a cycle of damage to the endothelial lining.

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40
Q

What are some modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis?

A

Smoking, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, diet, sedentary lifestyle/no exercise

Modifiable factors can be controlled through lifestyle changes.

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41
Q

What are some non-modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis?

A

Genetics, Age, Gender

These factors are inherent and cannot be changed.

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42
Q

True or False: Atherosclerosis is a multi-factorial condition.

A

True

Atherosclerosis involves multiple risk factors and processes.

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43
Q

What increases the likelihood of formation of plaque in arteries?

A

High cholesterol levels

High cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.

44
Q

What effect does nicotine have on arteries?

A

Narrows arteries

Smoking contributes to cardiovascular disease risk.

45
Q

What lifestyle factor increases obesity risk?

A

Physical inactivity

Lack of exercise can lead to weight gain and associated health issues.

46
Q

What are some ways to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

A
  • Stopping smoking
  • Regular exercise
  • Reducing alcohol consumption
  • Dietary changes
  • Maintaining healthy body weight

These lifestyle modifications can significantly lower CVD risk.

47
Q

What cardiovascular diseases can atherosclerosis lead to?

A
  • Angina
  • Stroke
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Aneurysms

Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to these serious health conditions.

48
Q

What is thrombosis?

A

Blood clotting

Thrombosis prevents blood loss and protects against infection.

49
Q

What triggers the conversion of prothrombin into thrombin?

A

Thromboplastin released from platelets

Calcium ions and vitamin K are necessary for this conversion.

50
Q

What does thrombin do in the clotting process?

A

Catalyses the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin

Fibrin forms a network that traps blood cells to create a clot.

51
Q

What is energy balance?

A

Balance of calories consumed vs. calories burned

It determines weight loss or gain based on physical activity levels.

52
Q

What happens when more calories are burned than consumed?

A

Leads to weight loss

A caloric deficit is essential for losing weight.

53
Q

What is the formula for calculating BMI?

A

BMI = weight in kilograms / (height in meters)^2

BMI is a common measure to assess body weight relative to height.

54
Q

What does a BMI value below 18 indicate?

A

Underweight

BMI classifications help identify weight-related health risks.

55
Q

What does a BMI value above 30 indicate?

A

Obesity

Higher BMI values are associated with increased health risks.

56
Q

What can waist-to-hip ratio indicate?

A

It can determine the likelihood of heart disease based on fat distribution.

A value above 1 suggests a health risk.

57
Q

What are carbohydrates composed of?

A

Only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

They are long chains of sugar units called saccharides.

58
Q

What are the three types of saccharides?

A
  • Monosaccharides
  • Disaccharides
  • Polysaccharides
59
Q

Define monosaccharide.

A

A simple sugar monomer.

60
Q

Define disaccharide.

A

Two monosaccharides.

61
Q

Define polysaccharide.

A

Many monosaccharides.

62
Q

How do monosaccharides join to form disaccharides and polysaccharides?

A

By glycosidic bonds formed in condensation reactions.

63
Q

What is glucose?

A

A monosaccharide containing six carbon atoms and the main substrate for respiration.

64
Q

What are the two main isomers of glucose?

A
  • Beta glucose (most common in plants)
  • Alpha glucose (most common in animals)
65
Q

What is ribose?

A

A monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms and a component of DNA and RNA.

66
Q

What is maltose?

A

A disaccharide formed by condensation of two glucose molecules.

67
Q

What is sucrose?

A

A disaccharide formed by condensation of glucose and fructose.

68
Q

What is lactose?

A

A disaccharide formed by condensation of glucose and galactose.

69
Q

What are polysaccharides formed from?

A

Many glucose units joined together.

70
Q

What is glycogen?

A

Energy storage molecule in animals made from alpha glucose molecules.

71
Q

What type of glycosidic bonds are found in glycogen?

A

1, 4 and 1, 6 glycosidic bonds.

72
Q

What feature of glycogen allows for energy hydrolysis?

A

It has a large number of side branches.

73
Q

What is the primary function of starch in plants?

A

Starch stores energy in plants

Starch is a mixture of amylose and amylopectin.

74
Q

What are the two polysaccharides that make up starch?

A
  • Amylose
  • Amylopectin
75
Q

Describe amylose.

A

Amylose is an unbranched chain of glucose molecules joined by 1, 4-glycosidic bonds, making it a compact molecule.

76
Q

What type of bonds are present in amylopectin?

A

1, 4 and 1, 6 glycosidic bonds

77
Q

How does the structure of amylopectin affect its digestion?

A

Due to its many side branches, amylopectin is rapidly digested by enzymes.

78
Q

What are lipids soluble in?

A

Organic solvents such as alcohols

79
Q

What distinguishes saturated lipids from unsaturated lipids?

A

Saturated lipids do not contain any carbon-carbon double bonds.

80
Q

What type of fats are typically saturated?

A

Animal fats

81
Q

What is a characteristic of unsaturated lipids?

A

Unsaturated lipids contain carbon-carbon double bonds and melt at lower temperatures.

82
Q

Why do unsaturated lipids have a lower melting point?

A

The double bonds create a ‘kink’ in the hydrocarbon chain, reducing intermolecular forces.

83
Q

What state are saturated fats at room temperature?

A

Solid

84
Q

What state are unsaturated lipids at room temperature?

A

Liquid

85
Q

List two properties of lipids.

A
  • Waterproof
  • Very compact
86
Q

Why are lipids considered better for energy release than carbohydrates or proteins?

A

They provide better gram-for-gram energy release due to more energy stored in C-O bonds.

87
Q

Why are lipids non-polar and insoluble in water important for storage?

A

They don’t interfere with water-based reactions in the cytoplasm.

88
Q

What is the primary function of lipids in terms of heat?

A

Lipids conduct heat slowly and provide thermal insulation.

This property is important for maintaining body temperature in organisms.

89
Q

What are triglycerides composed of?

A

One molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids joined by ester bonds.

Triglycerides serve as energy reserves in both plant and animal cells.

90
Q

What type of group replaces one fatty acid in phospholipids?

A

A phosphate-containing group.

This modification leads to the formation of hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.

91
Q

What structure do phospholipids form in the cell membrane?

A

Phospholipid Bilayer

The hydrophilic heads face watery environments while the hydrophobic tails move away from them.

92
Q

What is cholesterol and how is it transported in the body?

A

Cholesterol is a soluble lipid transported by proteins in lipoproteins.

Lipoproteins consist of proteins and lipids.

93
Q

What characterizes high density lipoprotein (HDL)?

A

HDL is formed from unsaturated fats, protein, and cholesterol.

It transports cholesterol from body tissues to the liver and reduces cholesterol levels.

94
Q

What is the role of low density lipoprotein (LDL)?

A

LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the blood, increasing cholesterol levels.

It is linked to atherosclerosis due to its composition of saturated fats, protein, and cholesterol.

95
Q

What is the correlation between saturated fats and cholesterol levels?

A

High levels of saturated fats are correlated with high blood cholesterol.

Saturated fats are components of low density lipoproteins.

96
Q

True or False: Cholesterol is involved in plaque formation linked to cardiovascular diseases.

A

True.

This involvement establishes a causal relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases.

97
Q

What are anticoagulants and provide an example and risk of use?

A

Anticoagulants reduce the risk of clot formation; an example is warfarin.

Dosage of anticoagulants must be carefully controlled to prevent uncontrolled bleeding.

98
Q

What are statins used for, when are they most effective?

A

To reduce blood cholesterol levels by blocking the enzyme that produces cholesterol in the liver

Statins are most effective when combined with a healthy diet.

99
Q

What are common side effects of statins?

A
  • Nausea
  • Inflammation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Constipation

Statins can have various side effects that affect patient compliance.

100
Q

What is the primary function of platelet inhibitors? Example?

A

To make platelets less sticky, reducing the risk of blood clots and atheroma formation

Aspirin is a common platelet inhibitory drug.

101
Q

What potential risk is associated with aspirin as a platelet inhibitor?

A

Stomach bleeding due to irritation of the stomach lining

This side effect is important to consider in patients with gastrointestinal issues.

102
Q

What do antihypertensives do?

A

Reduce blood pressure

Antihypertensives are a class of medications used to manage high blood pressure.

103
Q

What are beta blockers and their effect on the heart? Risk of taking them?

A

They reduce the frequency and power of heart contractions by blocking the heart’s response to hormones

Beta blockers may increase the risk of diabetes.

104
Q

What are diuretics and their primary effect? Side effects?

A

Lowers blood volume and pressure by increasing volume of urine.

Diuretics can lead to side effects such as nausea, muscle cramps, and dizziness.

105
Q

What is the mechanism of action of ACE inhibitors?

A

They block the conversion of Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II, which causes arterial constriction

This action leads to reduced blood pressure.

106
Q

What are common side effects of ACE inhibitors?

A
  • Dizziness
  • Cough
  • Heart arrhythmia

These side effects can influence patient adherence to the medication.

Biology A Level (4 decks)

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