Unit 1

Question 1

What is the nature of science?

Answer 1

The nature of science is a systematic and logical approach to understanding the natural world.

Question 2

What type of questions can be answered through science?

Answer 2

Questions that can be answered through the scientific process are those that are testable, falsifiable, and based on evidence, while questions that cannot be answered through the scientific process are those that are not testable, falsifiable, or based on evidence.

Question 3

Explain how scientists use the word “theory” differently than in everyday conversation.

Answer 3

The word “theory” is used differently in everyday conversation and in science. In everyday conversation, it is used to refer to a guess or a speculation, while in science, it refers to a well-established and well-supported explanation for a broad range of phenomena.

Question 4

Define a theory in the scientific sense.

Answer 4

A theory in the scientific sense is a well-established and well-supported explanation for a broad range of phenomena, based on a large body of evidence and extensively tested through scientific research and experimentation.

Question 5

What are the steps in a scientific method?

Question 6

What is the purpose of a null hypothesis

Question 7

How is the scientific method different from the scientific process?

Question 8

Explain why data supports or rejects hypotheses, not “proves” them.

Question 9

Identify the control of experiment and describe its purpose.

Question 10

Distinguish between the dependent and independent variables using a graph

Question 11

Describe the primary structure of DNA

Question 12

Describe the secondary structure of DNA

Question 13

What were the key results of the Hershey-Chase experiment?

Question 14

Explain the discoveries that provided the structure of DNA at each step

Question 15

What is complementary base pairing?

Question 16

How does complementary base pairing influence the structure of DNA?

Question 17

How is DNA directional based on its structure?

Question 18

What end of DNA are nucleotides added to? Why? How does this influence replication, transcription, and translation?

Question 19

What molecules make up DNA?

Question 20

What does the numbers on the sugar molecule represent and how does that determine directionality?

Question 21

What type of bonds help DNA maintain its structure?

Question 22

What are the key steps in the process of DNA replication?

Question 23

What is semi-conservative replication?

Question 24

What enzyme is responsible for adding new base pairs to the DNA molecule?

Question 25

How does directionality of DNA influence replication?

Question 26

Explain how information in genes is copied from DNA to RNA into proteins using the genetic code.

Question 27

What are the steps of the central dogma? and where in the cell does each step take place?

Question 28

Explain the process of transcription

Question 29

Explain the process of translation

Question 30

What are the key features of the genetic code?

Question 31

How does DNA sequence determine an organisms genotype?

Question 32

How is genotype linked to phenotype?

Question 33

What are the types of point mutations?

Question 34

Distinguish between beneficial, neutral, and deleterious mutations. Which type of point mutations are likely to be which type of mutation?

Question 35

Describe the types of chromosomal rearrangement and explain how they can influence phenotype.

Question 36

Define gene

Question 37

Define chromosome

Question 38

How are chromosomes and genes related?

Question 39

Define haploid

Question 40

Define diploid

Question 41

Define heterozygous and homozygous genotypes. Explain how these terms connect to an organism’s phenotype.

Question 42

Explain how the words “true-breeding” and “hybrid” link to homozygote and heterozygote.

Question 43

Given a phenotype, be able to provide possible genotypes and vice versa.

Question 44

Explain the principle of segregation. Use the principle to predict the results of single trait crosses.

Question 45

Explain the principle of independent assortment. Use the principle to predict the results of two trait crosses.

Question 46

Why are linked genes exceptions to the principle of independent assortment?

Question 47

How does gene linkage influence the number of unique gametes produced?

Question 48

How does linkage influence the phenotypic and genotypic offspring ratios?

Question 49

How does meiosis explains Mendel’s two principles?

Question 50

What is the difference between meiosis 1 and meiosis 2? Understand the general steps that occur in each.

Question 51

How do cells go from diploid to haploid in meiosis?

Question 52

Distinguish between homologous chromosomes, sister chromatids, and chromosomes.

Question 53

What is the concept of variation? Identify some of the origins of variation in a population.

Question 54

Explain how mutation creates new variation while the other processes shuffle existing variation.

Question 55

What is a gene pool?

Question 56

Explain how gene pool links to genotype and phenotype of organisms in a population.

Question 57

Explain the prediction made by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and list its five assumptions.

Question 58

Describe how the Modern Synthesis defines evolution.

Question 59

Define evolution. Explain how we can determine if a population has evolved by examining the gene pool.

Question 60

Explain how the Hardy-Weinberg model serves as a null model of evolution

Question 61

How can mutations lead to evolution?

Question 62

How do allele frequencies change due to mutation?

Question 63

Explain why mutations are random with respect to phenotypic change.

Question 64

Explain why mutations are a weak force of evolution when acting alone.

Question 65

Explain why mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation

Question 66

What is gene flow?

Question 67

How does gene flow lead to evolution?

Question 68

How do allele frequencies change due to gene flow?

Question 69

What is the difference between gene flow and genetic drift?

Question 70

Explain how sustained gene flow makes populations more similar over time?

Question 71

What is genetic drift?

Question 72

How does genetic drift lead to evolution?

Question 73

How will allele frequencies change due to genetic drift?

Question 74

Explain how random errors in sampling during reproduction can lead to changes in allele frequency.

Question 75

What is the founders effect?

Question 76

What is the bottle neck effect?

Question 77

How are the founders effect and bottle neck effect similar?

Question 78

How are the founders effect and bottle neck effect different?

Question 79

What are the three types of non-random mating?

Question 80

How does non-random mating effects Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium but does not cause evolution?

Question 81

Predict the outcome of non-random mating in terms of genotype frequency change.

Question 82

What is inbreeding? and what are the negative effects of inbreeding in populations?

Question 83

Explain why non-random mating is not a mechanism of evolution but can still cause a population to leave Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Question 84

Describe the significance of Aristotle's 'great chain of being' and concept of 'higher' and 'lower' organisms.

Question 85

Explain the concept of typological thinking

Question 86

Explain Lamarck’s hypotheses of use and disuse and inheritance of acquired traits. Describe Lamarck's contribution evolutionary thought

Question 87

Compare how Lamarck would explain adaptation versus Darwin and Wallace

Question 88

How were Darwin and Wallace revolutionaries and upturned some 2000 years of pre-evolutionary thought.

Question 89

How is tree-thinking different than previous evolutionary thought?

Question 90

How did observations about artificial selection inspire Darwin’s work on natural selection?

Question 91

What are the four requirements for natural selection to occur in a population?

Question 92

Explain the processes of natural selection.

Question 93

How does natural selection lead to evolution?

Question 94

How does natural selection change allele frequencies?

Question 95

How is natural selection related species fitness?

Question 96

Explain why fitness does not describe “weaker” vs “stronger” phenotypes

Question 97

Explain how natural selection works in populations over time, not in individuals within one generation.

Question 98

Why does natural selection select on phenotype, not genotype?

Question 99

How does natural selection change genotype and allele frequencies?

Question 100

Why is natural selection not random?

Question 101

How does natural selection lead to adaptations?

Question 102

Why is natural selection the only mechanism of evolution that can lead to adaptations?

Question 103

What are the three types of natural selection?

Question 104

Differentiate the three types of natural selection

Question 105

How do the different types of natural selection affect genetic variation?

Question 106

Explain how we can test for natural selection in populations.

Question 107

What data do you need to collect to demonstrate natural selection occurring in a population?

Question 108

Explain the process of sexual selection

Question 109

Describe the role that mate choice and competition for mates plays in sexual selection.

Question 110

What is mate choice and how can it lead to showy traits in some species?

Question 111

How does sexual selection lead to sexual dimorphism?

Question 112

Distinguish between intersexual selection and intrasexual selection.

Question 113

What is the Bateman-Trivers hypothesis?

Question 114

Explain how sexual selection can conflict with natural selection within populations.

Question 115

Which mechanism of evolution produces the strongest change in most populations?

Question 116

Which mechanism of evolution is the weakest force in most populations?

Question 117

How does population size influence mechanisms of evolution?

Question 118

How do the mechanisms of evolution change allele frequencies differently?

Question 119

How do the mechanisms of evolution interact to change populations over time?