Unit 1 Flashcards
What is the nature of science?
The nature of science is a systematic and logical approach to understanding the natural world.
What type of questions can be answered through science?
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.
Explain how scientists use the word “theory” differently than in everyday conversation.
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.
Define a theory in the scientific sense.
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.
What are the steps in a scientific method?
What is the purpose of a null hypothesis
How is the scientific method different from the scientific process?
Explain why data supports or rejects hypotheses, not “proves” them.
Identify the control of experiment and describe its purpose.
Distinguish between the dependent and independent variables using a graph
Describe the primary structure of DNA
Describe the secondary structure of DNA
What were the key results of the Hershey-Chase experiment?
Explain the discoveries that provided the structure of DNA at each step
What is complementary base pairing?
How does complementary base pairing influence the structure of DNA?
How is DNA directional based on its structure?
What end of DNA are nucleotides added to? Why? How does this influence replication, transcription, and translation?
What molecules make up DNA?
What does the numbers on the sugar molecule represent and how does that determine directionality?
What type of bonds help DNA maintain its structure?
What are the key steps in the process of DNA replication?
What is semi-conservative replication?
What enzyme is responsible for adding new base pairs to the DNA molecule?
How does directionality of DNA influence replication?
Explain how information in genes is copied from DNA to RNA into proteins using the genetic code.
What are the steps of the central dogma? and where in the cell does each step take place?
Explain the process of transcription
Explain the process of translation
What are the key features of the genetic code?
How does DNA sequence determine an organisms genotype?
How is genotype linked to phenotype?
What are the types of point mutations?
Distinguish between beneficial, neutral, and deleterious mutations. Which type of point mutations are likely to be which type of mutation?
Describe the types of chromosomal rearrangement and explain how they can influence phenotype.
Define gene
Define chromosome
How are chromosomes and genes related?
Define haploid
Define diploid
Define heterozygous and homozygous genotypes. Explain how these terms connect to an organism’s phenotype.
Explain how the words “true-breeding” and “hybrid” link to homozygote and heterozygote.
Given a phenotype, be able to provide possible genotypes and vice versa.
Explain the principle of segregation. Use the principle to predict the results of single trait crosses.
Explain the principle of independent assortment. Use the principle to predict the results of two trait crosses.
Why are linked genes exceptions to the principle of independent assortment?
How does gene linkage influence the number of unique gametes produced?
How does linkage influence the phenotypic and genotypic offspring ratios?
How does meiosis explains Mendel’s two principles?
What is the difference between meiosis 1 and meiosis 2? Understand the general steps that occur in each.
How do cells go from diploid to haploid in meiosis?
Distinguish between homologous chromosomes, sister chromatids, and chromosomes.
What is the concept of variation? Identify some of the origins of variation in a population.
Explain how mutation creates new variation while the other processes shuffle existing variation.
What is a gene pool?
Explain how gene pool links to genotype and phenotype of organisms in a population.
Explain the prediction made by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and list its five assumptions.
Describe how the Modern Synthesis defines evolution.
Define evolution. Explain how we can determine if a population has evolved by examining the gene pool.
Explain how the Hardy-Weinberg model serves as a null model of evolution
How can mutations lead to evolution?
How do allele frequencies change due to mutation?
Explain why mutations are random with respect to phenotypic change.
Explain why mutations are a weak force of evolution when acting alone.
Explain why mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation
What is gene flow?
How does gene flow lead to evolution?
How do allele frequencies change due to gene flow?
What is the difference between gene flow and genetic drift?
Explain how sustained gene flow makes populations more similar over time?
What is genetic drift?
How does genetic drift lead to evolution?
How will allele frequencies change due to genetic drift?
Explain how random errors in sampling during reproduction can lead to changes in allele frequency.
What is the founders effect?
What is the bottle neck effect?
How are the founders effect and bottle neck effect similar?
How are the founders effect and bottle neck effect different?
What are the three types of non-random mating?
How does non-random mating effects Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium but does not cause evolution?
Predict the outcome of non-random mating in terms of genotype frequency change.
What is inbreeding? and what are the negative effects of inbreeding in populations?
Explain why non-random mating is not a mechanism of evolution but can still cause a population to leave Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
Describe the significance of Aristotle’s ‘great chain of being’ and concept of ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ organisms.
Explain the concept of typological thinking
Explain Lamarck’s hypotheses of use and disuse and inheritance of acquired traits. Describe Lamarck’s contribution evolutionary thought
Compare how Lamarck would explain adaptation versus Darwin and Wallace
How were Darwin and Wallace revolutionaries and upturned some 2000 years of pre-evolutionary thought.
How is tree-thinking different than previous evolutionary thought?
How did observations about artificial selection inspire Darwin’s work on natural selection?
What are the four requirements for natural selection to occur in a population?
Explain the processes of natural selection.
How does natural selection lead to evolution?
How does natural selection change allele frequencies?
How is natural selection related species fitness?
Explain why fitness does not describe “weaker” vs “stronger” phenotypes
Explain how natural selection works in populations over time, not in individuals within one generation.
Why does natural selection select on phenotype, not genotype?
How does natural selection change genotype and allele frequencies?
Why is natural selection not random?
How does natural selection lead to adaptations?
Why is natural selection the only mechanism of evolution that can lead to adaptations?
What are the three types of natural selection?
Differentiate the three types of natural selection
How do the different types of natural selection affect genetic variation?
Explain how we can test for natural selection in populations.
What data do you need to collect to demonstrate natural selection occurring in a population?
Explain the process of sexual selection
Describe the role that mate choice and competition for mates plays in sexual selection.
What is mate choice and how can it lead to showy traits in some species?
How does sexual selection lead to sexual dimorphism?
Distinguish between intersexual selection and intrasexual selection.
What is the Bateman-Trivers hypothesis?
Explain how sexual selection can conflict with natural selection within populations.
Which mechanism of evolution produces the strongest change in most populations?
Which mechanism of evolution is the weakest force in most populations?
How does population size influence mechanisms of evolution?
How do the mechanisms of evolution change allele frequencies differently?
How do the mechanisms of evolution interact to change populations over time?
