Units 1-5 Objectives

Question 1

Explain how the properties of water that result from its polarity and hydrogen bonding affect its biological function.

Question 2

Describe the composition of macromolecules required by living organisms.

Question 3

Describe the properties of the monomers and the type of bonds that connect the monomers in biological macromolecules.

Question 4

Describe the properties of the monomers and the type of bonds that connect the monomers in biological macromolecules.

Question 5

Explain how a change in the subunits of a polymer may lead to changes in
structure or function of the macromolecule.

Question 6

Describe the structural similarities and differences between DNA and RNA.

Question 7

Describe the structure and/ or function of subcellular components and organelles.

Question 8

Explain how subcellular components and organelles contribute to the function of the cell.

Question 9

Describe the structural features of a cell that allow organisms to capture,
store, and use energy.

Question 10

Explain the effect of surface area-to volume ratios on the exchange of materials between cells or organisms and the environment.

Question 11

Explain how specialized structures and strategies are used for the efficient exchange of molecules to the environment.

Question 12

Describe the roles of each of the components of the cell membrane in maintaining the internal environment of the cell.

Question 13

Describe the Fluid Mosaic Model of cell membranes.

Question 14

Explain how the structure of biological membranes influences selective permeability.

Question 15

Describe the role of the cell wall in maintaining cell structure and function.

Question 16

Describe the mechanisms that organisms use to maintain solute and water balance.

Question 17

Describe the mechanisms that organisms use to transport large molecules across the plasma membrane.

Question 18

Explain how the structure of a molecule affects its ability to pass through the plasma membrane.

Question 19

Explain how concentration gradients affect the movement of molecules across membranes.

Question 20

Explain how osmoregulatory mechanisms contribute to the health and survival of organisms.

Question 21

Describe the processes that allow ions and other molecules to move across membranes.

Question 22

Describe the membrane-bound structures of the eukaryotic cell.

Question 23

Explain how internal membranes and membrane-bound organelles contribute to the compartmentalization of eukaryotic cell functions.

Question 24

Describe similarities and/or differences in compartmentalization between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

Question 25

Describe the relationship between the functions of endosymbiotic organelles and their free-living ancestral counterparts.

Question 26

Describe the properties of enzymes.

Question 27

Explain how enzymes affect the rate of biological reactions.

Question 28

Explain how changes to the structure of an enzyme may affect its function.

Question 29

Explain how the cellular environment affects enzyme activity

Question 30

Describe the role of energy in living organisms.

Question 31

Describe the photosynthetic processes that allow organisms to capture and store energy.

Question 32

Explain how cells capture energy from light and transfer it to biological molecules for storage and use.

Question 33

Describe the processes that allow organisms to use energy stored in biological macromolecules.

Question 34

Explain how cells obtain energy from biological macromolecules in order to power cellular functions.

Question 35

Explain the connection between variation in the number and types of molecules within cells to the ability of the organism to survive and/or reproduce in different environments.

Question 36

Describe the ways that cells can communicate with one another.

Question 37

Explain how cells communicate with one another over short and long distances.

Question 38

Describe the components of a signal transduction pathway.

Question 39

Describe the role of components of a signal transduction pathway in producing a cellular response.

Question 40

Describe the role of the environment in eliciting a cellular response.

Question 41

Describe the different types of cellular responses elicited by a signal transduction pathway.

Question 42

Explain how a change in the structure of any signaling molecule affects the activity of the signaling pathway.

Question 43

Describe positive and/or negative feedback mechanisms.

Question 44

Explain how negative feedback helps to maintain homeostasis.

Question 45

Explain how positive feedback affects homeostasis.

Question 46

Describe the events that occur in the cell cycle.

Question 47

Explain how mitosis results in the transmission of chromosomes from one generation to the next.

Question 48

Describe the role of checkpoints in regulating the cell cycle.

Question 49

Describe the effects of disruptions to the cell cycle on the cell or organism.

Question 50

Explain how meiosis results in the transmission of chromosomes from one generation to the next.

Question 51

Describe similarities and/ or differences between the phases and outcomes of mitosis and meiosis.

Question 52

Explain how the process of meiosis generates genetic diversity.

Question 53

Explain how shared, conserved, fundamental processes and features support the concept of common ancestry for all organisms.

Question 54

Explain the inheritance of genes and traits as described by Mendel’s laws .

Question 55

Explain deviations from Mendel’s model of the inheritance of traits.

Question 56

Explain how the same genotype can result in multiple phenotypes under different environmental conditions.

Question 57

Explain how chromosomal inheritance generates genetic variation in sexual reproduction.