Biology Midterm Exam Review Guide

Unit 1 Nature of Science

  1. What is the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction?
  2. What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?
  3. What are the characteristics of life?
  4. What are the themes of biology? Define them.
  5. Define the terms Biotic, Abiotic, Anatomy & Physiology and Homeostasis.
  6. What is a hypothesis?
  7. A well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations is a(an)
  8. What would lead to a theory being retested?
  9. What is a controlled experiment?
  10. How does a control group differ from and experimental group
  11. What is a variable?
  12. What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable?

Unit 2 Chemistry

  1. What is an ionic bond, provide an example?
  2. What is a covalent bond, provide an example?
  3. Why is water the universal solvent? Explain how it dissolves other polar substances.
  4. Define cohesion & adhesion. Provide an example of each.
  5. Why does ice float?
  6. Why do the oceans maintain their water temperature (think water)?
  7. What are the unique differences between water as a solid, liquid and gas?
  8. What is the building block and function of carbohydrates?
  9. What is the function of proteins and what are their building blocks?
  10. What is the function of a lipid and what are their building blocks?
  11. What is the function of a nucleic acid and what are their building blocks?
  12. What is the difference between a catalyst and enzyme? What is the function of an enzyme?
  13. What factors affect how enzymes function?

Be able to identify the below organic molecules

A. Lipid B. Protein C. Carbohydrate D. Nucleic Acid

26. _____ 27.______

29.______

28.______

Unit 3 The Cell

  1. State the 3 components of the cell theory.
  2. What are the differences between prokaryote and eukaryote cells? Give an example of each.
  3. What is the difference between active and passive transport?
  4. What does the Na+/K+ pump do and how does it work?
  5. Explain how the plasma membrane is selectively permeable?
  6. Create a chart comparing hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic solutions. Note, which way the water will move (if at all), the affect this solution will have on a cell and draw a picture.
  7. Define diffusion?
  8. What is facilitated diffusion; give and example?
  9. Define Osmosis. How is it different then diffusion?
  10. Define active transport.
  11. Define exocytosis and endocytosis and is it a form of active or passive transport?
  12. What element is necessary for aerobic respiration?
  13. What is photosynthesis and where does it occur?
  14. Write out the formula for photosynthesis. Note which the reactants are and which the products are.
  15. What gas does the plant absorb during the process of photosynthesis and what gas does it give off?
  16. Briefly describe the steps in photosynthesis and where they occur?
  17. Briefly describe the steps in cellular respiration and where do they occur? Include glycolysis, anaerobic and aerobic respiration.
  18. What is the purpose of cellular respiration?
  19. Write out the formula for cellular respiration. Note which the reactants are and which are the products.
  20. What is ATP and what is its role in the cell?
  21. What are the differences between plant cells and animal cells?
  22. What are the functions of the following organelles?
  23. Chloroplast (Plastids) (please also discuss chlorophyll)
  24. Cell Wall
  25. Cell Plate
  26. Plasma Membrane
  27. Mitochondria
  28. Ribosome
  29. Nucleus
  30. Smooth ER
  31. Rough ER
  32. Golgi Apparatus
  33. Briefly explain the cell cycle?
  34. What is interphase and what happens during each of the sub phases?
  35. What is the purpose of mitosis and what happens during each phase?
  36. What type of reproduction is mitosis (sexual or asexual)?
  37. In what organs does meiosis occur?
  38. How many chromosomes are in a human Sperm cell? ______Ovum? ______Somatic cell? _____
  39. Why do asexually reproducing species have less genetic variation than species that reproduce sexually?
  40. What is crossing over and when does it occur?
  41. Describes the outcome/purpose of the process of meiosis.
  42. Compare mitosis and meiosis.

Unit 4 DNA

  1. Compare and contrast RNA and DNA.
  2. What are the components of a nucleotide?
  3. What does DNA direct the production of?
  4. What is the purpose of DNA Replication & when during the cell cycle does it occur?
  5. Define transcription, where does it occur and what type of RNA is involved in the process.
  6. What is the function of mRNA and tRNA?
  7. What are the base pairs for DNA and RNA?
  8. Which RNA molecule carries an amino acid?
  9. What is the final outcome of transcription?
  10. What is produced during translation?