CST Study Guide

Intro to Biology

1. What are the steps of the scientific method?

2. What are the rules associated with setting up a controlled experiment?

3. What are the characteristics of life?

Chemistry

1. Define a calorie.

2. Know the difference between a solution, a solute and a solvent.

3. Know the pH scale (i.e. what’s acidic, neutral or basic)

4. What are some special properties of water?

5. Know the parts of an atom and their respective charges.

6. Know the HONC rule.

7. Explain the difference between organic and inorganic compounds.

8. Know the functions and structures of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and nucleic acids.

Cell Biology

1. Know the cell theory.

2. What are the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? Plant and animal cells?

3. Review the parts of a microscope below and their functions.

4. Identify the labeled parts of the cell below and know the functions of each labeled structure.

5. Identify the structure and its labeled parts on the diagram below:

6. Explain the difference between osmosis and diffusion.

7. Define the terms isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic.

8. Given examples of cells in various solutions, be able to tell the direction materials will move.

9. Define active transport and what is required for it to happen.

10. What is ATP and why is it important?

11. Write out the equations for photosynthesis and respiration. Know where these processes occur.

12. What is the principle source of energy for all living things?

13. Draw and know what is happening at each stage of mitosis in order.

14. What are the differences between mitosis and meiosis?

15. Why is crossing over so important and when does it occur?

DNA, RNA and Protein Synthesis

1. Who are Watson, Crick and Franklin, Mendel, and Schleiden and Schwann?

2. Draw and label a simple diagram of DNA.

3. What does DNA stand for? Why is it important/what is its function?

4. What is a mutation?

5. What are the base pairing rules for DNA (Chargaff’s rule)?

6. Know differences between DNA and RNA.

7. Why are proteins important? List 2 functions

8. During protein synthesis, know where to start reading mRNA and to stop reading it.

9. Using a chart of codons, be able to translate a molecule of messenger RNA into a protein.

Genetics

1. Define gene, allele, homozygous, heterozygous, dominant, and recessive.

2. Be able to analyze a pedigree chart and determine the phenotypes and genotypes of the individuals on the chart.

3. If a woman with type O blood marries a man with type AB blood, what are the possible genotypes for their children?

4. In mice there are two alleles for eye color, red and black. If a heterozygous black-eyed mouse is mated with a red eyed mouse, what would be the expected phenotypic ratio for their offspring?

5. Can a color blind mother have any sons with normal vision?

6. Can a color blind father have any daughters with normal vision?

Ecology

1. Understand a food web and energy pyramid.

2. On the diagram below label the producers, herbivores, primary carnivores, secondary carnivores and tertiary carnivores.

3. What is succession? What are the two types?

4. Be able to identify the biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.

5. Know the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle and the water cycle and terms associated with the steps.

6. Be able to give examples of how humans have impacted these cycles.

7. Understand a food web, food pyramid and the effects of biological magnification.

8. Know ecological terms: niche, biosphere, species, habitat, community, and population.

9. Know the three different types of symbiotic relationships and give an example of each.

10. Understand the symbiotic relationship of lichen.

11. List some density independent and density dependent factors that influence populations.

12. Identify the labeled components on the graph below. Define carrying capacity.

Evolution

1. What is a scientific theory?

2. What is the significance of the Miller and Urey experiment?

3. Define evolution.

4. Know the evidences for evolution (fossil record and dating, homologous and vestigial structures, biogeography, embryological, DNA)

5. Know the four key concepts of Darwin’s theory of natural selection (variation, over-reproduction, struggle for survival, survival of the fittest)

6. Define adaptation and give some examples

7. Know the ways in which speciation can occur (geographic, behavioral/temporal, anatomical)

8. Understand the difference between gradualism and punctuated equilibrium

Taxonomy

1. Define taxonomy. Why things are grouped and what are the categories?

2. Know the 3 Domains and their 6 Kingdoms, and know what types of organisms belong in each.

Viruses

1. Know viruses. What is the structure? Know the lytic and lysogenic cycles.

2. Know some common viruses.

Bacteria

1. How are bacteria classified? Know shapes and examples.

2. Know the beneficial/harmful effects associated with bacteria, and give examples

Protists

1. Know the beneficial/harmful effects associated with protists, and give examples

2. Be able to identify basic protest body plans and their structures (i.e. amoeba, paramecium)

Fungi

1. Know the beneficial/harmful effects associated with fungi, and give examples.

Human Body Systems

1. Review the general anatomy and function of the human circulatory, respiratory, reproductive, excretory, digestive, skeletal, muscular, integumentary, nervous, endocrine and immune systems.

2. Know the difference between veins, arteries, and capillaries

3. Know the parts of an axon and their functions.

4. What is a synapse and how does it work?

5. Define an impulse and be able to describe action potential.

6. Define pathogen, antigen, and macrophage.

7. Know the different parts of non-specific immunity. What makes up the first and second line of defense? What happens in a non-specific response?

8. Know what specific immune response means and how it occurs. Know how the macrophage works as part of the specific immune defense.

9. Describe negative feedback and provide an example of how it regulates body temp.

10. Distinguish between endocrine and exocrine glands. Know the endocrine glands and the hormones they make.

General

1. Place the following terms in order of smallest to largest: cell, atoms, organelles, organisms, molecules, biosphere, tissue, ecosystem, organ and population.

2. Why can simple organisms use diffusion for many bodily processes?

3. Know the advantages & disadvantages of both sexual and asexual reproduction.

4. What is a zygote?