Study Guide for CCP Biology mid-term Exam

Chapter 1: The Science of Biology

You should know:

  • The characteristics of all living things.
  • The steps of the scientific method (in the proper order).
  • The difference between independent (experimental) variables and dependent variables.
  • The importance of controls in an experiment.
  • Describe the three main types of microscopes and what each is used for.

Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life

You should be able to:

  • List the importance (to living things) of each of the following: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
  • Describe the unusual properties of water.
  • Describe the role and function of enzymes in organisms.

Chapter 7: Cell structure and Function

You should be able to:

  • Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including examples.
  • List the three ideas of the modern cell theory.
  • Describe the effects of isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solutions on living cells.
  • Describe the purpose and function of each of these organelles: cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosome, Golgi apparatus, chloroplast and vacuole.

Chapter 8 and 9: Cell Energy—Photosynthesis and Respiration

You should be able to:

  • List the energy source used by cells and where in that molecule the energy is stored.
  • Describe the reaction (chemicals and conditions) that represents photosynthesis.
  • Describe the reaction (chemicals and conditions) that represents cellular respiration.
  • Describe the conditions under which cells use fermentation and products of the process.

Chapter 10: Cell Growth and Division

You should be able to:

  • Explain the limits of cell size (i.e. Why are all cells small?)
  • Compare mitosis and meiosis.

 Describe the control of the normal cell cycle, and what can cause uncontrolled cell growth.

Chapter 12 and 13: DNA, RNA and Protein Synthesis

You should be able to:

  • Describe the shape and structure of a DNA molecule.
  • Identify the nitrogen bases of DNA. Be sure to know which bases match up with each other.
  • Explain what RNA is, and how it is different than DNA.
  • Explain the process that allows proteins to be made in ribosomes outside the nucleus using a DNA code that is on a chromosome inside the nucleus. *Hint: what are used to read and transfer the code?
  • Describe types of mutations and the possible effects of them.

Chapter 11: Introduction to Genetics

You should be able to:

  • Identify the first researcher in genetics and what organism he studied.
  • Solve basic genetics problems using a Punnet square.
  • Explain the importance of segregation of alleles to genetic outcome.
  • Explain why it is critical to organisms that at the end of meiosis there are only ½ the number of chromosomes in a gamete as there is in a body cell.

Chapter 15: Genetic Engineering

You should be able to:

  • Explain the importance of selective breeding to humans.
  • Summarize the process of genetic engineering.
  • List the benefits of genetic engineering to humans.
  • Describe the genetic makeup of clones relative to their parent and other non-clone organisms.
  • Explain the importance of the Human Genome Project.

Chapter 14: Human Heredity

You should be able to:

  • Explain how to recognize dominant, recessive, incomplete dominant, codominant and sex-linked inheritance by looking at traits in offspring.
  • Analyze a pedigree.
  • Explain the use of a karyotype.
  • Explain non-disjunction and its possible results.