Study Guide for Biology Mid-Term Exam
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.