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Biology Midterm Exam Review

Chapter 1- Scientific Method and Characteristics of Life

1. What is a hypothesis?

2. What is data?

a. Explain the difference between quantitative and qualitative data.

3. What is an experiment?

4. Define these terms:

Term Definition

Control group

Experimental Group

Independent variable

Dependent variable

Constants

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5. Experimental Design

You are observing some algae cells of Chara vulgaris under a microscope. You notice that the cytoplasm streams around inside the cell, in order to distribute gasses and nutrients throughout the algae cell. This is called cytoplasmic streaming. A diagram of cytoplasmic streaming in C. vulgaris is seen in the figure below.

You are wondering what causes the streaming, so you work to develop a method for determining what proteins are involved.

You obtain cultures of Chara vulgaris and remove specific proteins from each one, then you watch how the removal of each protein affects the cytoplasmic streaming. The data are summarized in the table below.

6. Identify the manipulated (independent) variable in this experiment.

7. Identify the responding (dependent) variable in this experiment.

8. Identify the experimental group(s).

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9. Identify the control group(s).

10. List 2 important constants you must maintain while performing this experiment.

11. Conclude what causes cytoplasmic streaming in Chara vulgaris.

In your conclusion, identify exactly which data support your conclusion.

12. Describe homeostasis. Give an example.

13. Read the following statement: “You put on your Dakota hoodie and you start to sweat”

a. What is the stimulus in this statement and why is it considered to be the stimulus?b. What is the response to the stimulus?

Chapter 2- Ecology

14. Using the pyramid below, which trophic level has the ability to capture and store energy from the sun?

a. What is the name of the process the trophic level used to capture and store energy from the sun?

15. The storing of matter and energy from question 1, make it possible for which of the following trophic levels/organisms to survive?

16. Using the pyramid below, describe the transfer of energy in the ecosystem by explaining the loss of heat at each trophic level.

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Food web description- Use the passage below to answer the following questions.

The great horned owl is a large, powerful bird. They are night hunters and they eat mice, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, raccoons, ducks, chickens (and other birds), snakes, toads, fish and occasionally road-killed animals. They have even been known to eat cats and small dogs.

17. Predict – if all raccoons disappeared from the great horned owl food web, what effect would this have on the ecosystem? Give an example to justify your response.

18. Describe the following nutrient cycles and their importance to life.

Nutrient Cycle Description Importance to life

Carbon

Nitrogen

Chapter 3 - Ecology

19. Describe the type of succession taking place below. Primary or Secondary succession? Justify?

20. Predict the sequence that will happen in the ecosystem after lighting strikes, causing fire to spread.

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21. Describe the negative impact of human activities on other species. Give several specific examples.

22. What can humans do to help the environment?

23. Give an example of a renewable resources and a non-renewable resource. Explain why your first example is renewable and why your second example is non-renewable.

Chapter 4- Ecology

24. List and describe factors that influence population growth.

25. What is the formula for population growth?

26. Draw two graphs, the first demonstrating exponential growth and the second demonstrating logistic growth. Give an example where you might see each (different examples for exponential and logistic growth) in nature.

Exponential Logistic

Example in Nature: Example in Nature:

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27. Explain carrying capacity. What factors can influence carrying capacity?

The zebra mussel is native to the Caspian Sea, lagoons of the Black Sea and their inflowing rivers. It lives in fresh and brackish water and cannot tolerate full seawater. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it spread through European canals, reaching the Baltic Sea and many European river estuaries. In 1988, it was discovered in the Great Lakes and has spread too many rivers and lakes in eastern and central North America. Zebra mussels eat plankton.

28. How might the introduction of the zebra mussel affect this food web? Justify your answer.

Chapter 5 - Ecology

29. Describe the greenhouse effect.

30. Describe how carbon dioxide affects the greenhouse effect.

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There is a national jack pine forest in northern Michigan.

A logging company has begun harvesting jack pines from the part labeled A in the map below.

The company has obtained permits and paid fees to the state and federal government to cut these trees.

A population of Kirtland’s warblers- a rare bird native to jack pine forests- was discovered in this forest by an ecologist. It is located in space A in the map below, where the loggers are active. A group of environmental activists wants the forest to be protected so that the Kirtland’s warblers do not decline in population.

The logging company legally has a right to the trees, because they paid the fees and bought the permits.

31. What is the best course of action that the environmental activists should take?

Chapter 6- Chemistry

32. Which element is in every living organism and is the basis for life as we know it on earth?

33. What kind of bonds AND how many bonds does carbon form within organic molecules?

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34. Describe what happens in the following dehydration synthesis reaction.

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35. List and describe the four organic macromolecules.

Organic Macromolecule Elements (made up of) Main Function

36. Define enzyme and explain how enzymes affect chemical reactions.

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Chapter 7- Cellular Transport / Plasma Membrane

37. Describe the term “selectively permeable” membrane. Why is it important for a cell membrane?

38. Compare the following terms:

Diffusion Osmosis Facilitated Diffusion

39. What is a concentration gradient?

40. Label the area of the diagram using the words high water concentration, and low water concentration.

41. Identify the process that is shown in the above diagram. How can you tell?

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42. Compare the following terms:

Passive Transport Active Transport

43. Label the following solutions below as:

Isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic

________________ ________________ _________________

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44. What happens to each of the cells above? ( swells, stays the same, shrinks )

________________ ________________ _________________

45. Complete the following chart with function of common organelles.

Organelle Function

Cell Membrane

Nucleus

Mitochondria

Chloroplasts

Cell Wall

46. Draw the basic structure of plant and animal cell below.

Plant Animal

47. List the similarities and differences between plant & animal cell drawings above. Include organelles/structures. Pg 199

Only in plant Both Only in animal

48. What is ATP and why is it important to all living things?

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49. Where is energy stored in a molecule of ATP?

50. Describe how energy can be released by ATP.

51. Explain why ATP can be compared to a battery.

52. What is fermentation?

Chapter 8- Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration (Cell Energy)

53. Explain the process of photosynthesis. Identify the reactants and products of photosynthesis.

54. Explain the process of cellular respiration. Identify the reactants and products of cellular respiration.

55. What is the purpose of mitosis? How many chromosomes does each new cell have?

56. What are the four phases of mitosis and what happens during each phase?

57. What are the stages of the cell cycle and what happens during each stage?

58. What regulates the cell cycle?

59. What is cancer and why do people get cancer?

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60. Explain what happens when a cell gets larger.

61. Explain what happens during the process of glycolysis. Which organisms use glycolysis?

Chapter 8 – Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

62. Write out the chemical equation for photosynthesis.

63. Aside from water and trace minerals, from which reactant do plants gain mass?

64. Write out the chemical equation for cellular respiration.

65. Explain why photosynthesis is important for plants. Where is it most likely to occur within a plant?

66. Explain why cellular respiration is important for plants and animals.

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