Biology Chapter on Photosynthesis

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of photosynthesis?

To eliminate excess nutrients from water bodies

To release nitrogen and phosphorus into the atmosphere

To convert sunlight into thermal energy

To produce glucose and oxygen from water and carbon dioxide (correct)

Which part of photosynthesis occurs in the thylakoid membranes?

Calvin Cycle

Light-Dependent Reactions (correct)

Decomposition Phase

Water Splitting Phase

What do decomposing bacteria use the dead algae for?

To release carbon dioxide

To produce oxygen

As a source of food (correct)

To generate ATP

Which molecule is NOT produced during the Light-Dependent Reactions?

Carbon Dioxide Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?

It absorbs most visible light, particularly blue and red Signup and view all the answers

What is formed when two or more elements chemically combine?

Chemical Compound Signup and view all the answers

Which type of bond involves the sharing of electrons between atoms?

Covalent Bond Signup and view all the answers

Which property of water allows it to support small insects on its surface?

Cohesion Signup and view all the answers

What type of macromolecule is primarily responsible for long-term energy storage?

Lipids Signup and view all the answers

The number of protons in an atom defines its what?

Atomic Number Signup and view all the answers

What type of reaction occurs when monomers are joined to form larger molecules?

Condensation Reaction Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes an enzyme's function?

Act as a catalyst to lower activation energy Signup and view all the answers

What occurs in exothermic reactions?

Energy is released as heat Signup and view all the answers

How do isotopes differ from one another?

They have different numbers of neutrons Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of water's polarity?

Oxygen end is partially negative Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary structure that links amino acids together?

Peptide Bond Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements describes the role of valence electrons?

Determine the bonding capacity of an atom Signup and view all the answers

The process by which larger molecules are broken down into smaller units is called what?

Hydrolysis Reaction Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the greenhouse effect?

Heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases. Signup and view all the answers

What primarily causes the four seasons experienced on Earth?

The Earth's axial tilt as it orbits the Sun. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of air pressure is associated with precipitation and stormy weather?

Lower-than-average pressure areas Signup and view all the answers

What is the Coriolis Effect responsible for?

Deflecting circulating air due to Earth's rotation. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during an El Niño event?

Trade winds weaken, spreading warm water across the Pacific. Signup and view all the answers

What causes hot air to rise?

Hot air is less dense than cold air. Signup and view all the answers

What type of ecosystem includes biotic factors and abiotic environments?

Ecosystem Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a biotic factor?

Water Signup and view all the answers

What primarily influences the characteristics of biomes?

Temperature and precipitation Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of mountains on precipitation patterns?

They force air to rise and cool, releasing rain on the windward side. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of ocean currents in climate regulation?

Ocean currents disperse heat and nutrients throughout the ocean. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes La Niña conditions?

They result in cold water in the eastern Pacific and warmer conditions in the western Pacific. Signup and view all the answers

How does the structure of a community differ from that of a population?

A community encompasses multiple species that interact in a habitat. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the function of upwelling in the ocean?

It brings nutrient-rich water to the surface. Signup and view all the answers

What is the independent variable in a controlled experiment?

The one factor changed by the scientist Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describe qualitative data?

Descriptive data that characterizes an observation Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT shared by all living things?

Are multicellular Signup and view all the answers

What role do valence electrons play in an atom?

They determine how the atom reacts in chemical reactions Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about scientific methodology is accurate?

It is a general style of investigation that can vary Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of a scientific theory?

A tested explanation that unifies multiple observations Signup and view all the answers

How do living organisms maintain homeostasis?

By achieving stable internal conditions Signup and view all the answers

What subatomic particles are found in the nucleus of an atom?

Protons and neutrons Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT affect climate significantly?

Longitude Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic climate feature of tropical rain forests?

Lots of rain with little temperature variation Signup and view all the answers

What type of vegetation is primarily found in temperate grasslands?

Grasses Signup and view all the answers

What major threat do tropical rain forests face?

Deforestation Signup and view all the answers

Which biome is characterized by long, dark, dry winters and very cold temperatures?

Taiga Signup and view all the answers

What type of soil is most commonly found in deserts?

Sandy and porous Signup and view all the answers

In which biome would you find trees that shed their leaves seasonally?

Temperate deciduous forest Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining feature of the tundra biome?

Permafrost present in the soil Signup and view all the answers

What do lakes and ponds primarily differ in?

Volume and temperature variations Signup and view all the answers

Which environment is typically characterized by periodic fires and drought-resistant shrubs?

Chaparral/Shrubland Signup and view all the answers

What describes the climate of temperate grasslands?

Hot summers and cold winters with moderate rain Signup and view all the answers

In freshwater biomes, which zone is characterized by minimal light and inhabited by decomposers?

Benthic zone Signup and view all the answers

What is a common adaptation of animals in the taiga biome for winter survival?

Hibernation and growing extra insulation Signup and view all the answers

Which type of aquatic environment is characterized by running water that follows a permanent path?

River Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of marshes?

Inundated throughout the year Signup and view all the answers

Which process uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

What type of ecological pyramid illustrates the relative amount of living organic matter at each trophic level?

Pyramid of Biomass Signup and view all the answers

In the nitrogen cycle, what is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

Transform nitrogen gas into ammonia Signup and view all the answers

Which nutrient cycle includes the largest reservoir being the ocean?

Water Cycle Signup and view all the answers

What is one primary consequence of eutrophication?

Algal blooms that diminish oxygen levels Signup and view all the answers

What type of consumer is characterized by its ability to feed on both plant and animal matter?

Omnivore Signup and view all the answers

Which is true about fens compared to bogs?

Fens arise from glacial limestone deposits Signup and view all the answers

Which level of energy is typically available to first-level consumers?

10% Signup and view all the answers

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Break down organic matter chemically Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of a salt marsh?

Dominated by salt-tolerant grasses Signup and view all the answers

Which process is responsible for the transformation of water vapor into clouds?

Condensation Signup and view all the answers

What type of organism primarily feeds on decomposing matter?

Detritivore Signup and view all the answers

Which type of wetland is characterized by a temporary inundation?

Vernal Pools Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Science

Science answers questions about observable, researchable, investigable, and measurable phenomena.
Science uses evidence to create testable explanations and predictions about natural events.
Scientific methodology is a flexible approach to investigation, not a strict process.
Observation involves noticing and describing events in an organized manner.
Inference is a logical interpretation based on existing knowledge.
A hypothesis is a testable scientific explanation.
A scientific theory is a well-tested explanation unifying many observations.

Designing Controlled Experiments

Experiments measure variables (factors that change).
Independent variable is the factor changed by the researcher.
Dependent variable changes in response to the independent variable.
Control group lacks the independent variable.
Controlled variables/constants remain constant.
Quantitative data are measured numerically.
Qualitative data are descriptive.

Peer Analysis and Feedback

Scientific papers are published to stimulate further research and questions.
Peer review strengthens the credibility of scientific findings.

Characteristics of Living Things

Living things exhibit these shared characteristics: made of cells, reproduction (sexual or asexual), universal genetic code, growth and development, response to stimuli, homeostasis, and evolution.

Are Viruses Alive?

Viruses do not meet characteristics of living organisms (cells, reproduction, etc.)
Viruses need a host cell to reproduce. Therefore, they don't exhibit independent life processes.

Atoms & Compounds

Atoms consist of protons (+), neutrons (neutral), and electrons (-).
Valence electrons determine an atom's chemical behavior.
An element is a pure substance with one type of atom.
Atomic number is the number of protons in an atom (e.g., carbon's atomic number is 6.).
Isotopes have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons; some are radioactive.
A chemical compound is a substance formed by the chemical combination of elements.
Ionic Bonds: Formed by electron transfer (e.g., sodium loses to chlorine).
Covalent Bonds: Formed by shared electrons (e.g., hydrogen and oxygen in water).
Van der Waals Forces: Weak attractions between molecules due to temporary charges.
Atoms' bonding capacity is determined by their number of valence electrons. (Ex: Carbon (4), Hydrogen(1), Oxygen(2))

Water

A water molecule contains 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atoms.
Water's polarity causes uneven charge distribution (oxygen partial negative, hydrogen partial positive).
Hydrogen bonds form between water molecules, based on polarity.
Water exhibits cohesion (attraction between like molecules; surface tension due to cohesion).
Adhesion is water's attraction to unlike molecules (water rising in tubes).
Water's a curved surface in a container is called a meniscus
Water has high heat capacity, which helps regulate temperature.
Water is an excellent solvent, dissolving ionic and polar molecules.

Carbon & Macromolecules

Carbon is vital for biological molecules.
Major macromolecules include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Organic compounds contain carbon.
Macromolecules are polymers formed from monomers.
Carbohydrates: Composed of C, H, and O (1:2:1 ratio); energy source and structure; Monosaccharides (e.g., glucose) -> Polysaccharides (e.g., glycogen, starch, cellulose).
Lipids: Composed of C, H, and O; energy storage; Fatty acids (and glycerol) -> Triglycerides.
Nucleic Acids: Composed of C, H, O, N, and P; store and transmit genetic information; Mononucleotides -> Nucleic Acids (DNA, RNA).
Proteins: Composed of C, H, O, and N; structural support, transport, signaling, and speed up reactions; Amino acids -> Proteins.
Condensation reactions (dehydration reactions) join monomers to form polymers.
Hydrolysis reactions break down polymers into monomers.
Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions.

Enzymes

Chemical Reactions: Atoms are reorganized into new substances.
Chemical bonds are broken/formed during reactions.
Clues that a reaction has occurred include heat/light production, gas/liquid/solid formation.
Reactants are starting substances, products the substances produced.
Chemical Equations: Describe substances and changes via arrows.
Activation energy is the minimum energy needed for reactions to occur that enzymes can lower.
Exothermic reactions release heat; endothermic reactions absorb heat.
Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate reaction rates, without being used up in the process. They are specific to one reaction.
Substrates bind to the active site (specific location).
Temperature and pH influence enzyme activity. Denaturation alters enzyme shape, hindering functionality.

Climate and Weather

Weather is the short-term atmospheric condition.
Climate is the long-term pattern of weather.
The Greenhouse effect traps heat energy in the atmosphere. (causes an average temperature allowing for life on Earth.)
Seasons are caused by Earth's tilted axis and its revolution around the sun.

Atmospheric Cells, Wind & Rain

Convection: Warm air rises, cools, sinks.
The Coriolis effect deflects moving air.
Trade winds blow east to west in tropical zones.
Westerlies blow west to east in temperate zones.
Polar easterlies blow east to west in polar zones.
Precipitation is more likely in low-pressure areas.
Mountains affect wind patterns and precipitation.

Biosphere

Organism: an independently living thing/species.
Population: a group of the same species (interbreeding).
Community: multiple species interacting.
Ecosystem: species interacting with their non-living environment.
Biosphere: entire planet with all organisms and environments.
Biotic factors are living components (plants, animals, etc.)
Abiotic factors are non-living components (air, water, etc.).
Biomes are large communities determined by climate.

Biome Descriptions (Characteristics, Climate, Soil, Threat, Biotic)

(Detailed descriptions provided for 10 biomes)*

Factors Influencing Aquatic Organisms

Salinity, temperature, nutrient availability, depth, turbidity, and currents.

Types of Freshwater Biomes

Includes streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands (Marshes, swamps, fens, bogs, vernal pools)

Saltwater Biomes

Includes intertidal zone, coastal ocean, open ocean, salt marshes, and mangrove forests.
Estuary is a mix of freshwater and saltwater

Food Webs

Producers make their own food (photosynthesis or chemosynthesis).
Consumers depend on other organisms.
Herbivores eat plants; carnivores eat animals; omnivores eat both.
Scavengers consume carcasses; detritivores eat dead organic matter.
Decomposers break down organic matter.
Food webs show interconnections of food chains.
Energy and biomass decrease at each trophic level.

Nutrient Cycles

Water Cycle: Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, seepage.
Carbon Cycle: Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, deforestation, combustion, etc.
Nitrogen Cycle: Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, denitrification.

Phosphorus Cycle:

Weathering, assimilation, decomposition, sedimentation.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis converts water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen.
The process occurs in the chloroplasts
Two main stages: light-dependent (thylakoid) and light-independent (Calvin cycle, stroma).

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on the essential processes of photosynthesis with this quiz. Explore key concepts such as light-dependent reactions, the role of chlorophyll, and the importance of decomposing organisms in the ecosystem. Perfect for biology enthusiasts and students alike!