Cell Structure and Function Quiz

Cell Structure and Function

• Cells are the basic units of life, exhibiting a diverse range of shapes and sizes.
• All cells share fundamental structures like a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and genetic material (DNA).
• Prokaryotic cells (e.g., bacteria) lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
• Eukaryotic cells (e.g., animal and plant cells) have a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
• The plasma membrane is a selectively permeable barrier regulating the passage of substances into and out of the cell.
• Cytoplasm is the jelly-like substance filling the cell, containing organelles.
• The nucleus houses the cell's genetic material (DNA) and controls cellular activities.
• Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis.
• Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is involved in protein and lipid synthesis.
• Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids.
• Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, generating energy through cellular respiration.
• Chloroplasts (in plant cells) conduct photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy.
• Vacuoles store water, nutrients, and waste products.
• Lysosomes contain enzymes for breaking down waste materials.
• Cytoskeleton provides structural support and facilitates cell movement.

Cell Processes

• Cellular respiration is a metabolic process where cells break down glucose to release energy in the form of ATP.
• Photosynthesis is a process where plants use light energy to synthesize glucose from water and carbon dioxide.
• Osmosis is the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration.
• Diffusion is the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
• Active transport moves molecules against their concentration gradient, requiring energy.
• Mitosis is the process of cell division resulting in two genetically identical daughter cells.
• Meiosis is the process of cell division that produces gametes (sex cells) with half the number of chromosomes.
• DNA replication is the process of making a copy of the DNA molecule.
• Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product.

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates are organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, providing energy and structural support.
• Lipids are diverse hydrophobic molecules, crucial for energy storage, insulation, and membrane structure.
• Proteins are complex macromolecules with diverse functions, including catalyzing reactions (enzymes), transporting molecules, and providing structural support.
• Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) store and transmit genetic information. DNA is the primary genetic material. RNA plays a critical role in protein synthesis.

Ecology

• Ecology studies the interactions between organisms and their environment.
• Levels of organization in ecology range from individuals to populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes.
• Organisms interact with each other through various relationships, including predation, competition, symbiosis (mutualism, parasitism, commensalism).
• Biomes are large-scale communities characterized by specific climate conditions and dominant plant life.
• Ecosystems encompass all the living and non-living components in a particular area, including energy flow and nutrient cycling.
• Population dynamics study factors affecting population size, growth, and decline.
• Human impacts on ecosystems include habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

Evolution

• Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
• Natural selection is a key mechanism of evolution, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
• Adaptations are traits that increase an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
• Common ancestry explains the shared characteristics of different species through their evolutionary history.
• Speciation is the process by which new species arise from existing ones.
• Evidence for evolution includes fossil records, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, molecular biology, and biogeography.