Cell Structure and Function Quiz

Cell Structure and Function

• Cells are the basic units of life, exhibiting a diverse range of shapes and sizes.
• Prokaryotic cells, like bacteria, lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
• Eukaryotic cells, found in plants and animals, possess a nucleus and various membrane-bound organelles.
• The cell membrane controls what enters and exits the cell, maintaining homeostasis.
• The nucleus contains the cell's genetic material (DNA).
• Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, generating ATP through cellular respiration.
• Ribosomes synthesize proteins, essential for various cellular functions.
• Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a role in protein synthesis and transport.
• Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins.
• Lysosomes contain enzymes that digest cellular waste.
• Vacuoles store water and other materials.

Cell Processes

• Diffusion and osmosis are passive transport mechanisms that move substances across the cell membrane.
• Active transport requires energy to move substances against their concentration gradient.
• Cellular respiration is the process that breaks down glucose to produce ATP.
• Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy in plants.
• Mitosis is a process of cell division for growth and repair in eukaryotes.
• Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that produces gametes.
• DNA replication ensures that genetic information is accurately copied during cell division.

Genetics

• Genes are segments of DNA that code for specific traits.
• Gregor Mendel's work established the basic principles of inheritance.
• Genes are arranged on chromosomes, which are thread-like structures in the cell nucleus.
• Alleles are different forms of a gene.
• Dominant and recessive alleles determine the expression of traits.
• Genotype refers to the genetic makeup, while phenotype refers to the observable traits.
• Punnett squares predict the probability of offspring inheriting specific traits.
• Mutations are changes in DNA sequence, leading to potential variations in traits.

Evolution

• Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
• Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more successfully.
• Adaptation is a trait that enhances an organism's survival and reproduction in a particular environment.
• Common descent explains the relatedness of species through a shared evolutionary history.
• Speciation is the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.
• Fossil records provide evidence for evolutionary changes over time.

Ecology

• Ecology studies the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment.
• Ecosystems consist of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
• Food chains and food webs depict the flow of energy through an ecosystem.
• Populations, communities, and ecosystems are hierarchical levels of ecological organization.
• Biomes are large-scale ecological communities characterized by specific climates and plant life.
• Nutrient cycles describe the movement of essential elements through the ecosystem.

Classification

• Organisms are classified into a hierarchical system of taxa based on shared characteristics.
• The Linnaean system uses a nested hierarchy with increasingly inclusive categories (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).
• Phylogenetic trees represent evolutionary relationships between different organisms.