Cell Structure and Genetics Quiz

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Theory: All living organisms are composed of cells; cells are the basic unit of life; all cells arise from pre-existing cells.
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells:
- Prokaryotic: No nucleus, smaller, simple structure (e.g., bacteria).
- Eukaryotic: Nucleus present, larger, complex (e.g., plant and animal cells).
Organelles:
- Nucleus: Contains genetic material (DNA).
- Mitochondria: Powerhouse of the cell, energy production (ATP).
- Ribosomes: Protein synthesis.
- Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER):
  - Rough ER: Protein synthesis, has ribosomes.
  - Smooth ER: Lipid synthesis, detoxification.
- Golgi Apparatus: Modifies and packages proteins.
- Plasma Membrane: A selectively permeable barrier that regulates entry and exit.

Genetics

Mendelian Inheritance:
- Genes: Units of heredity; alleles are different forms of a gene.
- Dominance: Dominant alleles mask the effect of recessive alleles.
- Punnett Squares: Tool for predicting genetic outcomes in offspring.
DNA Structure and Replication:
- DNA: Double helix structure composed of nucleotides (A, T, C, G).
- Replication occurs during the S phase of the cell cycle.
Genetic Variation: Caused by mutations, crossing over during meiosis, and independent assortment.

Evolution

Natural Selection: Process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
Fossil Record: Provides evidence of historical changes in species.
Speciation: The evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species.

Ecology

Ecosystems: Communities of interacting organisms and their environment.
Biomes: Large geographic areas defined by climate and community types (e.g., rainforest, desert).
Food Chains/Webs: Models depicting energy flow in an ecosystem; includes producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Human Biology

Major Systems:
- Circulatory: Transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste.
- Respiratory: Facilitates gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide).
- Digestive: Breaks down food, absorbs nutrients.
- Nervous: Controls body functions, responds to stimuli.

Physiology

Homeostasis: The maintenance of stable internal conditions (e.g., temperature, pH).
Metabolism:
- Catabolism: Breakdown of molecules to obtain energy.
- Anabolism: Synthesis of compounds required by cells.

Biotechnology

Genetic Engineering: Manipulation of an organism's DNA to select for desirable traits.
CRISPR: Revolutionary tool for editing genes with precision.
Cloning: Creating identical copies of organisms or cells.

Plant Biology

Photosynthesis: Process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy (glucose) using chlorophyll.
Plant Tissues:
- Xylem: Transports water and minerals from roots to leaves.
- Phloem: Transports sugars and nutrients throughout the plant.

Animal Behavior

Innate vs. Learned Behaviors:
- Innate: Instinctual actions born with (e.g., reflexes).
- Learned: Behaviors acquired through experience (e.g., conditioning).

Microbiology

Bacteria and Archaea: Prokaryotic microorganisms; essential for nutrient cycling, some are pathogenic.
Viruses: Acellular entities that require a host to reproduce, can cause diseases.

Biochemistry

Macromolecules:
- Proteins: Made of amino acids, crucial for structure and function.
- Carbohydrates: Sugars, main energy source for cells.
- Lipids: Fats, important for cell membranes and energy storage.
- Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA, responsible for genetic information.

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Theory is a fundamental principle in biology defining the basic unit of life as cells. All living organisms are composed of cells, which arise from pre-existing cells.
Prokaryotic cells are simpler and lack a nucleus, while eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and are more complex. Bacteria are prokaryotic cells, while plant and animal cells are examples of eukaryotes.
Organelles perform specific functions within eukaryotic cells.
- The nucleus houses the genetic material (DNA).
- Mitochondria are responsible for energy production (ATP), serving as the "powerhouse" of the cell.
- Ribosomes are crucial for protein synthesis.
- The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of membranes involved in various functions:
  - Rough ER with ribosomes assists in protein synthesis.
  - Smooth ER handles lipid synthesis and detoxification.
- The Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins destined for transport.
- The plasma membrane selectively controls what enters and exits the cell.

Genetics

Mendelian inheritance explains how traits are passed down through generations.
- Genes are units of heredity, and alleles are alternative forms of a gene.
- Dominance describes how dominant alleles mask recessive alleles.
- Punnett squares are a tool for predicting the outcome of offspring genotypes.
DNA structure is a double helix composed of nucleotides, with four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
DNA replication occurs during the synthesis (S) phase of the cell cycle, producing identical copies of the DNA molecule.
Genetic variation arises from mutations, crossing over during meiosis, and independent assortment of chromosomes.

Evolution

Natural selection is the driving force of evolution, where organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully.
The fossil record provides evidence of historical changes in species over time.
Speciation is the evolutionary process that leads to the formation of distinct species from a common ancestor.

Ecology

Ecosystems are interconnected communities of organisms and their environment.
Biomes are large geographical regions characterized by specific climate and community types, such as rainforests or deserts.
Food chains/webs model energy flow in an ecosystem, encompassing producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Human Biology

Major biological systems in the human body:
- The circulatory system transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste products.
- The respiratory system facilitates gas exchange, taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
- The digestive system breaks down food for nutrient absorption.
- The nervous system controls bodily functions and enables responses to stimuli.

Physiology

Homeostasis maintains stable internal conditions, such as temperature and pH, crucial for proper functioning.
Metabolism encompasses the chemical processes within cells:
- Catabolism breaks down molecules to release energy, while anabolism synthesizes necessary compounds.

Biotechnology

Genetic engineering manipulates an organism's DNA to enhance desired traits.
CRISPR is a revolutionary gene-editing tool, enabling precise modifications to DNA sequences.
Cloning involves creating identical copies of organisms or cells.

Plant Biology

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy (glucose) using chlorophyll.
Plant tissues are specialized for specific functions:
- Xylem transports water and minerals from roots to leaves.
- Phloem transports sugars and other nutrients throughout the plant.

Animal Behavior

Innate behaviors are instinctual actions present from birth, such as reflexes.
Learned behaviors are acquired through experience, such as conditioning.

Microbiology

Bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic microorganisms, essential for processes like nutrient cycling. Some bacteria can cause diseases.
Viruses are acellular entities that require a host to reproduce. They can cause various diseases.

Biochemistry

Macromolecules are large organic molecules crucial for life:
- Proteins, composed of amino acids, play critical roles in structure and function.
- Carbohydrates, sugars, provide the primary energy source for cells.
- Lipids, fats, are essential for cell membranes and energy storage.
- Nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, contain genetic information.