Untitled Quiz

Quiz 1

• What is science? Science is a systematic method of acquiring knowledge through observation, experimentation, and testing hypotheses.
• Scientific Method: The scientific method involves observations, forming questions, developing hypotheses, making predictions, conducting experiments, analyzing results, and drawing conclusions. Independent variables are manipulated, dependent variables are measured, and controlled variables are kept constant.
• Limitations of scientific inquiry: Scientific inquiry is limited by the variables that can be measured, or controlled. Incomplete or conflicting data can lead to limitations in experimental design and interpretations. Understanding the limitations of inquiry helps scientists improve their methods and understand changing perspectives over time.
• Reliable scientific information: Reliable scientific information is validated using peer-reviewed processes, rigorous experimental design, reproducibility of results, and consensus among experts.
• Correlation vs. Causation: Correlation does not imply causation. Correlation merely indicates a statistical association between variables, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
• Public health: Public health focuses on promoting health and preventing disease in communities. Examples include immunization programs, public health campaigns on smoking or nutrition, and preventative measures against contagious diseases.
• Characteristics of Life: The major characteristics of life include maintaining homeostasis, reproduction, adaptation, and responsiveness to the environment, as well as energy use, cell structure and function.
• Cell Theory: The cell theory posits that all living things are composed of cells, cells are the basic units of structure and function, and all cells come from pre-existing cells.
• Cell Components: All cells share four main structural components: cell membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and genetic material (DNA).
• Model Organism: A model organism is a species chosen for research because it is easy to study, is a good representation of other species, and/or has similar traits to those being studied.
• Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells: Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, whereas eukaryotic cells possess both.
• Hierarchical Classification: Life is classified into domains, then kingdoms, phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species. The three domains are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. The six kingdoms are Bacteria, Archaea, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
• Chemical Components: Cells are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
• Water Properties: Water's properties include its polarity, cohesion, adhesion, and high specific heat.
• Biomolecules: The four main biomolecules of cells are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Each type has distinct monomers/polymers, structures, and functions within cells. (Examples of each type and their roles are not fully detailed, only mentioned.)

Quiz 2

• Cellular Structures: Different organelles have unique structures and functions within cells.
• Classification: Organisms are classified using a hierarchical system based on shared characteristics: Kingdom–Phylum–Class–Order–Family–Genus–Species.
• Microscopes: Microscopes (e.g. stereo, compound light, fluorescence, electron) allow for observation of cells and cellular structures at different magnifications.
• Cell Reproduction: Cells reproduce for growth, repair, and reproduction of an organism.
• Cancer: Cancer is associated with uncontrolled cell division. Benign versus malignant characterizes differences in growth traits.
• Signal Transduction: Signal transduction is a process allowing cells to communicate; this communication is vital for coordination and regulation of processes in an organism.
• Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Reproduction: Prokaryotic cells reproduce by binary fission, while eukaryotic cells utilize mitosis and/or meiosis for cell division and replication. This differs significantly in terms of cell structure and processes involved.
• Bacteria Reproduction: Bacteria reproduce via binary fission, a process involving simple cell division.
• Cell Cycle: The cell cycle includes phases like interphase (G1, S, G2) and the mitotic phase (Mitosis/Cytokinesis). Each phase has specific tasks related to cell replication.
• Mitosis: Mitosis has distinct steps (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase) essential for chromosomal separation.
• Cytokinesis: Cytokinesis involves cell division, or physical barrier separation, post-mitosis. Animal versus plant cells exhibit differences in this step.

Quiz 3

• Cell Cycle Regulation: The cell cycle is tightly regulated by checkpoints and proteins to prevent uncontrolled cell division.
• Checkpoints: Checkpoints at various stages of the cell cycle ensure proper progression and halt it when errors exist.
• Cancer Initiation/Progression: Errors in cell cycle proteins can lead to cancer initiation and progression.
• Chromosomes: Chromosomes are the structures that organize and house genetic information (DNA). Terminology distinctions between autosomes and sex chromosomes should be understood.
• Meiosis: Meiosis is a specialized cell division that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell; these processes lead to genetic variation
• Genetic Variation: Genetic variation exists in sexually reproducing organisms due to events in meiosis.
• Cancer Terms: Defining key terms like benign, malignant, tumor, metastasis are important.
• Cell Reproduction and Cancer: Uncontrolled cell reproduction & invasion leads to progression in cancer cells.
• Viruses: Understanding virus structure and infection cycles are essential to this subject.
• Cancer Development: Certain viruses can promote cancer development.
• HPV and Cancer: Human papillomavirus is an example of a virus that can contribute to cancer development by interfering with cell cycle checkpoints.
• Vaccines: Vaccines use pathogen parts, killed pathogens, or blueprints for immunity generation, to protect against disease. The specific mechanisms and types of vaccines should be understood.
• Tumor Suppressors/Oncogenes: Tumor suppressors help control cell division, while oncogenes promote cell division. Understanding the role each plays in cancer is crucial.
• Data Analysis: Interpreting and presenting data is also important.

Quiz 4

• Cancer Treatments: Cancer treatments currently involve surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Treatments can differ based on specific patient factors.
• Treatment Advantages/Disadvantage: Treatments may be beneficial in some cases or inappropriate for others, depending on situation and effectiveness. Potential toxicities or limitations should be considered.
• Cell Cycle Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy often works by interfering with the cell cycle of cancerous cells, while minimizing effect on healthy cells. How these agents impact the cell cycle is a crucial concept.
• Health Disparities: Health disparities in cancer, including treatment delays and other disparities, stem from environmental and systemic factors.
• System Racism: Social factors are influential in cancer effects. Systemic issues can have detrimental effects.
• Terms: Key gene, allele, mutation, trait definitions, and concepts like dominant vs recessive will be useful here and can improve understanding.

Quiz 5

• Sexual Reproduction: Meiosis in sexual reproduction introduces genetic diversity in offspring. Identical twins and related topics to consider.
• Vaccines: Vaccines utilize different approaches to generate immunity.
• Antibiotics: These are helpful for bacterial infections but aren't effective against viruses. Understanding this distinction is important.
• DNA Repair Enzymes: These enzymes are crucial to the cell's ability to protect against and fix errors in DNA.
• UV Damage: Exposure to UV light can cause DNA damage, potentially leading to problems and disease.
• Sunscreen: Sunscreen components can help protect cells from UV damage, thereby mitigating potential risks.
• Genetics Terminology: (e.g. gene, allele, mutation, locus, trait, homozygous/heterozygous, dominant/recessive, phenotype/genotype)
• Punnett Squares: Using a Punnett square can help predict and explain the likely outcome of genetic crosses.
• Independent Assortment: This process, during meiosis, contributes to genetic variation by allowing genes on different chromosomes to be sorted independently during gamete formation.

Quiz 6

• Inheritance Patterns: Different types of inheritance patterns exist (e.g. dominant, recessive) and some patterns related to inheritance are more common than others based on related genes.
• Multifactorial Diseases: Multifactorial diseases involve both genetic predispositions and environmental factors.
• Cancer Types: Understanding different types of cancers and the related genetic mutations in tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. The direct versus indirect role these genes have in causing cancer.
• Pedigree Analysis: Pedigrees can be used to track inheritance patterns and to determine probabilities for future offspring.
• Cancer Genetics: Knowing about tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes is crucial to understanding the mechanisms causing cancer.

Quiz 7

• DNA/RNA/Protein: Explaining the relationship between DNA, RNA and proteins and how the sequence of DNA influences the structure and function of proteins. Understand the flow of genetic information and how it is expressed.
• Mutations: Explain how large chromosomal changes and point mutations can affect cells' functionality, and explain the potential effects of these changes.
• Gene Expression: Explain how regulation of gene expression affects cellular diversity. Define and explain epigenetic modifications.
• Capillary Electrophoresis: These methods are used to separate different fragments of DNA. Data interpretation is an important analytical component of this process.
• Allele Frequencies Calculations: Being able to calculate the frequencies from data is a critical component of genetic analysis.

Quiz 8

• Epigenetics and Identical Twins: Epigenetics are factors that influence gene expression, often influencing outcomes during a lifespan despite inherited genes being identical.
• Planarian Regeneration: Planaria are organisms known for their ability to regenerate.
• Regeneration Modeling: Planarian regeneration and similar models can help understand factors related to cell division and development and the role of similar regeneration processes across vastly different life forms.