Genetics and Inheritance Quiz

Cell Biology

• A cell is the smallest unit of life, carrying out all necessary functions for life. These functions include metabolism, energy production, growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, and waste elimination.
• Cells are categorized into prokaryotic and eukaryotic types.
• Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Examples include bacteria and archaea.
• Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus. Examples include animals, plants, fungi, and protists.
• Cells contain organelles with specific functions. Examples of these organelles include the nucleus which contains DNA, organised into chromosomes. Mitochondria generate ATP and ribosomes synthesize proteins. The Endoplasmic Reticulum aids in protein and lipid synthesis. The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes.
• The plasma membrane is a selectively permeable barrier that controls substances entering and exiting the cell.
• Cytoskeleton provides structural support and facilitates cell movement and division.
• Cells reproduce through mitosis (identical daughter cells) and meiosis (gametes reduce chromosome number by half) for sexual reproduction.

Energy Production in Cells

• Cellular respiration is the process where cells break down glucose into ATP (energy currency).
• This occurs in three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.
• Photosynthesis (in plants) is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy in the form of glucose, using chloroplasts.

Cell Communication

• Signal transduction is how cells communicate via signaling molecules to receptors on the cell membrane.
• Gap junctions allow for direct communication and transport between cells in animals.
• Plasmodesmata (in plants) are similar structures that allow communication and transport between cells.

Cell Death

• Apoptosis is programmed cell death, a controlled process for eliminating damaged or unneeded cells.
• Necrosis is uncontrolled cell death, often caused by injury or infection, leading to inflammation.

Cell Theory

• All living things are composed of cells.
• The cell is the basic functional unit of living organisms.
• All cells come from pre-existing cells.

Cellular processes

• Protein synthesis: The creation of proteins from amino acids using mRNA, tRNA, and ribosomes.
• Cellular transport: The movement of molecules across the cell membrane; can be passive or active.

Cell Specialization

• In multicellular organisms, cells specialize to perform specific functions (cell differentiation). Examples include muscle cells (contraction) and nerve cells (transmitting electrical signals) or red blood cells (oxygen transport).

Ecology

• Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.
• Levels of ecological organization include organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere.
• Key ecological concepts include energy flow, nutrient cycling, and the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems.
• Ecological studies consider interactions (predation, competition and symbiosis).
• Human impact on ecosystems (deforestation, pollution, climate change) is important.
• Ecosystem services provided by ecosystems include provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

Conservation Ecology

• Conservation ecology focuses on preserving biodiversity and managing ecosystems to limit human impact.
• Factors impacting ecosystems include biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living components such as climate, soil, and water).
• Human activities can alter ecosystems (deforestation, pollution etc).
• Biodiversity is important for ecosystem stability.
• Sustainability is crucial for balancing human needs with the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Genetics and Heredity

• Genetics is the study of genes, variation, and heredity.

• Heredity is the process of passing traits from parents to offspring.

• Key genetic concepts include genes, alleles (different forms of a gene).

• Mendelian genetics includes laws of segregation and independent assortment. Laws relating to inheritance using a Punnett square.

• Autosomes are non-sex chromosomes; sex chromosomes determine sex (XY in males, XX in females).

• Genotype is the genetic makeup; phenotype is the physical expression.

• Genetic disorders include conditions like cancer, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia.

• Genetic engineering (gene cloning, CRISPR-Cas9, gene therapy) is used to modify genes.

• Evolutionary processes like natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow affect genetic variation in populations.

Human Biology

• Human biology studies the structure, function, and behavior of the human body, involving anatomy, physiology, genetics, and human interactions within the environment.
• Body systems function together (e.g. digestive, circulatory, nervous).
• Human biology explores health and disease, including infectious diseases (e.g. bacteria, viruses) and non-communicable diseases (e.g. heart disease and cancer).
• Human biology considers development processes (from conception to adulthood), aging and disease.

Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

• Atoms are the basic units of matter.

• Atoms are made up of subatomic particles: protons (+), neutrons (0), electrons (-).

• Protons and neutrons reside in the atomic nucleus; electrons orbit the nucleus in shells or energy levels.

• Atomic number = number of protons in the nucleus.

• Mass number = number of protons + number of neutrons.

• Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons and therefore different mass numbers.

• The periodic table is a tabular arrangement of all known elements, organised by atomic number, electron configuration and recurring chemical properties.

• Trends within the periodic table relate to atomic size, ionization energy and electronegativity.

Chemical Bonding

• Chemical bonds join atoms to form molecules or compounds.
• Types of bonds: ionic bonds (transfer of electrons); covalent bonds (sharing of electrons); metallic bonds (sea of delocalised electrons).
• Polarity of molecules: Depends on bond polarity and molecular shape; affects solubility in polar/non-polar solvents.
• Intermolecular forces (IMFs): Weak forces that hold molecules together and influence physical properties.

Energy in Chemical Reactions

• Chemical reactions involve energy transfer.
• Exothermic reactions release energy (e.g., combustion).
• Endothermic reactions absorb energy (e.g., photosynthesis).
• Factors (temperature, concentration, surface area) that affect reaction rates.
• Catalysts speed up reactions without being consumed.
• Reaction kinetics studies reaction rates.
• Equilibrium is when forward and reverse reaction rates are equal.

Acids and Bases

• Acids are proton donors, bases are proton acceptors.
• pH scale measures acidity (0-14).
• Neutralization reactions: acids + bases → salt + water.
• Acid-base reactions have many applications in everyday life, industry, and biology, from digestion to cleaning.

Mechanics

• Classical, quantum and relativistic mechanics explain motion.
• Key concepts: displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, time, force, mass, friction and energy.
• Conservation laws (momentum, energy) apply in mechanical systems.

Waves and Light

• A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy; waves can be mechanical (require a medium) or electromagnetic (do not require a medium).
• Types of waves: transverse (oscillations at right angles to propagation) and longitudinal (oscillations parallel to propagation).
• Electromagnetic waves (light and radio waves) can travel through empty space.
• Light, from a particle viewpoint, consists of photons that carry energy
• Light, from a wave viewpoint, behaves according to the phenomenon of reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction (e.g. from optical instruments like lenses or prisms).

Test your knowledge on key concepts in genetics and inheritance, including dominant and recessive alleles, Punnett squares, and Mendelian laws. This quiz covers various aspects of genetic traits, inheritance patterns, and processes such as fertilization. Challenge yourself and deepen your understanding of fundamental genetics.