Name ___________________________________________________________ Date __________Period____________
11.1 DNA: The Molecule of Heredity Reading Guide
(p. 287-293)
1. Define the following terms, then use each term in a sentence.
2. Answer the questions by reading the above pages. Write all of your work on a separate sheet of paper and
leave 3-4 lines after each of your answers to add notes during the class discussion.
Terms to Know:
o Nitrogen base
o Nucleotide
o Purines
o Pyrimidines
o Double helix
o Replication
o Base pairing
Questions:
1. What is the importance of DNA? Give two or three examples. (p. 287)
2. Why is DNA called a polymer? (p. 287)
3. DNA is made up of three different basic parts. Give specific names for the three parts? (p. 287-288)
4. How many different types of nitrogen bases are possible in DNA? What are the names? (p. 288)
5. How do nucleotides join together? Draw a picture using figure 11.3 as a guide. (p. 288, 290)
6. Describe the relationship of the amount of each base in the DNA sequence. (p. 288)
7. Answer the three questions for the Problem Solving Lab 11-1. (p. 289)
8. What contribution did Watson and Crick make to biology? (p. 288)
9. What is meant by a complementary base and how does this relate to DNA? (p. 288)
10. Describe what is meant by a double helix. (p. 289)
11. Why are elk, elm trees, and an eel such different organisms when they are all made up of DNA
with the four nucleotides? (p. 289-290)
12. Briefly describe the structure of DNA from Figure 11.3. (p. 290)
13. When a cell divides it must make a copy of its chromosomes. What is this process called and why
is it necessary? (p. 290-291)
14. Using figure 11.4: When a DNA molecule replicates two molecules are formed. Describe the make
up of each strand. (p. 290)
15. Inside Story - Copying DNA: Briefly explain the four steps of DNA replication. (p. 292-293)
A. Shroufe
Biology 04-05
Name ___________________________________________________________ Date __________Period____________
Diagram 1: Label the following DNA diagram with nitrogen base, phosphate, and sugar for the arrows. Then
fill in the letters (A, T, C, or G) for the base pair sequence.
Diagram 2: Label the DNA replication diagram
with the following items:
Parent strand (8)
Daughter strand (4)
Replication fork
Adenine
Cytosine
Thymine
Guanine
A. Shroufe
Biology 04-05