SBI4U Exam Review
Biochemistry &
Cell Metabolism
1. State three properties of each of the major
categories of Biomolecules: Carbohydrates,
Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic Acids.
2. Explain how you can identify whether a
molecule is polar or non-polar, based on its
structure or composition.
3. What is a functional group? Give an example
for each of the biomolecule categories.
4. What properties of the cell membrane can be
explained by considering the properties of
phospholipids?
5. State Oparin’s Theory, and describe the
experiment Stanley Miller conducted to test it.
6. What do each of the following have to do with
the origins of biomolecules?
a. tidal pools & clay adsorption
b. oceanic volcanic vents
c. a reducing atmosphere
d. random molecular collisions
10. Differentiate between each of the following
pairs of terms:
a. active site vs allosteric site
b. competitive vs allosteric inhibition
c. activator vs inhibitor
11. Of the three major metabolic processes that
happen in a eukaryotic cell, which are aerobic
and which are anaerobic? Explain.
12. How do the electron transport chain & ATP
Synthase help boost the energy yield from
cellular metabolism?
Molecular Genetics
13. Make a two-column chart to compare DNA
and RNA, in both structure and function.
14. What is the relationship between each of
these terms?
GENE GENOME LOCI CHROMOSOME
15. The diagrams below each refer to a famous
DNA experiment. Identify & explain each.
EXPT. 1
7. Identify the structures in this diagram of a cell
membrane. Explain the function of each.
EXPT. 2
8. How do the mitochondrion & chloroplast help
explain the origin of eukaryotic cells?
9. What is meant by the term activation energy?
How do enzymes affect activation energy? Why
is this important to living cells?
SBI4U Exam Review
16. What is the role of each of the following
proteins & enzymes in DNA replication:
HELICASE GYRASE SSBs PRIMASE
DNA POLYMERASE LIGASE RNAse H
17. If a segment of a gene has the following
sequence:
… AAA CGC GGT TTG ACC TCA …
a. Transcribe the mRNA
b. Translate the polypeptide
18. Using the same sequence as in the previous
question, what type of mutations have occurred
in each of these? Show the complete mRNA and
polypeptide for each, and identify the mutation.
a. … AAA CGC GGT TTG ACT CAC …
b. … AAA CGC GGG TTG ACC TCA …
c. … AAC GCG GTT TGA CCT CAC …
d. … AAA CGC GGT ATT GAC CTC A …
Homeostasis
19. Describe the difference, in both chemical
composition and in action, of steroid hormones
and peptide hormones.
20. What is meant by the term, “hormone
hierarchy”? Use an example to explain.
21. Identify each of the endocrine glands
labelled in the diagram below, and state one
hormone produced by each gland:
22. What are advantages and disadvantages of
poikilothermy and homeothermy?
23. Explain how each of the following will affect
your fluid balance. Refer to at least one hormone
in each explanation you give:
a. eating salty potato chips
b. blood loss due to an injury
c. drinking a litre of water
24. If you eat a full breakfast at 7:30 a.m., what
would you expect to see in each of these
situations? (high, low, rising, falling ?)
Time:
Blood
Glucose
Blood
Insulin
Blood
Glucagon
8:30
9:30
10: 30
11:30
25. How do calcitonin and parathyroid hormone
illustrate the concept of antagonistic pairing?
26. State four different types of cells you would
find in our nervous system, and describe each in
terms of structure and function.
27. Where in the spinal cord do parasympathetic
and sympathetic neurons originate? How are
these neurons different in function?
28. Explain how addiction illustrates the concept
of positive feedback. How do neurotransmitters
reinforce an addiction?
29. Identify each of the following structures: