General Biology
Quiz #1 Topics
(Note: this list is not necessarily exhaustive – you are responsible for everything we’ve
covered in class)
Matter, elements, compounds and atoms
Protons, neutrons, electrons,
Atomic number, weight, mass
Orbitals
Bonds – types and characteristics
Electronegativity
Isotopes
Electron shells
Valence electrons
Water – liquid and solid structures
Cohesion, adhesion, surface tension
Water – temperature modulation
Kinetic energy, heat, temperature, evaporative cooling
Water – impact on earth
Water as a solvent
Solution, solvent, solute
Hydrophilic, hydrophobic
Mole
Calculating concentrations and molar solutions
pH
Why carbon as critical element for life
Theories on origins of organic molecules
Reducing atmosphere theory (Oparin and Haldane)
Miller and Urey experiment
Carbon atomic structure
Carbon compound structures (chains, rings, bonds, etc.)
Isomers
Functional groups (hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxy, amino, sulfhydryl, phosphate, methyl)
Small molecules (monomers) à large molecules (polymers)
• Structure and function of each
• Sugars and polysaccharides
• Nucleotides and nucleic acids
• Amino acids and proteins
• Lipids and fats
Energy – sources
Laws of thermodynamics
Metabolism
Anabolic, catabolic reactions
Changes in free energy
Spontaneous reactions
Endergonic and exergonic reactions
Oxidation and reduction
Redox reactions
ATP
Cofactors and coenzymes
Enzymes
Regulation of enzyme activity
Examples of questions:
1.
You wake up one morning and suddenly find yourself in the awkward position of being an omnipotent
god. “Awesome!” you think. Your first order of business is to create life. Fortunately you happen to
have a pile of handy breakfast elements nearby: a bowl of boron atoms, a bowl of carbon atoms, a
bowl of nitrogen atoms, and a bowl of silicon atoms. Which bowl of atoms do you choose as the
primary element for your new life forms? Why this one over the other choices - in other words, what
are the pros and cons of each element choice? What other elements not listed here will be necessary to
create life?
2.
Xanthophylls are pigments that are found in high concentration in leaves of most green plants; they are
also the pigments responsible for the various hues of autumn leaves and the colors of a number of
vegetables. Rabbits that eat plants and vegetables containing xanthophyll accumulate this yellow
pigment molecule in their body fat. Hypothesize what chemical and structural properties of the
molecule might cause this selective accumulation.
3.
Tamiflu is an anti-viral drug designed to block the influenza (flu) virus from spreading between cells
within a infected individual, thus slowing the course of the infection. In the past 10 years, Tamiflu has
been prescribed to over 50 million patients. Tamiflu works by inhibiting neuraminidase, a viral
enzyme that is necessary for the successful interaction between the influenza virus and the host cell.
Give two different theories that explain specifically how Tamiflu might be working to block
neuraminidase activity. (Note that in order to answer this question, you do not need to be a virologist it is not necessary to understand the details of how neuraminidase itself works)