PreAP Biology Semester Exam Study Guide
All of this material should be in your Interactive Notebook- I tried to put it in the order you will find it.
Scientific Method

Problem/question

Hypothesis

Procedure

Data collection

Analysis

Conclusion

Peer review

Know each type of variable, be able to pick them out of an experimental design- independent, dependent, controlled
variables, control group
When presented with data, know what type of graph is appropriate. Know what goes on the x axis and the y axis. Know how to
calculate the rate of change (slope).
Safety equipment, scientific equipment and supplies
Branches of biology- what does biology mean?

Zoology

Microbiology

Botany

Anatomy

Physiology

Genetics

Ecology

Taxonomy
What is metabolism, anabolism, catabolism? What happens in terms of energy
What is homeostasis? Using thermoregulation as an example, describe how the body maintains temperature.
How does pure science differ from applied science?
Structure of the Atom

Properties of the proton, neutron, electron- how to determine the # of each one in an atom

Atomic number

Atomic mass
Chemical Bonds- describe and give examples of each

Covalent- polar & nonpolar

Ionic

Hydrogen
Identify ions, molecules, compounds
Know the structure of water and the properties of water

Polarity

Hydrogen bonds

Adhesion

Cohesion

Surface tension
Be able to interpret pH scale
Structure, function and examples of
Carbohydrates

Lipids

Proteins

Nucleic acids
Taxonomy- Linnaeus is father of taxonomy; came up with binomial nomenclature (each species has a two part name)

Be able to list several scientific names

Know the levels of taxonomy and be able to classify a human

Know how to use a dichotomous key
Cell Theory- be able to state

Contribution of Leeuwenhoek

Contribution of Hooke

Other contributors were Virchow, Schleiden and Schwann
Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell
Differences between plant and animal cell
Function of each organelle; identify in a picture
Structure of cell membrane; know the function of each molecule and be able to label a picture
Structure of phospholipid; which part is hydrophilic, hydrophobic?
What is a lipid bilayer?
What is meant by the membrane being selectively permeable?
Two parts of a solution- solvent and solute
Membrane transport- which processes are passive and what does that mean?

Know each passive process and examples of molecules that pass through the membrane that way

Which processes are active and what does that mean?

Know each active process and examples of molecules that pass through the membrane that way
Viruses and Bacteria
Viruses aren’t considered to be living things because they only consist of proteins and nucleic acids and they can’t
reproduce on their own. Why are we studying them in biology?
Label the capsid (protein part) and the nucleic acid. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria;
bacteria are generally smaller than eukaryotic cells. Viruses are pathogens (they cause
disease). Even bacteria can be infected with viruses called bacteriophages. A virus can
have RNA or DNA as it’s nucleic acid. HIV is an example of a virus that has RNA as its
nucleic acid. It has an enzyme called reverse transcriptase that allows the RNA to take over
the host cell’s DNA.
In the lytic cycle (A) the virus attaches to a host cell by recognizing and attaching
to receptor sites on the cell membrane of the host cell. The viral nucleic acid
enters the host cell. The virus genes direct the cell to make new viral proteins and
a protein capsid. New viruses assemble and the cell lyses (ruptures) to release
the new viruses. Each goes to a new host cell.
In the lysogenic cycle (B) after the viral nucleic acid enters the host cell it becomes
part of the host cell DNA. Every time the host cell replicates, each new cell has
virus genes in it. At some point the cell enters the lytic stage and the cell begins to replicate new viruses which
eventually burst out.
Viruses are usually specific to only a few types of cells in a living thing. For example, the rabies virus affects brain
cells. The rhinovirus which causes the common cold affects the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract. The HIV
virus attaches to T cells, one of the most important cells of the immune system.
Sometimes viruses only affect one group of living things; even plants have viruses, but they usually don’t spread to
animals. Some viruses can move from one species to others- some types of flu for example. Viruses are transmitted
in various ways. HIV and Hepatitis B are transmitted through sexual contact, contaminated blood or contaminated
needles. Influenza, the common cold and the mumps viruses can be inhaled. Rabies is transmitted through the bite
of an infected animal. Ebola is transmitted in body fluids. Some viruses, such as the human papilloma virus, can
cause cancer.
Vaccines can be effective against viruses if they are administered before you are exposed to a virus. Vaccines are
weakened or dead strains of a virus or bacteria that alert your immune system. Having been alerted, your immune
system is more prepared to fight off the virus when you encounter it.
In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin which is an antibiotic that comes from a fungus. It is used to treat
many bacterial disorders, but it is not effective against viruses because they aren’t living things.
In the classification of living things, there are 3 Domains; Eukarya, Bacteria and Archaea.
Bacteria and Archaea both consists of prokaryotic organisms. This worksheet will only cover Domain Bacteria.
How do they differ?
Bacteria
Eukaryotes
Internal
compartmentalization
they have DNA but it is not enclosed in a
nucleus; they have no organelles that are
surrounded by a membrane
have a membrane bound nucleus
and membrane bound organelles,
usually a system of membranes in
the cell
Cell size
Much smaller than eukaryotes
cells range between 10 and 100
micrometers
Multicellularity
all are unicellular
may be unicellular, but many are
multicellular
Chromosomes
have a single circular chromosome and
smaller circular pieces of DNA called
plasmids
linear chromosomes of DNA
associated with protein; number
varies in species
Reproduction
binary fission (asexual)
microtubules divide chromosomes
during mitosis in a process requiring
several steps
Metabolic diversity
some are photosynthetic, some are
consumers, some even consume chemicals
like sulfur for energy’; some are aerobic,
some anaerobic
most metabolic activities require
oxygen (aerobic)
Bacteria have three basic shapes.
Bacilli are rod shaped, cocci are spherical and spirillum are spiral
shaped. They may be alone, or grouped with other cells of the
same shape. Gram staining is important in health care because it
identifies the type of cell wall a bacteria has. Bacteria have a
substance called peptidoglycan in their cell wall; the amount shows
up differently when it is stained. Knowing the type of bacteria will
help a doctor determine which type of antibiotic to prescribe.
Some bacteria produce structures called endospores. When the conditions aren’t favorable, they can go dormant for
a long period of time.
Many bacteria have structures called pili which help them attach to things. Pili also function in the process of
conjugation. Through their pili, bacteria exchange plasmids.
Although some bacteria cause disease, there are just as many, if not more useful bacteria. Rhizobium is a bacteria in
the soil that fixes nitrogen so that it can be taken up into the roots of plants. When animals consume the plants, they
have the nitrogen they need to make proteins and nucleic acids. Streptomyces is a bacteria in the soil that many of
our antibiotics come from. Bacteria are used in the manufacture of many types of food such as yogurt and cheese.
Bacteria live in your intestine and allow you to totally break down nutrients and they also produce Vitamin K.
Bacteria associated with disease include
Yersinia pestis causes the bubonic plague (Black Death)




Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis
Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax
Clostridium botulinum causes botulism (food poisoning)
Trepenoma pallidum causes syphilis
In the past few years, several antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria have evolved and are very difficult to treat.
Ecology
From the food web

Pick out producer

Primary consumer

Secondary consumer

Tertiary consumer

Quaternary consumer

Explain the difference between a food web and a food chain

What do the arrows represent?

What is an energy pyramid?

How much energy passes from one trophic level to the next
(average)?
Define and give example where appropriate
Carnivore

Omnivore

Herbivore

Detrivore

Decomposer

Trophic level

Habitat

Niche

Primary succession

Secondary succession

Pioneer species (give examples)

Symbiosis

Mutualism

Commensalism

Parasitism

Predator-prey

Coevolution

Competition