Biology
EOC Study Guide
Unit Topics
Biochemistry Unit:
A.5.a – Identify subatomic particles and describe how they are arranged in atoms
 Protons – positive charge, located in the nucleus
 Neutrons – neutral, located in the nucleus
 Electrons – negative, located outside the nucleus in the electron
A.5.b – Describe the difference between ions and atoms and the importance of ions in biological
processes
 Atom – smallest particle of an element that retains the properties of that element
 Ion – an atom with a charge (either positive or negative, positive if it loses and electron and
negative if it gains an electron)
A.5.c – Compare the types of bonding between atoms to form molecules
 Ionic bond- attractions between ions of opposite charge (**transfer of electrons)(strong bond)
 Covalent bond – joins atoms into molecules through sharing of electrons (**electrons are
shared) (stronger bond)
 Hydrogen bond – bond involving partially positive hydrogen atom is attracted to the partially
negative atom of another molecule (**weak bond)
A.5.d – Show how chemical reactions can be represented by chemical formulas
 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
 Key vocabulary: reactants, products
A.5.e – Explain the difference between organic and inorganic compounds
 Organic compounds contain carbon (C6H12O6)
 Inorganic compounds do not contain carbon (NaCl)
A.5.f – Explain the fundamental principles of the pH scale and the consequences of having the different
concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxide ions
 pH scale ranges from 0-14
 below 7 is an acid, greater than 7 is a base
 as you move down (lower pH) the scale the hydrogen ion concentration increases, as you move
up (higher pH) the scale the hydroxide ion concentration increases.
 Each pH unit represents a tenfold change in concentration. (So a pH of 3 has 10 times more
hydrogen ions than a pH of 4)
A.5.g – Describe the general structure and function(s), including common functional groups, or
monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, carbohydrates, fatty acids, glycerol, glycerides, lipids,
amino acids, dipeptides, polypeptides, proteins, and nucleic acids
 Key vocabulary: macromolecule, monomer, polymer
 Dehydration reaction: removal of water and results in two monomers to be put together to
form a polymer
 Hydrolysis reaction: addition of water to break a polymer into its monomers
 See page 35 in your textbook for review information on the functional groups
 See page 48 in your textbook for review information on the macromolecules
A.5.h – Describe the function of enzymes, including how enzyme-substrate specificity works, in
biochemical reactions
 Enzymes are proteins that act to speed up chemical reactions, by lowering the activation energy
(takes less energy to make the reaction occur)
 Key vocabulary: substrate, active site

Four things that can affect the function of an enzyme:
o Temperature
o pH
o concentration of the substrate
o concentration of the enzyme
A.5.i – Define and explain the unique properties of water that are essential to living organisms
 Key vocabulary: cohesion, adhesion
 Water has ability to store heat. This moderates body temperature and climate
 Water excellent solvent
Cell Structure Unit:
B.1.a – Analyze the similarities and differences among (a)plant versus animal cells and (b) eukaryotic
versus prokaryotic cells
 Prokaryotic cells are simple cells with no nuclei or organelles (Bacteria)
 Animal cells do not contain cell walls or chloroplasts and have small vacuoles
 Plant cells do not have centrioles
B.1.b – Describe the functions of all major cell organelles, including nucleus, ER, RER, Golgi apparatus,
ribosomes, mitochondria, microtubules, microfilaments, lysosomes, centrioles, and cell membrane
 See table 4.23 on page 69
B.1.d- Contrast the structure and function of subcellular components of motility (e.g. cilia, flagella,
pseudopodia)
 Both cilia and flagella share the same 9+2 pattern of microtubules and mechanism of bending.
 Cilia are shorter, more numerous, and beat in a coordinated oar-like pattern. Flagella are
limited to one or more per cell and undulate like a whip
B.1.e- Explain how the cell membrane controls movement of substances both into and out of the cell
and within the cell
B.1.f- Explain how the cell membrane maintains homeostasis
B.1.g- Describe and contrast these types of cell transport: osmosis, diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and
active transport
 Key vocabulary: selectively permeable, homeostasis, endocytosis, exocytosis
 Passive transport: molecules move across a selectively permeable membrane without energy
input (molecules move down a concentration gradient)
o Diffusion-movement of molecules from a high concentration to a low (no energy
required)
o Osmosis-movement of water molecules from a high concentration to a low (no energy
required)
 Facilitated Diffusion: diffusion of particles across a selectively permeable membrane with the
assistance of the membrane’s transport proteins. (no energy required)
 Active Transport: movement of molecules across a selectively permeable membrane against the
concentration gradient. Requires an input of energy.
 Hypertonic: very strong solution, lot of dissolved solute. Cell will shrink (water molecules will
move out of the cell). Plant cells undergo plasmolysis (plasma membrane pulls away from the
cell wall)
 Hypotonic: very weak solution, very watery. Cell will swell. Animal cells may lyse (rupture) and
plant cells become turgid (very full, stiff, like crisp lettuce)
 Isotonic : same concentration on either side of the membrane. Molecules will move equally,
not net movement of molecules.
B.1.j – Describe the basic process of mitosis
 Stages of cell division that occurs in somatic (body ) cells
o Interphase
 G1 –growth phase
 S – synthesis of DNA (replication – make a copy of DNA)
 G2-growth phase
o M phase – Mitosis (see pages 130-131)
 Prophase
 Metaphase
 Anaphase
 Telophase
o Cytokinesis- division of the cytoplasm
C.1.f – Describe the basic process of meiosis (see pages 138-139)
Cellular Processes Unit: (photosynthesis and cellular respiration)
E.2.d – Describe the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis
E.2.e – Relate the products of the light-dependent reactions to the products of the light-independent
reactions.
 Photosynthesis
o 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
o occurs in the chloroplast of plant leaf cells
o redox reaction: OIL RIG (carbon dioxide is reduced and water is oxidized)
o Light Reactions occurs in the thylakoid membranes where water is split and light energy
from the sun produces ATP and NADPH
o ATP AND NADPH then go to the stroma of the chloroplast for the Calvin cycle where CO2
is converted into sugar
o See page 117 for an overview
B.1.h – Identify the cellular sites of and follow through the major pathways of anaerobic and aerobic
respiration, compare reactants and products for each process, and account for how aerobic respiration
produces more ATP per monosaccharide
B.1.i – Explain how photosynthetic organisms use the processes of photosynthesis and respiration
 Cellular Respiration
o C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O
o occurs in the mitochondria
o also a redox reaction
o Stage one: Glycolysis – occurs in the cytoplasm. Glucose is converted into 2pyruvate,
producing a net gain of 2ATP (costs 2 ATP, but make 4, net gain of 2) and 2NADH
o If Oxygen is present!!! The pyruvate will enter the mitochondria and the Citric Acid
cycle (Krebs cycle) where a total of 2ATP, 6NADH, AND 2 FADH2 molecules will be
produced (after each pyruvate goes through the citric acid cycle) Then the FADH2 and
NADH molecules will go to the membrane of the mitochondria where ATP will be
produced through oxidative phosphorylation. Each NADH will generate 3 ATP molecules
and each FADH2 molecule will generate 2 ATP molecules.
o Grand Total of a maximum of 38 ATP (usually 36 ATP) molecules will be produced per
glucose molecule!!!
o If NO Oxygen is present – Fermentation begins allowing glycolysis to continue to
produce 2ATP.
 Lactic acid fermentation occurs in muscle cells producing lactic acid
 Alcoholic fermentation occurs in yeast and some bacteria.
o See page 100 for an overview of the process
Heredity Unit:
C.1.g – Identify and explain Mendel’s law of segregation and law of independent assortment.
C.1.h – Explain how the process of meiosis reveals the mechanism behind Mendel’s conclusions about
segregation and independent assortment on a molecular level.
 Mendel “Father of Genetics” – monk studied peas, began the study of genetics
 Law of Independent Assortment – alleles separate independently of each other (meiosis)
creating diversity
C.1.i – Define and provide an example of the following: genotype, phenotype, dominant allele, recessive
allele, codominant alleles, incompletely dominant alleles, homozygous, heterozygous, and carrier
C.1.j – Explain sex-linked patterns of inheritance in terms of some genes being absent from the smaller Y
chromosome, and thus males (XY) having a different chance of exhibiting certain traits than do females
(XX)
C.1.k – Construct and interpret Punnett squares and pedigree charts
C.1.l – Infer parental genotypes and phenotypes from offspring data presented in pedigree charts and
from the phenotypic and genotypic ratios of offspring
C.1.m – Describe the mode of inheritance in commonly inherited disorders
 genotype- alleles and individual has for a specific trait
o homozygous dominant – two dominant alleles
o homozygous recessive – two recessive alleles
o heterozygous – one dominant and one recessive allele
 phenotype – the expression of alleles (what you look like, blue eyes, brown hair)
 dominant, recessive, co-dominant (red X white= striped heterozygous individuals) , incomplete
dominance (redX white = pink heterozygous individuals)
 sex-linked – genes located on the sex chromosomes
 Use Punnett squares to predict probablility
C.1.a – Describe the basic structure and function of DNA, mRNA, tRNA, amino acids, polypeptides, and
proteins (replication, transcription, and translation)
 DNA – genetic code
 monomer of DNA – nucleotide (made of Sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous base)
 replication – making a copy of DNA, occurs in the nucleus
 transcription – making a copy of a gene located on the DNA, RNA is the copy. occurs in the
nucleus
 translation – using mRNA to produce a polypeptide chain (protein). Occurs in the cytoplasm
using a ribosome
C.1.b – Describe the experiments of major scientists in determining both the structure of DNA and the
central dogma
 Griffith – mice, transforming material converting harmless bacteria into harmful pneumonia
bacteria
 Hershey-Chase – bacteriophages- DNA transforming material
 Watson, Crick, R. Franklin – DNA structure
Ecology Unit:
F.1.a – Define and provide examples of biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, species,
habitat, and niche
F.1.b – Discuss biotic and abiotic factors that affect land and aquatic biomes
 biotic- living or once-living
 abiotic – nonliving
F.1.c – Discuss the role of beneficial bacteria (recycling of nutrients)
 examine nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus cycles
F.1.d- Explain how energy flow through ecosystems in one direction, from photosynthetic organisms to
herbivores to carnivores and decomposers
F.1.g- Diagram the flow of energy using food webs, food chains, and pyramids (pyramid of energy,
numbers and biomass)
 Food chains and food webs
 10% energy is passed from one trophic level to the next
 Arrows show the flow of energy
F.1.h – Describe examples competition, symbiosis, and predation
 mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, predation
F.1.i – Explain the concept of carrying capacity
F.1.j – Describe the growth of populations, including exponential and logistic growth
 Exponential – growth that is rapid, no limiting factors
 Logistic – growth that levels off at carrying capacity (K) ( number of organisms of a species that
an area can support)