Biology 12
FULL LIST OF UNIT 'REVIEW QUESTIONS'
HOMEOSTASIS
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What is the 2nd law of thermodynamics?
What is homeostasis, and why is it important to living things?
How does the human body maintain homeostasis?
What do the homeostatic mechanisms in the human body control? Examples?
What are feedback loops? How do they work?
INTRO TO BIOCHEMISTRY
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Outline difference b/w ionic bond vs. covalent bond.
List important biological atoms
Explain some special properties of carbon.
Can you recognize the following functional groups: hydroxide, carboxyl, amine, sulfhydryl,
phosphate.
WATER
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What makes water so special?
What type of bond is found in H2O?
What joins H2O molecules together?
What are the 'five properties' of H2O?
What is the difference b/w hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds? Examples of each?
ACIDS & BASES
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What is the relative concentration of [H+] and [OH-] ions in neutral, acidic, and basic solutions?
What is the pH scale? What do readings from the pH scale mean?
What are some key properties of acids and bases?
What happens to acids / bases in H2O?
BUFFERS
1. What happens if the human body experiences a pH imbalance?
2. What is a buffer? What do they do in basic / acidic solutions?
3. Why does a buffer usually have 3 or more 'versions' of itself?
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES - GENERAL
1. What are the major groups of monomers and polymers?
2. What is dehydration synthesis? Significance?
3. What is hydrolysis? Significance?
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES - CARBS
1. Can I recognize the following: monosaccharides (e.g. glucose vs. fructose)?; disaccarides vs.
polycaccarides?
2. What is unique about the structure and function of: starch, glycogen, cellulose, chitin?
3. What are the 2 main functions of carbs?
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES - FATS
1. Can I recognize the following: triglycerides? (saturated vs. unsaturated); fats? (mono- vs. polyunsaturated fats); phospholipids?; steroids?
2. How are triglycerides 'made'?
3. What's the difference b/w saturated / unsaturated fats?
4. What are phospholipids? Significance?
5. What are steroids? Significance?
6. What are some uses of lipids?
B IOLOGICAL MOLECULES - PROTEINS
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What are amino acids? Describe their structure.
What makes amino acids unique?
Why is the order of amino acids important in a protein?
What are the 4 levels of protein structure? What type of bond holds each level together?
What is meant by 'denaturation'? Significance? How can it happen?
What are three major functions of proteins?
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES - NUCLEIC ACIDS
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What are nucleic acids?
What are 2 'classes' of nitrogen bases?
What are the 5 types of nitrogen bases? What are their unique features?
What is special about the structure of DNA?
What are the main functions of DNA?
Be able to compare / contrast DNA and RNA.
What is ATP, and why is it important?
DNA REPLICATION
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How is DNA organized into chromosomes?
What are 4 functions of DNA?
Why is DNA replication called 'semi-conservative'?
What are the 4 steps involved with DNA replication?
What are mutations, and how can they occur?
What is recombinant DNA technology, and how is it used?
CELLS
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What are the 2 main classes of cells?
What is cell theory?
What is the plasma membrane?
What is the 'fluid mosaic model'?
What are some components embedded in the cell membrane, and what is their function?
What are the major functions of the nucleus?
What are the major components of the nucleus, and what do they do?
Why are mitochondria important to the cell?
What is unique about the structure and function of the following: ribosomes; polysomes; smooth
ER; rough ER; Golgi body; vesicles?
10. How are the functions of the organelles listed in #9 related?
11. What's different / similar about vesicles / vacuoles?
12. Why are lysosomes important?
13. What is the cytoskeleton?
14. What are microtubules, and what sort of structures do they form?
15. Why are microfilaments important?
16. What is the function of cytoplasm?
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
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How do genes code for proteins?
What is the 'central dogma' of modern biology?
How does protein synthesis work (analogy)?
What is transcription?
What is translation?
What are codons / anticodons, and how are they significant?
What are the 4 major steps of translation?
What are the 2 types of mutations, and how serious are their effects?
TRANSPORT ACROSS MEMBRANES
What are the 2 ‘fundamental processes’ by which everything passes across cell membranes?
What is simple diffusion?
What are 7 factors that act to regulate the rate of diffusion?
What is osmosis, and how does it take place across cell membranes?
What is the difference between isotonic / hypertonic / hypotonic solutions? Examples?
What is meant by the term ‘hyperosmotic’? Relate it to cells.
What is facilitated diffusion? How is it similar / different from simple diffusion?
What is active transport? How is it similar / different from passive transport?
What is similar / different between endocytosis and exocytosis? What are the 2 types of
endocytosis?
10. Why does cell size matter? What will happen if a cell’s S.A. to Volume ratio becomes too large?
What does this have to do with cell division?
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ENZYMES
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What are enzymes? What do they do?
What is an enzyme-substrate complex, and why is it important?
What is the ‘lock-and-key’ model? Describe it.
What are co-enzymes, and why are they significant?
What’s the difference between anabolism and catabolism?
What is metabolism?
Describe the meaning of a metabolic pathway.
Why can’t heat be used to speed up chemical reactions in the human body? What does this have
to do with enzymes?
9. What are 4 major factors that affect chemical reactions that involve enzymes? How do they
work?
10. What is similar / different about competitive vs. non-competitive inhibition?
11. What is feedback inhibition? How does thyroxin act as a feedback inhibitor?
DIGESTION
1. What are the main functions of the human digestive system?
2. What are the major organs in the digestive system?
3. What does the mouth do?
4. What structures are found in the mouth? What do these structures do?
5. What is the pharynx, and what does it do?
6. Why is the epiglottis important?
7. What is the esophagus, and what does it do?
8. Why is peristalsis significant?
9. What is the stomach, and what does it do?
10. What is contained in gastric juices? How does gastric juice aid in protein digestion?
11. How is the pancreas a ‘dual organ’?
12. Why are insulin and glucagon so important?
13. What are the 5 components of pancreatic juices, and what do they each do?
14. What is the specialized function of the 3 distinct regions of the small intestine?
15. Why is surface area important for absorption? What structures increase surface area in the small
intestine?
16. What do interstitial juices contain, and what is their function?
17. What are the 5 parts of the large intestine?
18. What is the large intestine’s main job?
19. What do E. coli bacteria do in the large intestine?
20. How long does the whole digestive process usually take? What happens if wastes are moved too
quickly OR too slowly through the large intestine?
21. What are the 3 main accessory organs of the digestive system? Why are they considered
‘accessory’?
22. Why is the liver known as the ‘gatekeeper’ to the body’s blood?
23. We discussed 6 major functions of the human liver. What are they, and why are they significant?
24. Why is the gall bladder important in digestion?
25. Why is digestion ‘controlled’ by hormones?
26. What are 3 key digestive hormones, and how do they work?
CIRCULATION & BLOOD
1. What are the 3 main components of blood?
2. What does each major blood component do (and how is it unique)?
3. Why is hemoglobin significant?
4. How do blood clots form? What proteins are involved, and what is their source?
5. How do antigens work?
6. What antigens are present on each blood type?
7. What are antibodies? How do they work?
8. Explain how blood type is related to donating blood.
9. What are Rh factors, and why are they significant?
10. How can erythroblastosis cause a baby to die? How is it prevented?
11. What are the 5 major types of blood vessels? How are they similar / different?
12. What is ‘capillary-fluid exchange’? How does pressure affect it? How is it different on the
arteriole vs. the venule side?
13. What’s the difference between the systemic / pulmonary circulatory systems?
14. We discussed 11 major blood vessels of the human body. What is unique about the anatomy /
physiology of each?
15. How does the lymphatic system work (main functions)?
16. What are the 3 major structures of the lymphatic system, and what do they do?
THE HEART & BLOOD PRESSURE
1. What are the basic functions of the circulatory system?
2. What are the 4 chambers of the heart? How are they unique?
3. How are each of the heart’s chambers separated? How do these valves work?
4. How does the heart pump blood to the lungs?
5. How does the heart pump blood to the body?
6. How is heart function controlled?
7. How does the heart work to pump blood?
8. What is the SA node? What does it do?
9. What is the AV node? What does it do?
10. What are pacemaker cells?
11. What is an EKG? What does each ‘segment’ represent?
12. How is the brain involved with heart function?
13. What are some health problems that can arise in the heart? How can surgery help?
14. What is the significance of blood pressure? What are the two types of blood pressure?
15. What are the causes and implications of hypertension AND hypotension?
16. What 8 factors affect blood pressure?
NEURON & SYNAPSE
1. What are the 3 main components of a neuron? What do they do?
2. What are the 3 basic types of neurons, and how are they involved in a ‘reflex arc’?
3. Describe the 5 ‘stages’ of a reflex arc.
4. What is contained within a ‘nerve bundle’?
5. What is the function of myelin sheath? Where is it found?
6. What is the function of a node of Ranvier? Where is it found?
7. What is an action potential?
8. What are the 4 major stages of an action potential? What happens at each stage?
9. Why are nerve impulses considered ‘all or none’?
10. What happens when the body receives very strong stimuli?
11. What is a synapse?
12. What is unique about the presynaptic vs. the postsynaptic membranes?
13. What are the 9 steps involved with synaptic transmission of nerve impulses?
14. What are 3 possible ways a nerve impulse can be transmitted at a synapse?
15. What is unique about the physiology of the axon bulb?
16. Name 2 key neurotransmitters, describe their function, and the enzymes that break them down.
17. Describe 5 different ways drugs act on the synaptic transmission system.
THE BRAIN
1. How are the two main divisions of the nervous system similar?
2. What is unique about the CNS?
3. What are the 3 main parts of the brain?
4. What is special about the cerebrum?
5. What are the 4 lobes of the cerebrum? What is the major function of each?
6. What important function does the corpus colosum serve? What is unique about the cerebellum?
7. What is the ‘brain stem’? What are the 2 main components?
8. What important functions are regulated by the medulla oblongata?
9. What is significant about the ‘midbrain’?
10. Why is the thalamus important?
11. What important functions does the hypothalamus serve?
12. Why is the pituitary known as the ‘master gland’?
13. What is unique about the posterior vs. anterior pituitary?
14. What is the spinal chord? What are the 4 regions called, and where are they located?
15. What is the PNS?
16. What is unique about cranial and spinal nerves?
17. What are the 2 main divisions of the PNS, and what do they do?
18. What’s the difference between the sympathetic / parasympathetic divisions of the PNS?
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
1. What is unique about the structure and function of the following components of the respiratory
system: nasal sinus; pharynx; epiglottis; larynx; trachea; bronchi; bronchioles; diaphragm;
intercostal muscles?
2. How is air ‘conditioned’ on its way to the alveoli?
3. What are 6 features of the alveoli that ‘make them so special’?
4. What role does the medulla play in respiration?
5. Compare / contrast inhalation vs. exhalation.
6. What is significant about the pleural membranes of the respiratory system?
7. What can cause a pneumothorax? What happens to the respiratory system as a result?
8. What are the 4 basic aspects of respiration?
9. Fully describe the process of ‘external respiration’, including what happens with RBCs.
10. Fully describe the process of ‘internal respiration’, including what happens with RBCs.
11. What is meant by ‘cellular respiration’? Where does it occur?
12. List some health problems that can occur in the human respiratory system.
EXRETORY SYSTEM
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What are the 4 major functions of the excretory system?
How do humans control dessication?
How are different parts of our bodies involved with excretion?
What are the 4 major organs of the human excretory system? What do they do?
How does the kidney regulate homeostasis?
Why are nitrogen-containing wastes such a big concern? How are they eliminated?
What is a nephron? What does it do?
What are the 5 distinct regions of a nephron’s neural tubules? What is the function of each
region?
9. What are the 5 types of blood vessels associated with a nephron? What specific function does
each vessel carry out?
10. Explain the process of filtration, including how and where it occurs.
11. What is ‘selective reabsorption’? Where and how does it happen?
12. How do hyperosmotic / hypoosmotic conditions serve to facilitate osmoregulation in the kidney?
13. What is ‘water reabsorption’, and where does it occur?
14. How is ‘counter-current exchange’ important for water reabsorption?
15. How / why does reabsorption occur in the collecting duct?
16. What is ‘secretion’, and how does it take place?
17. What happens in the kidney if blood is too acidic?
18. What are 2 major hormones involved with the control of water and salt reabsorption in the kidney?
How do they work?
19. How can high / low blood pressure affect the kidney?
20. What are some problems that can occur in the kidneys?
MALE REPRODUCTION
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Describe the basic human life cycle, including the role of gonads, gametes, and zygotes.
What are the basic components of male reproductive anatomy, and what is the function of each?
Describe the process of spermatogenesis, including each stage of sperm maturation.
Describe the structure and function of each region of a sperm cell (head, neck, tail)
What are the 3 sets of glands involved in semen production? What is unique about the product of
each gland?
6. What is the process that allows the male penis to become erect?
7. What are androgens? How are they important for males?
8. What are some key primary and secondary sex characteristics of males?
9. How does GnRH work? How is it regulated?
10. What does FSH do?
11. How does LH work?
FEMALE REPRODUCTION
1. What are the female gonads and where are they located?
2. What are follicles? What happens when they mature? What do they release?
3. What is a corpus luteum, and what is its function?
4. How are eggs “guided” into the oviduct?
5. What is so special about the female uterus and its lining?
6. Describe the major structures on the vagina and the function of each?
7. What is oogenesis? How is it different from spermatogenesis?
8. Describe the three phases of the menstrual cycle, including key events.
9. Describe the three phases of the ovarian cycle, including key events.
10. List the five major female hormones and describe the origin and the function of each.
11. Describe how the ovarian cycle is synchronized with the menstrual cycle.
12. List some secondary sex characteristics that are triggered by estrogen.
13. What happens if an egg is fertilized? What other changes occur for the mother in the first
trimester?