Biology Midterm Study Guide
Chapter 1: The Nature of Life (p.2)
Students will be able to…
● identify variables in an
experiment
● distinguish between
● match examples to
observations and inferences
characteristics of living things
Mike’s dad always buys bread with preservatives because he says it lasts longer. Mike asks, “Will bread with
preservatives stay fresh longer than bread without preservatives?” He hypothesizes that bread with
preservatives will not grow mold as quickly as bread without preservatives. In order to test his hypothesis, he
obtains one slice of bread containing preservatives and one slice of bread without any preservatives. He
dampens two paper towels and folds the paper towels so that they will lay flat inside two separate ziploc bags.
One slice of bread is placed in each bag and the bags are sealed and kept in a dark environment for one week.
Mike records mold growth once a day for one week.
What is Mike’s hypothesis? ______________________________________________________________
What is the independent variable?
Dependent variable?
Control group?
Name 3 controlled variables in Mike’s experiment.
“The bread with preservatives has less mold growing on its surface than the bread without preservatives” is an
(observation, inference, opinion).
“The bread without preservatives tastes better” is an (observation, inference, opinion).
“The preservatives in the bread include fungicides” is an (observation, inference, opinion).
Distinguish between a hypothesis and a theory.
List the 8 characteristics of living things and gives examples of each:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ch 10 and 11.4: Cellular Inheritance
Compare and Contrast Mitosis and Meiosis in terms of where these
processes occur, their function or purpose, the number of divisions
and daughter cells produced, the number of chromosomes in the
daughter cells.
Describe what is going on in each phase of the cell cycle picture
here:
Explain how the cell cycle is regulated and what happens when this system malfunctions (ie. cancer)
Meiosis is the formation of sex cells or gametes. What is crossing-over? Explain their contribution to genetic
diversity.
Ch 11: Introduction to Genetics and Ch 14: The Human Genome
1. Explain the experiments done by Gregor Mendel. Why did he use pea plants? Draw Punnett squares to
represent the F1 and F2 generations.
2. What is the difference between genes, alleles, and traits? Remember: at least two alleles (one from each
parent) make up the gene that determines traits in offspring.
3. Give an example of a dominant allele ____ and a recessive allele ____. How do they influence inheritance
of traits?
4. What is the difference between genotype and phenotype? Give an example of each.
5. Practice Punnett squares with homozygous inheritance (TT, tt) and heterozygous (Tt) inheritance
6. What kind of cells are represented by the alleles outside the Punnet Square? Inside the Punnett Square?
7. If a parent has the genotype AaBb, what are the different combinations that they can send into the sex cells
(gametes)?
8.Define complete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, and incomplete dominance. Give example of
each inheritance
9. What are the sex chromosomes for a male and a female? What is the diploid number for humans?
10. Use of pedigree charts on next page to show human inheritance patterns.
Ch 12: DNA and RNA
1. Compare DNA and RNA by filling out the chart below.
DNA
Stands for:
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Name of Sugar:
4 Nitrogen Bases:
Single or Double
Stranded:
Where is it in the cell?
Types of:
Purpose:
Sketch a picture of the
molecule:
cDNA
complementary strand of
DNA
RNA
Master DNA strand: TAC CAT GGG TGA CAA GTC
2. DNA replication: what is it, when does it occur in the cell cycle, why does it occur, how does it occur?
Replicate the strand of DNA above: ____________________________________________________
3. Transcription and translation: how is genetic information encoded in DNA transcribed (copied) as mRNA in
the nucleus and translated into a specific protein in the ribosome? Transcribe the master DNA strand into
mRNA: ______________________________________________________________
4. Translation into amino acids using Codon Wheel on page 303:
__________________________________________________________
5. Human hair is made of protein. Explain how the processes of DNA replication/transcription/translation, cell
cycle with Meiosis all can lead to two people having different colored hair.
Ch 15, 16, 17-4: Evolution
1. Who is Charles Darwin? Describe his ideas of natural selection and common descent.
2. How can the diversity of living things be explained using the theory of natural selection?
3. What causes genetic variation occur? __________________ & ______________________
4. How do the processes described in #3 above, provide material for natural selection to work upon? In other
words, how does the absence of the processes described in #3 prevent natural selection from occurring?
5.How does natural selection explain how bacteria causing human diseases become immune to antibiotics
used to heal people who have the diseases caused by the bacteria in question.
Ch 17: The History of Life,
Geologic time: Place the major groups of animals and mass extinctions into the appropriate era
PALEOZOIC:
MESOZOIC:
CENOZOIC: