Biology Midterm Exam
*Your Unit tests are your best study guide. Please go through each test and study the
questions. If it is on the test it is fair game, even if it’s not on this study guide. Keys
will be posted on my website under midterm review.
*There will also be a 30 question common assessment composed mainly of released
SOL questions based on the material we have covered. You can use solpass.com to
study released SOL questions, and they are broken down into subject areas.
Units Covered
1. Introduction
2. Biochemistry
3. Cell Structure and Function
4. DNA Structure and Replication and Mitosis
Introduction Important Concepts
1. Lab safety
a. When do you wear goggles?
b. What should you do when you break glass?
c. What should you do if a person is on fire?
d. What should you do if there is an open fire?
2. Experimental Design—Be able to recognize the following
a. Independent variable
b. Dependent variable
c. Constant
d. Control
e. Quantitative data
f. Qualitative data
3. Lab equipment—recognize the appearance and function of the following
a. Beaker
b. Flask
c. Graduated Cylinder
4. Scientific Method
5. Know the differences and similarities between theories and laws
6. Understand the tenets of the Nature of Science we discussed
a. Theories do not become laws
b. Science is based on observations and inferences (know the difference)
c. Science is subject to change
d. There is no one scientific method
e. Science is influenced by society, and also influences society
f. Scientists’ conclusions are influenced by their perceptual framework
7. Latin and Greek roots
8. Viruses are not technically living things (know why)
9. Know and understand the 9 characteristics of living things we discussed
a. Living things are composed of cells
b. Living things are based on a universal genetic code (DNA/RNA)
c. Living things grow and develop
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
Living things maintain homeostasis
Living things evolve
Living things use materials and energy
Living things adapt and respond to their environment
Living things are organized (internal system of organization, FOR
Example, cells tissues organs, etc.)
Living things reproduce
Biochemistry
1. Know your vocabulary
a. Element
h. Buffer
b. Isotope
i. Acid
c. Ion (anions and cations)
j. Base
d. Compound
k. Solute
e. Molecule
l. Solvent
f. Atom
m. Covalent bond
g. Mixture
n. Ionic bond
o. Dehydration synthesis (or condensation reaction)
p. Hydrolysis reaction
q. Organic compounds
r. Simple carbohydrate (monosaccharide or disaccharide)
s. Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharide, starch, fiber, cellulose, etc.)
t. Hydrogen bonds
u. Enzymes
2. Know the basic structure of an atom
3. Know how isotopes can be used in research
4. Understand WHY water is a polar molecule (uneven sharing of electrons),
and how this results in cohesion
5. Be able to sketch a water molecule with carbon, hydrogen and partial
charges labeled.
6. Understand the difference between a chemical and a physical change, and be
able to identify signs of a chemical change
7. Be able to use the atomic number to identify elements
8. Be able to use the atomic mass to determine the number of neutrons in the
most common isotopes of an element
9. Understand HOW a buffer system regulates pH (release or absorb H+ ions)
10. Understand that living tissues contain buffers
11. Understand the difference between a covalent and an ionic bond
12. Be able to interpret the pH scale, including Hydrogen ion concentration
13. Understand the properties of water AND why they are important
a. Water has a high specific heat, and does not change temperature
easily
b. Water expands when it freezes (Ice is less dense than liquid water)
c. Water is the universal solvent
d. Water is polar (related to cohesion and adhesion)
e. Water has a high surface tension
f. Water exhibits capillary action
14. Know the building blocks, elements present, functions and examples of
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids
Building Blocks
Elements
Function
Examples
Carbohydrates Monosaccharides C, H, O
Short term
energy
storage
Lipids
1 glycerol and 3
fatty acids (there
is variation from
this)
C, H, O
Proteins
Amino acids
C, H, O, N
Nucleic Acids
Nucleotides
C, H, O, N, P
Long-term
energy
storage,
shock
absorption,
insulation,
water-proof
layer (EX:
waxy cuticle
on leaves)
Make up the
structure of
organisms
(muscle,
skin, tissue,
etc.)
Mediates
chemical
reactions
Stores and
transmits
genetic
information
Sugars
(lactose,
glucose,
maltose,
etc.)
Starch,
fiber,
cellulose
Fats, oils,
waxes
Enzymes
DNA
RNA
15. Understand the lock and key model of enzymes, and why the shape of a
protein is so important
Cells (Structure, Function and Transport)
1. Know the structure (be able to identify on a diagram) and the function of cell
organelles. Cellsalive.com (interactive cell models) is a great place to practice
a. (See cell unit test for a list of organelles to know #1-19)
2. Know the structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
a. Prokaryotic cells lack a membrane nucleus and other membranebound organelles (golgi apparaturs, mitochondria, etc.) that
eukaryotic cells contain
b. Bacteria are composed of prokaryotic cells (unicellular), and all other
organisms are composed of eukaryotic cells
3. Know the 3 main structural differences between plant and animal cell
structure
a. Plant cells contain chloroplasts
b. Plant cells contain a cell wall
c. Plant cells contain a large central vacuole
4. Know the contributions to microscope development and cell research of
Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Schwann, Schleiden, Virchow, and Jansen
5. Stem cells do not have a specialized function as of yet
6. Multicellular organisms have cells with specialized functions, and cells of
similar types make-up tissues
7. Cell size is limited by surface area to volume ratio (It cannot be too large or
else cells cannot sufficiently pass materials necessary for cellular function in
and out of the cell)
8. Know basic microscope parts and function (diaphragm is used to adjust light
levels)
9. Understand that coarse focus should only be used on low power
10. Be able to identify isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solutions, and
understand what will happen to cells when placed in each type of solution
11. Be able to label structures in and on the phospholipid bilayer (cell
membrane)
a. Protein channel
b. Phospholipid molecule
c. Hydrophobic region
d. Hydrophilic region
e. Carbohydrate chain
12. Understand the differences between active and passive transport
13. Understand which particles will move, and in which direction as a result of
active and passive transport (see diagram questions on cell test)
14. Understand semi-permeability and which particles can pass through the
membrane and which cannot
DNA Structure & Cell Division (Mitosis)
*Study homework assignments and quizzes from this unit
1. Be able to identify the following on a diagram of DNA
a. Nucleotides
b. Nitrogen (or nitrogenous) bases
c. Hydrogen bonds
d. Phosphates
e. Deoxyribose sugar
2. Know the scientists involved with determining the structure of DNA and
their contributions
a. Watson & Crick
b. Rosalind Franklin
c. Maurice Wilkins (honors only)
d. Griffith (honors only)
e. Hershey and Chase (honors only)
f. Chargaff (honors only)
3. Understand the process of DNA replication and the enzymes involved
a. DNA polymerase
b. Ligase
c. Helicase
4. Understand the following terms
a. anti-parallel
b. leading and lagging strands
c. Okazaki fragments
d. 3’ and 5’ ends (honors only)—Be able to label on sugar (clockwise
from the oxygen in the ring)
e. purines (A,G)—honors only
f. pyrimidines (C, T, U)—honors only
5. Know the correct base pairs—A&T, C&G
6. Know the events in each stage of interphase (G1, G0, S, & G2), especially
when DNA is replicated
7. Know the events that take place in each stage of mitosis (PMAT stages)
8. Be able to identify the following in diagrams
a. Centrosomes
b. Centrioles
c. Chromatin
d. Chromosomes
e. Sister chromatids
f. Spindle fibers
g. Centromere
h. Cleavage furrow
i. Cell plate
j. Nuclear membrane (or envelope)
9. Understand the purpose of mitosis (covered in a do now)
10. Understand how cancer is related to the cell cycle (cancer occurs when the
cell cycle is unregulated and cell division is out of control)