Unit 2 Test Study Guide: Basics of Biology and the Microbial World
1. What is the difference between diffusion and osmosis?
2. Why may these generate problems for organisms?
3. What is homeostasis and how does a cell membrane influence homeostasis?
4. What is the difference between active transport and passive transport?
5. Explain the following, as well as what each would do to a cell:
a. Hypertonic solution
b. Hypotonic solution
c. Isotonic solution
6. Explain the difference(s) between osmoconforms and osmoregulators.
7. How do marine organisms hydrate themselves verses freshwater organisms? How do
they maintain internal equilibrium?
8. What is the difference between ectotherms and endotherms? What reasons is temperature
important for organisms?
9. Explain the surface area to volume ratio and how this influences organisms.
10. What are the differences between sexual and asexual reproduction?
11. What is broadcast spawning?
12. Explain natural selection and what is meant by the “fittest”.
13. What are the four organic molecules? What are they used for?
14. What are the formulas for photosynthesis and cellular respiration?
15. What is the difference between heterotrophs and autotrophs?
16. Describe prokaryotes verses eukaryotes.
17. What is the proper definition of a species?
18. Describe binomial nomenclature and why we use it.
19. What are the seven levels of taxonomy?
20. What are the 5 kingdoms?
21. Be familiar with the vocabulary of chapter 5.
22. Know the difference in the organisms within the prokaryote group.
a. Bacteria
i. Heterotrophicii. Autotrophicb. Cyanobacteria –
23. Know the difference between endolithic, endophytes, and epiphytes.
24. Know what stromatolites are, how they were formed, and why they are important.
25. What are Archae bacteria and how do they differ from prokaryotic bacteria?
26. Explain what extremophiles are and why they are important.
27. Explain the difference between the two major groups within the kingdom Protista.
a. Unicellular Algaeb. Protozoans –
28. Explain the primary differences between diatoms and dinoflagellates.
29. Define Frustule and auxospores.
30. What are the two dinoflagellates discussed and explain features unique to these
dinoflagellates.
31. What are some unique features of the silicoflagellates and the coccolithophorids?
32. The three protozoans discussed include the foraminifera’s, radiolarians, and ciliates.
Describe what makes them each unique.
33. What is the purpose of fungi and what makes them different from the other kingdoms?
Taxonomy Discussed in Chapter 5
I.
II.
Domain Bacteria (prokaryotes)
a. Bacteria
i. Cyanobacteria
Domain Archaea
a. Extremophiles
III.
Kingdom Protista
a. Algae
i. Diatoms
ii. Dinoflagellates
1. Zooxanthellae
2. Pfiesteria
iii. Silicoflagellate
iv. Coccolithophorids
b. Protozoans
i. Foraminiferans
ii. Radiolarians
iii. Ciliates
IV.
Kingdom Fungi