2015 College Prep Biology Spring Final Exam Review
**These questions do not include genetics which will be on the spring final exam. You can earn up to 10 points
extra credit for submitting neat handwritten responses to these questions (pages 1-4) – due Fri June 5 2015.
Staple these questions to your numbered answers that you have handwritten on notebook paper. I will not grade
any typed or sloppy work. Your Final Exam will be over two days, Thurs June 4 and Fri June 5.
The Final Exam will have between 150-200 scantron questions – 1 pt per question. Please remember that you completed
review packets correlated with your textbook on Genetics, Evolution, Ecology, and Physiology that can help you in reviewing
for the final exam. You should also have all of your corrected quizzes and questions from the major exams that you missed
that you wrote down.
Ecology:
1) List the levels of organization that ecologists use from largest to smallest.
2) What is the original source of energy in most ecosystems?
3) From the following food chain, identify the producer, herbivore, carnivore, 1st level consumer, 2 nd level consumer, & 3rd
level consumer.
Grassgrasshopperfrogsnakehawk
4) In the above food chain, what level consumer is the snake?
5) What is the original source of energy in most ecosystems?
6) In what ways are plants on a sunny mountain meadow & sulfur-bacteria in a deep-sea volcanic vent alike? Different?
7) A tiger stalks, kills, & then eats a gazelle. Based on its behavior, what ecological TERMS describe the tiger?
8) What is meant by the 10% rule?
9) What is recycled in the biosphere?
10) What processes cycle carbon through the biosphere?
11) How is carbon stored in the biosphere?
12) What organisms play a role in the nitrogen cycle?
13) Different species can share the same habitat, how can competition be reduced between these species?
14) Explain the symbiotic relationship between a flower & the insect that feeds on its nectar.
15) How can a predator increase the numbers of certain species in its habitat?
16) What can cause primary succession?
17) What is one difference between primary and secondary succession?
18) List three factors that play a role in population growth.
19) List three limiting factors to a large, dense population.
20) How can a diagram of a population’s age structure predict how it can grow?
21) What is the most important source of environmental change on Earth?
22) Refer to the energy pyramid on page 72 in your textbook; be able to answer questions regarding the loss of energy as you
move up the pyramid.
23) Refer to the food web on page 71 in your textbook, be able to answer questions regarding number of steps away from the
sun an organism is, & how many trophic levels there are in the web.
24) Refer to exponential growth curve on page 121 & logistic growth curve on page 122 in your textbook, be able to recognize
which graph is which, read these graphs and answer questions regarding the data shown.
25) Give examples of mutualism, parasitism & commensalism.
26) What is the difference between density-dependent limiting factors and density-independent limiting factors?
27) Would you receive more energy from corn by eating it directly or by eating the same mass of beef from a cow that has
been fed on corn? Explain.
Evolution
28) What did Darwin’s travels reveal to him about the number of variety of living species?
29) How did tortoises and birds differ among the islands of the Galapagos?
30) Why was Hutton & Lyell’s work important to Darwin?
31) What is a major concept in Lamarck’s theory of evolution?
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32) Why was Darwin prompted to publish his theory of evolution?
33) Darwin’s observation that finches of different species on the Galapagos Islands have many similar physical characteristics
supports what hypothesis about the finches?
34) According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment.
What is their survival due to?
35) When lions prey on a herd of antelopes, some antelopes are killed and some escape. Which part of Darwin’s concept of
natural selection describes this situation?
36) Members of a population that live long enough to reproduce is consistent with which part of the theory of natural
selection?
37) Modern sea star larvae resemble some primitive vertebrate larvae. What does this suggest about the primitive
vertebrates?
38) What influenced Darwin’s development of his concept of evolution? Did he know anything about DNA?
39) Who proposed the hypothesis that species change over time by natural selection?
40) Pelvic bones in whales and the coccyx in humans are examples of what structures?
41) List the two major concepts that are included in the modern theory of evolution.
42) Give several examples of homologous organs.
43) What is a phrase that defines evolution by natural selection?
44) What are the two main sources of genetic variation?
45) Can a polygenic trait have many genotypes? Many phenotypes?
46) In a population of finches, one group has a short, parrot-like beak & another group has a long, narrow beak, what process
has occurred?
47) Give an example of geographic isolation.
48) Refer to figure 17-25 on page 439 of your textbook. How did the overall body size of the horse change during its
evolution?
49) American toads breed earlier in the spring than Fowler toads do, although they live in the same habitat. What can be
inferred from this information?
50) Give an example of speciation.
51) Natural selection on beak size and shape is driven by available food in the Galapagos finches. What does this statement
infer?
52) The process by which two species, like a flower and a pollinating insect, evolve in response to changes in each other over
time is called?
53) Refer to figure 15-3 on page 371 of your textbook. Which tortoise has the longest neck?
54) Refer to figure 16-6, 16-7 & 16-8 on pages 398 & 399 of your textbook. In figure 16-6 what happened to beak size? In
figure 16-7 what is happening? In figure 16-8, what is happening to the bird beak fitness?
55) Refer to figure 17-8 on page 424 of your textbook. What do the electrodes produce and what does that simulate?
56) Define mutation and describe one situation in which a point mutation—the alteration of a single nucleotide—would affect
an organism’s phenotype & another situation in which a point mutation would not affect the phenotype.
Physiology
57) Be able to trace a red blood cell from the right atrium of the heart through the body and to its return to the right atrium.
Be sure to include the valves that are included in the pathway.
58) What is meant by a closed circulatory system?
59) Why do we have a circulatory system?
60) What is the function of coronary arteries?
61) What is the function of the valves of the circulatory system?
62) What is the name of the heart’s pacemaker and where is it located?
63) What is meant by systolic pressure? Diastolic pressure?
64) What is the difference between pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation?
65) Be able to label the structures of the heart similar to the picture on page 944.
66) Be able to trace a molecule of oxygen from the time it enters the mouth to the time it exits the nose. Include all of the
structures through which it will pass.
67) What is the function of the cilia and mucus in the respiratory system?
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68) What is the function of the epiglottis?
69) The actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the ________________ of the lungs.
70) The muscle that lies below the chest cavity that mammals have which aids in respiration is called the
__________________.
71) Which part of the brain controls breathing?
72) Be able to label the structures of the respiratory system similar to the picture on page 957.
73) What is meant by essential amino acids?
74) Where does the process of chemical digestion begin?
75) What does mechanical digestion in the stomach involve?
76) What digestive system organ extracts water from digested food?
77) What does the enzyme amylase do?
78) What is peristalsis?
79) What are the functions of the cardiac valve (sphincter) and pyloric valve (sphincter)
80) What enzyme functions in the stomach?
81) What does the hydrochloric acid in the stomach do?
82) List three substances secreted by the pancreas and their functions.
83) In what part of the digestive system does most digestion take place?
84) Name three enzymes that function in the small intestine and their roles.
85) Name two functions of the liver.
86) What is the role of the villi in the small intestine?
87) Be able to label the organs in the digestive system as pictured on page 979.
88) Define the term hormone.
89) What is meant by a target cell?
90) What glands compose the endocrine system?
91) During feedback inhibition, an increase in a substance will do what to the original stimulus?
92) What gland produces epinephrine and norepinephrine?
93) What is the difference in which steroid hormones and nonsteroid hormones enter cells?
94) What is the role of the thyroid gland?
95) List nine hormones secreted by the pituitary gland and their functions.
96) Estrogen and progesterone are produced by the ______________.
97) The parathyroid hormone controls the levels of _______________ in the blood.
98) The pituitary gland is controlled by the ________________ of the brain.
99) What is the difference between Type I and Type II diabetes?
100) What are the roles of FSH and LH?
101) In what part of the testes are sperm produced?
102) Where do the sperm mature?
103) Prior to entering the urethra during ejaculation, through what tube do the sperm pass?
104) What is the role of the prostate gland?
105) Where does fertilization of the egg occur?
106) The embryo develops in the _____________.
107) The average woman can get pregnant only ______ days a month. This is most likely to occur immediately after
______________.
108) The mucus that accumulates on the _____________ may block entry of the sperm into the vagina.
109) What occurs during the follicle phase of the menstrual cycle? How long does it last?
110) What occurs during the luteal phase and how long does it last?
111) What causes menstruation to begin?
112) Be able to label the structure in the endocrine system as pictured on page 998.
113) Which hormones maintain the lining of the uterus in anticipation of a fertilized egg?
114) How do antibiotics fight infections?
115) What is one advantage of a fever?
116) What are the body’s nonspecific defenses against invading pathogens?
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117) What is the body’s most important nonspecific defense?
118) Unlike passive immunity, how are active immunity antibodies produced?
119) What triggers an immune response?
120) Explain three ways HIV can be spread.
121) In what three ways does the protease cocktail taken by AIDS patients interrupt the replication of the virus?
122) What is the difference between cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity?
123) How many binding sites does a typical antibody have?
124) How did Edward Jenner develop the first vaccine?
125) Explain the role of memory cells in response to a second exposure to an antigen.
126) Refer to figure 35-5 on page 897 of your textbook. Be able to label the neuron parts and list their functions.
127) Discuss how an action potential works in a neuron including the ions involved, the directions in which they move, and the
changes in charge inside and outside the neuron.
128) What occurs at the synapse? Discuss the role of calcium ions, neurotransmitters, and how active transport is involved.
129) Refer to figure 35-9 on page 901 of your textbook. Be able to label the brain. Which two parts of the brain act as neural
“switchboards,” regulating the flow of information between the brain and the rest of the body?
130) What is the difference between white matter and gray matter?
131) List the four divisions of the peripheral nervous system and their functions.
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CELL CYCLE, GENETICS, MEIOSIS:
You Should Know the definitions AND APPLICATION of the following terms:
genotype
Spindle fibers
phenotype
Centromere
homozygous
Chromosome
heterozygous
Chromatid
purebred
Chromatin
hybrid
Cytokinesis
Punnett Square
Gamete
Mendel (who he was)
Homologous chromosome
Dominant
Haploid versus diploid cells
Recessive
Tetrad
Allele
Crossing over
Gene
Nucleotide
Trait
P Generation
Centriole
F Generation
Dihybrid Cross
Monohybrid Cross
Karyotype
Amniocentesis
Chorionic villus sampling/biopsy
RhoGAM
Rh Factor
Spermatogenesis
Spermatocyte
Oogenesis
Oocyte
Polar Body
Polygenic traits
You should know:
 The difference between ratio, probability, and percent (for Punnett Squares)
 How to set up and solve Punnett Squares such as we did in class
 The descriptions of the diseases/disorders we discussed in class and their patterns of inheritance:
Huntington Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Tay-Sachs Disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, Colorblindness,
Hemophilia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
 The law of segregation and the law of independent assortment
 The stages of the cell cycle in the correct order and what happens in each
 That the new cells produced as a result of a mitotic division are identical to the parental cells
 That the new cells produced as a result of a meiotic division are not identical to each other or the parent cells
 How to identify cells in each of the stages of mitosis (the pictures in the book and online are very good)
 Places where cell division occurs often (see p. 249)
 Differences between plant and animal mitosis
 the type of cells produced by meiosis
 The phases of meiosis in the correct order and what happens in each
 The major differences between meiosis and mitosis
 What nondisjunction is.
 The characteristics of a Down Syndrome Child, Turner Syndrome Child, and a Klinefelter’s Child and their
karyotypes
 What an antigen is in relation to bloodtyping
 The phenotypes and genotypes of the blood groups
 What blood groups can donate to the others
 What RhoGAM is and when it is administered
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You Should Know:
Evolution:
1. The taxa in sequence. ..domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order . ..
2. Complete classification of the human
Ex: Domain – Eukarya Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – Chordata, etc
3. The scientific name of the human and be able to properly write it – Homo sapiens (capital, lower case, underlined)
4. Examples of vestigial organs in humans
5. Characteristics and examples of the major groups of primates and their relationships to one another on the
evolutionary tree (prosimians, anthropoids, etc)
6. The answers to the FAQs about evolution – first lecture – these PowerPoint presentations are still online
Ex: Are humans descendants of apes/monkeys?
7. Evidence of evolution (class notes and textbook readings)
8. How speciation occurs/requirements for speciation to occur
9. Examples of speciation (class notes and textbook readings)
10. Darwin’s five major points of natural selection
11. how to describe Darwin’s other theory – descent with modification
12. How to make a cladogram using major characteristics of vertebrates – this was a class activity
13. Characteristics of organisms in the Phylum Chordata
14. Characteristics, anatomical structure, and examples of the Class Amphibia
15. Characteristics, anatomical structure, and examples of the Class Reptilia
16. Characteristics, anatomical structure, and examples of the Class Mammalia
17. The three major groups of mammals (at the Order level) and examples of each
18. The difference between anterior/posterior/dorsal/ventral sides of an organism
19. Evolutionary order of the major groups of vertebrates (geologic timeline and pacing geologic time); Age of the Earth;
Age of the Oldest Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells on Earth
20. The type of rock used in relative dating of fossils
21. how radioactive dating works (the half life lab and class notes)
22. Who Charles Darwin was and his contributions to evolutionary biology
23. Who Alfred Wallace was and his contribution to evolutionary biology
24. Who Lamarck was and his contribution to evolutionary biology
25. Who Lyell was and his contribution to evolutionary biology
26. Who Hutton was and his contribution to evolutionary biology
27. What adaptive radiation/divergent evolution is
28. What convergent evolution is
29. The age of the earth, the age of the first prokaryotes, and the age of the first eukaryotes
30. The 3 requirements to be in the same species
Physiology:
31. how to label a diagram of the human heart
32. the path of blood flow throughout the body and the functions of the anatomical structures through which the blood
flows
33. what the “pacemaker” of the heart is
34. the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation
35. the path of air flow from the mouth to the lungs and all of the structures through which the air will pass
36. where gases are exchanged in the lungs (and what gases are exchanged)
37. the path that food takes from the mouth to the rectum and the organs through which it passes. You should be familiar
with the digestive enzymes and other substances that are added to food as it passes through the digestive tract and
from which organs those substances originate.
38. The roles of amylase, pepsin, trypsin, NaHCO3, bile, lipase, protease, and HCl in digestion (see the chart on page 981)
39. The role of villi in the small intestine.
40. the parts of the brain and their functions; the sheep brain lab should help
41. the difference between the peripheral and central nervous system
42. The difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems
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43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
The difference between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
the path of an impulse from the surface of the body to the brain and back
how a reflex differs from a normal response to a stimulus
the structure of a neuron and the functions of the various parts of a neuron
what happens during an action potential in terms of ion movement across the cell membrane – the computer lab
activity we did should be helpful
48. what is meant by feedback inhibition
49. what occurs at a synapse when an action potential arrives there and the role of neurotransmitters
50. how the interaction between a hormone and a target cell occurs
51. the endocrine hormones and their functions (page 1004 has a good chart)
52. the structure of the male reproductive anatomy and the functions of those parts
53. the structure of the female reproductive anatomy and the functions of those parts
54. the four major hormones involved in the female menstrual cycle, how they interact with one another, the cause of
ovulation, and the cause of menstruation
55. the names of the four fluids which can transmit the virus that causes AIDS (HIV)
56. a description of the three lines of defense in the immune system
57. what T cells, B cells, and memory cells are in terms of their roles in the immune system
58. how an antibody is structured and its function in relation to antigens
Ecology:
59. the levels of organization in the biosphere and their definitions Ex: population, community, etc
60. what a trophic level is and why there is a limit to the number of trophic levels in an ecosystem
61. How energy flows through an ecosystem
62. How much energy is transferred from one trophic level to another
63. what a food chain is and what a food web is
64. definitions of the following: carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, detritivore, decomposer
65. the three types of symbiotic relationships and examples of each
66. how the cycles of matter (biogeochemical cycles) operate Ex: water cycle, carbon cycle
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