Notes and Chapter Quiz Answers from Biology

Chapter 1 Critical Thinking Questions:

19. Thinking about the topic of cancer, write a basic science question and an
applied science question that a researcher interested in this topic might
ask.
Basic Science question about cancer: What basic science experiments
can I conduct with SimBio about cancer?
Applied Science question about cancer: What applied science
experiments can I conduct with SimBio about cancer?

20. Select two items that biologists agree are necessary in order to consider
an organism “alive.” For each, give an example of a non-living object that
otherwise fits the definition of “alive.”
Two items that biologists agree are necessary in order to consider an
organism “alive” are: cellular composition and the sharing of the nine
characteristics of order, sensitivity or response to the environment,
reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, regulation,
homeostasis, energy processing, and evolution.

21. Consider the levels of organization of the biological world, and place
each of these items in order from smallest level of organization to most
encompassing: skin cell, elephant, water molecule, planet Earth, tropical
rainforest, hydrogen atom, wolf pack, liver.
Considering the levels of organization of the biological world, the
following items are placed in order from smallest level of organization to
most encompassing: Hydrogen atom, water molecule, skin cell, liver,
elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, and planet Earth.
22. You go for a long walk on a hot day. Give an example of a way in which
homeostasis keeps your body healthy.
A way in which homeostasis keeps my body healthy when I go for a long
walk on a hot day is to keep my body temperature relatively constant to
prevent or mitigate overheating, dehydration and exhaustion.

23. Using examples, explain how biology can be studied from a microscopic
approach to a global approach.
Biology can be studied from a microscopic approach to a global approach
can be explained by using the example of cancer. Researchers may
investigate the molecular structure of a cancer type, its genotype, its
manifestation in a tissue, an organ, a population, a community and an
ecosystem. Research into the impact of changes in the biosphere at the
molecular or atomic level may provide a holistic view of the nature and
causes of a cancer type.

Chapter 2: The Chemical Foundation of Life

ART CONNECTION QUESTIONS

1. Figure 2.3 How many neutrons do carbon-12 and carbon-13 have,
respectively? Carbon-12 and carbon-13 have, respectively, 6 and 7
neutrons.
2. Figure 2.7 An atom may give, take, or share electrons with another atom
to achieve a full valence shell, the most stable electron configuration
Looking at this figure, how many electrons do elements in group 1 need
to lose in order to achieve a stable electron configuration? How many
electrons do elements in groups 14 and 17 need to gain to achieve a
stable configuration? Looking at this figure, 1 electron in group 1 needs
to be lost in order to achieve a stable electron configuration. 4 electrons
 and 1 electron in the elements from groups 14 and 17 must be gained,
respectively, to achieve a stable configuration.
3. Figure 2.24 Which of the following statements is false?
1. Molecules with the formulas CH3CH2COOH and C3H6O2 could be
structural isomers?
2. Molecules must have a double bond to be cis-trans isomers?
3. To be enantiomers, a molecule must have at least three different
atoms or groups connected to a central carbon?
4. To be enantiomers, a molecule must have at least four different
atoms or groups connected to a central carbon?
Answer #3 is false.

REVIEW QUESTIONS
4. If xenon has an atomic number of 54 and a mass number of 108, how
many neutrons does it have?
a. 54 b. 27 c. 100 d. 108
Answer: a. 54

5. Atoms that vary in the number of neutrons found in their nuclei are
called ________.
a. ions
b. neutrons
c. neutral atoms
d. isotopes

Answer: d. isotopes
 6. Potassium has an atomic number of 19. What is its electron
configuration?
a. shells 1 and 2 are full, and shell 3 has nine electrons
b. shells 1, 2 and 3 are full and shell 4 has three electrons
c. shells 1, 2 and 3 are full and shell 4 has one electron
d. shells 1, 2 and 3 are full and no other electrons are present
Answer: c. shells 1, 2, and 3 are full and shell 4 has one electron.

What type of bond represents a weak chemical bond?

A. hydrogen bond
B. atomic bond
C. covalent bond
d. nonpolar covalent bond
Answer: a. Hydrogen bond

Which of the following statements is not true?

A. Water is polar.
B. Water stabilizes temperature.
C. Water is essential for life.
D. Water is the most abundant molecule in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Answer: D
0
9. When acids are added to a solution, the pH should ________.
a. decrease
b. increase
c. stay the same
d. cannot tell without testing
Answer: a. decrease

10. A molecule that binds up excess hydrogen ions in a solution is called

a(n) ________.
a. acid
b. isotope
c. base
d. donator
Answer: c. base

11. Which of the following statements is true?

a. Acids and bases cannot mix together.
b. Acids and bases will neutralize each other.
c. Acids, but not bases, can change the pH of a
solution.
d. Acids donate hydroxide ions (OH–); bases
donate hydrogen ions (H+).
Answer: d.

12. Each carbon molecule can bond with as many as________ other
atom(s) or molecule(s).
a. one
b. two
c. six
d. four
Answer: d.

13. Which of the following is not a functional group that can bond with
carbon?
a. sodium
b. hydroxyl
c. phosphate
d. carbonyl
Answer: a. sodium

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

14. What makes ionic bonds different from covalent bonds?
One, two, or three pairs of electrons may be shared, making single,
double, and triple bonds, respectively. The more covalent bonds
between two atoms, the stronger their connection. Thus, triple
bonds are the strongest.
“Ionic bonds are formed between ions with opposite charges. For
instance, positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged
chloride ions bond together to make crystals of sodium chloride, or
table salt, creating a crystalline molecule with zero net charge.
Another way the octet rule can be satisfied is by the sharing of
electrons between atoms to form covalent bonds. These bonds are
stronger and much more common than ionic bonds in the molecules
of living organisms. Covalent bonds are commonly found in carbon-
based organic molecules, such as our DNA and proteins. Covalent
bonds are also found in inorganic molecules like H2O, CO2, and O2.
One, two, or three pairs of electrons may be shared, making single,
double, and triple bonds, respectively. The more covalent bonds
between two atoms, the stronger their connection. Thus, triple
bonds are the strongest.”
15. Why are hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions necessary
for cells?
“Ionic and covalent bonds between elements require energy to break.
Ionic bonds are not as strong as covalent, which determines their
behavior in biological systems. However, not all bonds are ionic or
covalent bonds. Weaker bonds can also form between molecules. Two
weak bonds that occur frequently are hydrogen bonds and van der
Waals interactions. Without these two types of bonds, life as we know it
would not exist. Hydrogen bonds provide many of the critical, life-
sustaining properties of water and also stabilize the structures of
proteins and DNA, the building blocks of cells.
When polar covalent bonds containing hydrogen form, the hydrogen in
that bond has a slightly positive charge because hydrogen’s electron is
pulled more strongly toward the other element and away from the
hydrogen. Because the hydrogen is slightly positive, it will be attracted to
neighboring negative charges. When this happens, a weak interaction
occurs between
the δ+ of the hydrogen from one molecule and the δ– charge on the
more electronegative atoms of another molecule, usually oxygen or
nitrogen, or within the same molecule. This interaction is called a
hydrogen bond. This type of bond is common and occurs regularly
between water molecules. Individual hydrogen bonds are weak and
easily broken; however, they occur in very large numbers in water and in
organic polymers, creating a major force in combination. Hydrogen
bonds are also responsible for zipping together the DNA double helix.

Like hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions are weak attractions or
interactions between molecules. Van der Waals attractions can occur
between any two or more molecules and are dependent on slight
fluctuations of the electron densities, which are not always symmetrical
around an atom. For these attractions to happen, the molecules need to
 be very close to one another. These bonds – along with ionic, covalent,
and hydrogen bonds – contribute to the three-dimensional structure of
the proteins in our cells that is necessary for their proper function.”

16. Discuss how buffers help prevent drastic swings in pH.

“Buffers readily absorb excess H+ or OH-, keeping the pH of the body
carefully maintained in the narrow range required for survival. Maintaining a
constant blood pH is critical to a person’s well-being. The buffer maintaining
the pH of human blood involves carbonic acid (H2CO3), bicarbonate ion
(HCO3-), and carbon dioxide (CO2). When bicarbonate ions combine with
free hydrogen ions and become carbonic acid, hydrogen ions are removed,
moderating pH changes. Similarly, excess carbonic acid can be converted to
carbon dioxide gas and exhaled through the lungs. This prevents too many
free hydrogen ions from building up in the blood dangerously reducing the
blood’s pH. Likewise, if too much OH- is introduced into the system,
carbonic acid will combine with it to create bicarbonate, lowering the pH.
Without this buffer system, the body’s pH would fluctuate enough to put
survival in jeopardy.”

17. Why can some insects walk on water?

“Water’s cohesive and adhesive properties allow [some insects such as
the] water strider (Gerris sp.) to [walk on water].”

18. What property of carbon makes it essential for organic

life?
Carbon is a molecule essential in the formation of “the nucleic acids,
proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids that are the fundamental
components of living matter. Biologists must understand these
important building blocks and the unique structures of the atoms that
 make up [carbon and other] molecules, allowing for the formation of
cells, tissues, organ systems, and entire organisms.”

19. Compare and contrast saturated and unsaturated triglycerides.

“In triglycerides (fats and oils), long carbon chains known as fatty acids
may contain double bonds, which can be in either the cis or trans
configuration. Fats with at least one double bond between carbon atoms
are unsaturated fats. When some of these bonds are in the cis
configuration, the resulting bend in the carbon backbone of the chain
means that triglyceride molecules cannot pack tightly, so they remain
liquid (oil) at room temperature. On the other hand, triglycerides with
trans double bonds (popularly called trans fats), have relatively linear
Fatty acids that are able to pack tightly together at room temperature
and form solid fats. In the human diet, trans fats are linked to an
increased risk of cardiovascular disease, so many food manufacturers
have reduced or eliminated their use in recent years. In contrast to
unsaturated fats, triglycerides without double bonds between carbon
atoms are called saturated fats, meaning that they contain all the
hydrogen atoms available. Saturated fats are a solid at room
temperature and usually of animal origin.”

3 BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

3.4 Proteins
“All enzymes increase the rate of reaction and, therefore, are considered to
be organic catalysts. An example of an enzyme is salivary amylase, which
hydrolyzes its substrate amylose, a component of starch.”
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