Bio 2A03 Final Exam Prep/ BIO 2A03 Exam|Ques ons
and answers | Updated RATED A+ 2026
What are two factors that influence phenotypes?
gene cs and the environment in both adulthood and development
What can physiological varia on lead to?
it can influence performance and reproduc ve success -> physiology evolved over me
(because environments change) and contributes to animal biodiversity
What are the unifying themes in physiology?
1- Integra ve
2- Obeys the laws of chemistry and physics
3- physiological processes are o$en regulated
4- Physiological processes are shaped by evolu on
How is physiology integra ve?
looks are how organisms work across mul ple levels of biological organiza on -> understanding
it helps us understand ecology and conserva on eg. Porcelain crabs being impacted by the
climate change because warming temperatures impact their heart's func on
How does physiology obey the laws of chemistry and physics?
physiology relies on processes like diffusion for instance diffusion of oxygen to cells in
organisms. Knowing that diffusion is important that helps us understand the effects of
temperature on physiology (things like enzyme kine cs or how electrical poten als work).
Understanding physics and electricity. Things like mechanical theory with flow pressure
resistance and ssue proper es
Why do larger animals have propor onally thicker limb bones than smaller animals?
bone strength is determined by bone diameter. larger animals have a larger volume and
therefore to support more weight they need thicker bones
What two strategies fo animals use to cope with chaining condi ons the external environment?
Do they strictly have to follow these strategies?
,Either regula on or conforming. not necessarily, they can be regulators for some physiological
parameters but conformers for some others
What is an example of an animal u lizes both regula on and conformity?
lizards conform to external temperature, but regulate internal salt concentra on
what is the strategy of a regulatory animal?
maintain rela vely constant internal condi ons?
what is the strategy of a conformer animal?
allow internal condi on to change
What is homeostasis
refers to the maintenance of internal bodily condi ons during environmental or there
perturba ons
how is homeostasis o$en maintained?
either through nega ve feedback loops or antagonis c controls
how do nega ve feedback loops work? provide an example
there a detec on of change is the regulated variable and then there is a response of the
regulatory system to oppose the change -> blood glucose level is regulated via a nega ve
feedback loop:
when it rises following a meal an error signal increases leading to a regulatory mechanism to be
ac va on causing the level of glucose in the blood to decrease and thereby decreases the error
signal
How do antagonis c controls work?provide and an example
they exert opposite effects and o$en provide fine-tunes regula on at a 'set point' (e.g.
mammalian body temperature, regulated at 37 degrees)
when body temperature increases -> heat dissipa on mechanisms are ac ve and heat
produc on mechanisms are shut off -> this allows for fine tunes regula on at a set point
What do animals o$en (though not always) do in response to prolonged changes in the
environment to improve func on?
They will remodel their physiology machinery in order to perform be7er in the new
environment.
what is acclima za on?
,this occurs in adults in response to natural environmental varia on and is usually reversible
what is the difference between acclima za on and acclima on?
same as above, but in response to a controlled change in a lab environment
what is developmental plas city?
refers to change synth nervous system in response to environmental s mula on that occurs
during development and due to learning -> this occurs in early life and can o$en be irreversible
Difference between cold and warm acclimated zebrafish in terms of maximum sustainable
swimming speed?
when warm acclimated (28 degrees) are placed in cold water (18 degrees) their maximum
suitable swimming speed is significantly lower than cold acclimated fish.
What is the Cambrian explosion, how is it important for understanding physiology?
mul cellular animals arose 500-600 million years ago and all animal phyla were establishsed.
The earliest animals possessed many features necessary for the later evolu on of other animals
groups
What features are necessary for the later evolu on of other animal groups?
district ssues (cnidarians, like jelly fish) -> discrete body cavi es, centraliza on of nervous
system, gut (early bilaterians)
When did the earliest chordate arise and what was it called?
Arose in the Cambrian, called Pikaia
How are physiological processes shaped by evolu on?
diversifica on in form and func on is a result of evolu on -> can change homologous
phenotypes (those sharing common ancestry) to carry out dis nct func ons -> convergent
evolu on in unrelated taxa can lead to similar phenotypes with similar func ons (analogous
phenotypes)
how are the results of evolu on reflected in the diversifica on of form
structural differences of in intes nes are adap ve in animals based on what predominantly
formulates their diet
How can kine c and poten al energy be in different forms in biological systems?
, Radiant (sun), mechanical (movement), electrical (nerve impulse), thermal (respira on),
chemical (glucose)
How are energy forms converted? why is this essen al?
energy is converted to different forms via chemical reac ons. these are important because most
biological processes involve a transfer of energy from one form to another.
what is metabolism?
the sum of all chemical reac ons in the cell
what is a hydrolysis reac on? what is the opposite?
Breaking up molecules using water (AB +H20 -> A-OH + HB) opposite is condensa on
what is a phosphoryla on reac on and what is the opposite?
addi on of a phosphate onto the molecule (ADP + Pi -> ATP + H20) opposite is
dephosphoryla on
What is an oxida on reduc on reac on?
reac ons that involve molecules geBng oxidized while others are being reduced
what dictates the direc on of reversible reac ons and final concentra on of reactants and
products?
principles of chemical equilibrium
aA+bB->cC+dD
K= [C]c[D]d
[A]a[B]b
what do rates of chemical reac ons depend on?
they depend on the ac va on energy, which is the energy needed to pass through the
transi on state, as well as the temperature and reactant/product concentra ons
What are Enzymes, why are they important? How do they change in a reac on, and what are
their proper es
They are protein catalysts that increase the rate of biochemical reac ons by reducing the
ac va on energy. Most biochemical reac ons are catalyzed or else they would occur too slowly
and answers | Updated RATED A+ 2026
What are two factors that influence phenotypes?
gene cs and the environment in both adulthood and development
What can physiological varia on lead to?
it can influence performance and reproduc ve success -> physiology evolved over me
(because environments change) and contributes to animal biodiversity
What are the unifying themes in physiology?
1- Integra ve
2- Obeys the laws of chemistry and physics
3- physiological processes are o$en regulated
4- Physiological processes are shaped by evolu on
How is physiology integra ve?
looks are how organisms work across mul ple levels of biological organiza on -> understanding
it helps us understand ecology and conserva on eg. Porcelain crabs being impacted by the
climate change because warming temperatures impact their heart's func on
How does physiology obey the laws of chemistry and physics?
physiology relies on processes like diffusion for instance diffusion of oxygen to cells in
organisms. Knowing that diffusion is important that helps us understand the effects of
temperature on physiology (things like enzyme kine cs or how electrical poten als work).
Understanding physics and electricity. Things like mechanical theory with flow pressure
resistance and ssue proper es
Why do larger animals have propor onally thicker limb bones than smaller animals?
bone strength is determined by bone diameter. larger animals have a larger volume and
therefore to support more weight they need thicker bones
What two strategies fo animals use to cope with chaining condi ons the external environment?
Do they strictly have to follow these strategies?
,Either regula on or conforming. not necessarily, they can be regulators for some physiological
parameters but conformers for some others
What is an example of an animal u lizes both regula on and conformity?
lizards conform to external temperature, but regulate internal salt concentra on
what is the strategy of a regulatory animal?
maintain rela vely constant internal condi ons?
what is the strategy of a conformer animal?
allow internal condi on to change
What is homeostasis
refers to the maintenance of internal bodily condi ons during environmental or there
perturba ons
how is homeostasis o$en maintained?
either through nega ve feedback loops or antagonis c controls
how do nega ve feedback loops work? provide an example
there a detec on of change is the regulated variable and then there is a response of the
regulatory system to oppose the change -> blood glucose level is regulated via a nega ve
feedback loop:
when it rises following a meal an error signal increases leading to a regulatory mechanism to be
ac va on causing the level of glucose in the blood to decrease and thereby decreases the error
signal
How do antagonis c controls work?provide and an example
they exert opposite effects and o$en provide fine-tunes regula on at a 'set point' (e.g.
mammalian body temperature, regulated at 37 degrees)
when body temperature increases -> heat dissipa on mechanisms are ac ve and heat
produc on mechanisms are shut off -> this allows for fine tunes regula on at a set point
What do animals o$en (though not always) do in response to prolonged changes in the
environment to improve func on?
They will remodel their physiology machinery in order to perform be7er in the new
environment.
what is acclima za on?
,this occurs in adults in response to natural environmental varia on and is usually reversible
what is the difference between acclima za on and acclima on?
same as above, but in response to a controlled change in a lab environment
what is developmental plas city?
refers to change synth nervous system in response to environmental s mula on that occurs
during development and due to learning -> this occurs in early life and can o$en be irreversible
Difference between cold and warm acclimated zebrafish in terms of maximum sustainable
swimming speed?
when warm acclimated (28 degrees) are placed in cold water (18 degrees) their maximum
suitable swimming speed is significantly lower than cold acclimated fish.
What is the Cambrian explosion, how is it important for understanding physiology?
mul cellular animals arose 500-600 million years ago and all animal phyla were establishsed.
The earliest animals possessed many features necessary for the later evolu on of other animals
groups
What features are necessary for the later evolu on of other animal groups?
district ssues (cnidarians, like jelly fish) -> discrete body cavi es, centraliza on of nervous
system, gut (early bilaterians)
When did the earliest chordate arise and what was it called?
Arose in the Cambrian, called Pikaia
How are physiological processes shaped by evolu on?
diversifica on in form and func on is a result of evolu on -> can change homologous
phenotypes (those sharing common ancestry) to carry out dis nct func ons -> convergent
evolu on in unrelated taxa can lead to similar phenotypes with similar func ons (analogous
phenotypes)
how are the results of evolu on reflected in the diversifica on of form
structural differences of in intes nes are adap ve in animals based on what predominantly
formulates their diet
How can kine c and poten al energy be in different forms in biological systems?
, Radiant (sun), mechanical (movement), electrical (nerve impulse), thermal (respira on),
chemical (glucose)
How are energy forms converted? why is this essen al?
energy is converted to different forms via chemical reac ons. these are important because most
biological processes involve a transfer of energy from one form to another.
what is metabolism?
the sum of all chemical reac ons in the cell
what is a hydrolysis reac on? what is the opposite?
Breaking up molecules using water (AB +H20 -> A-OH + HB) opposite is condensa on
what is a phosphoryla on reac on and what is the opposite?
addi on of a phosphate onto the molecule (ADP + Pi -> ATP + H20) opposite is
dephosphoryla on
What is an oxida on reduc on reac on?
reac ons that involve molecules geBng oxidized while others are being reduced
what dictates the direc on of reversible reac ons and final concentra on of reactants and
products?
principles of chemical equilibrium
aA+bB->cC+dD
K= [C]c[D]d
[A]a[B]b
what do rates of chemical reac ons depend on?
they depend on the ac va on energy, which is the energy needed to pass through the
transi on state, as well as the temperature and reactant/product concentra ons
What are Enzymes, why are they important? How do they change in a reac on, and what are
their proper es
They are protein catalysts that increase the rate of biochemical reac ons by reducing the
ac va on energy. Most biochemical reac ons are catalyzed or else they would occur too slowly
