BIOL 203 MIDTERM COMPLETE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
⩥ Macronutrients. Answer: Required in large quantities; play principal
roles in cell structure and metabolism (proteins, carbohydrates)
⩥ Essential Nutrients. Answer: Must be provided to an organism. Two
categories: macronutrients and Micronutrients (trace elements)
⩥ Organic Nutrients. Answer: contain carbon and hydrogen atoms and
are usually the product of living things (methane, carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acids)
⩥ Inorganic Nutrients. Answer: Atom or molecule that contains a
combination of atoms other than carbon and hydrogen (metals and their
salts, gases and water)
⩥ Heterotroph. Answer: Must obtain carbon in an organic form made by
other living organisms (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic
acids)
⩥ Autotroph. Answer: An organism that uses CO2, an inorganic gas as
its carbon source (not nutritionally dependent on other living things)
,⩥ Chemotroph. Answer: Gains energy from chemical compounds
⩥ Phototroph. Answer: Gains energy through photosynthesis
⩥ Active Transport. Answer: Requires energy and carrier proteins;
gradient independent. Forms of active transport: carrier mediated, group
translocation, endocytosis/bulk transport. Note: transport is the
movement of chemicals across the cell membrane.
⩥ Passive Transport. Answer: Does not require energy; substances exist
in a gradient and move from areas of higher concentration toward areas
of lower concentration. Forms of passive transport: diffusion, osmosis,
facilitated diffusion. Note: transport is the movement of chemicals
across the cell membrane.
⩥ Diffusion. Answer: The molecule passes from one side of the
membrane with no assistance via protein or ATP. It is naturally traveling
from an area of high concentration to low concentration
⩥ Osmosis. Answer: Water passes through the membrane from an area
of high water concentration (low solute concentration) to an area of low
water concentration (high solute concentration.)
, ⩥ Facilitated Diffusion. Answer: A molecule passes through a membrane
with the help of a carrier protein. No ATP is involved and it travels from
an area of high concentration to low concentration, but the molecule is
too large, bulky, polar, or charged and cannot pass through the
phospholipid portion of the membrane.
⩥ Carrier Mediated Transport. Answer: Special solute binding proteins
pick up the molecule and bring them to a transporter protein located in
the membrane. ATP is used to pump the molecule through the transporter
protein.
⩥ Group Translocation. Answer: A molecule is captured by a protein
carrier and modified as it passes through the membrane.
⩥ Endocytosis. Answer: The entire membrane makes a pocket and
eventual vesicle and any molecules that are bound to the surface are
brought inside the cell.
⩥ Binary Fission. Answer: The formation of two new cells of
approximately equal size as the result of parent cell division. This occurs
during the bacteria cell division cycle. The parent cell enlarges,
duplicates its chromosome and forms a central transverse septum that
divides the cell into two daughter cell causing an increase in population
growth.
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
⩥ Macronutrients. Answer: Required in large quantities; play principal
roles in cell structure and metabolism (proteins, carbohydrates)
⩥ Essential Nutrients. Answer: Must be provided to an organism. Two
categories: macronutrients and Micronutrients (trace elements)
⩥ Organic Nutrients. Answer: contain carbon and hydrogen atoms and
are usually the product of living things (methane, carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acids)
⩥ Inorganic Nutrients. Answer: Atom or molecule that contains a
combination of atoms other than carbon and hydrogen (metals and their
salts, gases and water)
⩥ Heterotroph. Answer: Must obtain carbon in an organic form made by
other living organisms (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic
acids)
⩥ Autotroph. Answer: An organism that uses CO2, an inorganic gas as
its carbon source (not nutritionally dependent on other living things)
,⩥ Chemotroph. Answer: Gains energy from chemical compounds
⩥ Phototroph. Answer: Gains energy through photosynthesis
⩥ Active Transport. Answer: Requires energy and carrier proteins;
gradient independent. Forms of active transport: carrier mediated, group
translocation, endocytosis/bulk transport. Note: transport is the
movement of chemicals across the cell membrane.
⩥ Passive Transport. Answer: Does not require energy; substances exist
in a gradient and move from areas of higher concentration toward areas
of lower concentration. Forms of passive transport: diffusion, osmosis,
facilitated diffusion. Note: transport is the movement of chemicals
across the cell membrane.
⩥ Diffusion. Answer: The molecule passes from one side of the
membrane with no assistance via protein or ATP. It is naturally traveling
from an area of high concentration to low concentration
⩥ Osmosis. Answer: Water passes through the membrane from an area
of high water concentration (low solute concentration) to an area of low
water concentration (high solute concentration.)
, ⩥ Facilitated Diffusion. Answer: A molecule passes through a membrane
with the help of a carrier protein. No ATP is involved and it travels from
an area of high concentration to low concentration, but the molecule is
too large, bulky, polar, or charged and cannot pass through the
phospholipid portion of the membrane.
⩥ Carrier Mediated Transport. Answer: Special solute binding proteins
pick up the molecule and bring them to a transporter protein located in
the membrane. ATP is used to pump the molecule through the transporter
protein.
⩥ Group Translocation. Answer: A molecule is captured by a protein
carrier and modified as it passes through the membrane.
⩥ Endocytosis. Answer: The entire membrane makes a pocket and
eventual vesicle and any molecules that are bound to the surface are
brought inside the cell.
⩥ Binary Fission. Answer: The formation of two new cells of
approximately equal size as the result of parent cell division. This occurs
during the bacteria cell division cycle. The parent cell enlarges,
duplicates its chromosome and forms a central transverse septum that
divides the cell into two daughter cell causing an increase in population
growth.
