CSU LIFE 102 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
SOLUTIONS VERIFIED A+
◉ True or False: covalent bonds are stronger than ionic and
hydrogen bonds because atoms that are joined with covalent bonds
share electrons
Answer: True
◉ An e- in a hydrogen atom exists in the first valence shell. The
valence e- of Aluminum exist in the 3rd shell. Which valence shell e-
have higher potential energy and why?
Answer: the valence e- of aluminum, bc higher e- shells have higher
energy
◉ A covalent bond is likely to be polar when
Answer: one atoms sharing e- is much more electronegative than the
other atom
◉ What property of water allows the formation of water droplets?
Answer: Cohesion
,◉ How many molecules are present in one mole of the hydrocarbon,
Cyclohexane (c6h12)
Answer: 6.02x 10^23
◉ Scientific theory
Answer: an explanation about the natural world is based on facts,
laws, and widely tested hypotheses
◉ Processing energy, growing, reproducing, evolutionary
adaptations, and more are examples of
Answer: the unity of life
◉ when atoms are assembled into compounds, traits in those
compounds that are not present in the original atoms are an
example of
Answer: emergent properties
◉ If you change the # of neutrons in an atom, you create an...
Answer: isotope
◉ about 25 of the 92 natural elements are known to be essential to
life. which four of these 25 elements make up approximately 96% of
living matter?
,Answer: CHON: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
◉ True or false: ionic bonds form when two charged ions (such as
Na+ and Cl-) share an electron
Answer: False
◉ Water is able to form hydrogen bonds because
Answer: the bonds that hold together the atoms in a water molecule
are polar covalent bonds
◉ Why does ice float in water?
Answer: Stable hydrogen bonds keep water molecules of ice further
apart than water molecules of liquid water (crystaline structure)
◉ Why are hydrocarbons insuluable in water?
Answer: the majority of their bonds are nonpolar covalent carbon-
to-hydrogen linkages
◉ Organic molecules show an array of diversity in structure, thus
demonstrating a diversity in function. Which does NOT contribute to
the formation of this diversity?
Answer: can rotate around double bonds
, correct: carbon chain branching, carbon chain length, ability to form
rings, double bond position (CANT ROTATE AROUND DOUBLE
BONDS)
◉ Structural Isomers
Answer: same chemical formula, but different bonding, shape or
orientation
◉ Enantiomers
Answer: mirror images
◉ Cis- isomer
Answer: same side (ex. bottom)
◉ trans isomer
Answer: opposite sides
◉ You find an unknown liquid in a lab When you test the pH, you
find that the [c] of OH- is much higher than H+. What does this tell
you about the properties of this liquid?
Answer: It is a base
GUIDE 2026 BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
SOLUTIONS VERIFIED A+
◉ True or False: covalent bonds are stronger than ionic and
hydrogen bonds because atoms that are joined with covalent bonds
share electrons
Answer: True
◉ An e- in a hydrogen atom exists in the first valence shell. The
valence e- of Aluminum exist in the 3rd shell. Which valence shell e-
have higher potential energy and why?
Answer: the valence e- of aluminum, bc higher e- shells have higher
energy
◉ A covalent bond is likely to be polar when
Answer: one atoms sharing e- is much more electronegative than the
other atom
◉ What property of water allows the formation of water droplets?
Answer: Cohesion
,◉ How many molecules are present in one mole of the hydrocarbon,
Cyclohexane (c6h12)
Answer: 6.02x 10^23
◉ Scientific theory
Answer: an explanation about the natural world is based on facts,
laws, and widely tested hypotheses
◉ Processing energy, growing, reproducing, evolutionary
adaptations, and more are examples of
Answer: the unity of life
◉ when atoms are assembled into compounds, traits in those
compounds that are not present in the original atoms are an
example of
Answer: emergent properties
◉ If you change the # of neutrons in an atom, you create an...
Answer: isotope
◉ about 25 of the 92 natural elements are known to be essential to
life. which four of these 25 elements make up approximately 96% of
living matter?
,Answer: CHON: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
◉ True or false: ionic bonds form when two charged ions (such as
Na+ and Cl-) share an electron
Answer: False
◉ Water is able to form hydrogen bonds because
Answer: the bonds that hold together the atoms in a water molecule
are polar covalent bonds
◉ Why does ice float in water?
Answer: Stable hydrogen bonds keep water molecules of ice further
apart than water molecules of liquid water (crystaline structure)
◉ Why are hydrocarbons insuluable in water?
Answer: the majority of their bonds are nonpolar covalent carbon-
to-hydrogen linkages
◉ Organic molecules show an array of diversity in structure, thus
demonstrating a diversity in function. Which does NOT contribute to
the formation of this diversity?
Answer: can rotate around double bonds
, correct: carbon chain branching, carbon chain length, ability to form
rings, double bond position (CANT ROTATE AROUND DOUBLE
BONDS)
◉ Structural Isomers
Answer: same chemical formula, but different bonding, shape or
orientation
◉ Enantiomers
Answer: mirror images
◉ Cis- isomer
Answer: same side (ex. bottom)
◉ trans isomer
Answer: opposite sides
◉ You find an unknown liquid in a lab When you test the pH, you
find that the [c] of OH- is much higher than H+. What does this tell
you about the properties of this liquid?
Answer: It is a base
