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Biology 110 – Lab Exam 2 – Study Guide A+
In general, Lab Exam 2 will be a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions that will
test your knowledge of biological principles and procedures, your application of scientific
method, your ability to understand graphs, and your ability to think critically and analytically.
The labs covered are: 6) Cell Cycle & Division, 7) Genotypes & Phenotypes, 8) Molecular
Genetics, 9) Population Genetics & Evolution, and 10) Population Ecology.
In General
1. Review the introductory/background material in each lab. Refer back to your lecture notes
and/or the textbook to clarify and/or expand.
2. Pay special attention to any terms or sentences highlighted by bold typeface.
3. Review your data from the labs. Consider the expected outcomes of various lab exercises.
4. Review the questions asked in the lab worksheets and each lab Quiz 2.
5. Be able to construct a null hypothesis. This has been a consistent theme – it’s going to be
on the exam.
6. Be able to use statistical tests to evaluate a null hypothesis.
7. The following questions will help you study. These are not the questions that will be on the
exam; they have been compiled to help you study the material.
Cell Cycle & Division
1. Why is understanding the cell cycle and cell division important?
The cell cycle is the most important process in the growth of an organism.
Cell cycle is the fundamental process by which a cell matures, synthesizes
DNA and divides to form daughter cells. All multicellular organisms use cell
division for growth, maintenance and repair of cells and tissues. Unicellular
organisms use this process to reproduce.
2. Describe the phases of the cell cycle.
a. Which phases are in interphase?
G1, S, and G2
b. Which phases are in mitosis? (*think PMAT)
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
c. Which phase does DNA replicate (also known as DNA synthesis)? Is DNA replicated
in G1 or G2 phase?
DNA replicates in G2
d. Which phase results in two new cells?
M phase (Mitosis)
3. What are homologous chromosomes? Would you expect to find homologous chromosomes
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, in human egg and sperm cells? Why or why not?
Chromosome pairs (one from each parent) that are similar in length, gene
position-banding, and centromere location. Homologous chromosomes are similar but not
identical. Each carries the same genes in the same order, but the alleles for each trait may not
be the same. Human sperm and eggs, which have only one homologous chromosome from each
pair, are said to be haploid (1n)
4. What are chromatids and where would you expect to find chromatids, before or after DNA
replication?
A chromatid is one of 2 identical halves of a chromosome that has been replicated in
preparation for cell division. The 2 sister chromatids are then joined at the centromere.
5. What is the primary role of spindle fibers?
These are microtubules (you can think of them like strings) that are attached to kinetochores
on the centromere and help pull the sister chromatids apart. They are filaments that form the mitotic
spindle in mitosis and meiosis which help move and segregate the chromosomes during cell division.
6. Define the terms ploidy, diploid (2n) and haploid (1n)
Ploidy- The number of sets of chromosomes in a cell
Diploid (2n)- When a cell contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent
Haploid (1n)- Having a single set of chromosomes
7. Which cells in the human body undergo mitosis and do you think these cells are genetically
identical or different from each other? Are the daughter cells 2n or 1n?
Somatic cells, adult stem cells, and the cells in the embryo are the 3 types of cells that
undergo mitosis. The result of mitosis is 2 genetically identical daughter cells, all having 2n
chromosomes.
8. Which cells in the human body undergo meiosis and do you think these cells are genetically
identical or different from each other? Are the daughter cells 2n or 1n?
Germ cells undergo meiosis, giving rise to sperm or egg. These cells are genetically
different than each other and produce 1n haploid daughter cells.
9. Homologous chromosomes only pair during meiosis. Why is this pairing important?
The pairing up of homologous chromosomes during meiosis is important to promote
genetic variation. Because of the genetic recombination that occurs between homologous pairs
at meiosis, the resulting haploid gametes contain chromosomes that are genetically different from
each other.
10. Why are gametes (egg and sperm) in plant cells produced by mitosis and not meiosis?
Plants make their gametes by mitosis. This is because in meiosis the daughter cells only
contain half the number of gametes. Plants reproduce by asexual reproduction, so the cells will
be identical to the plant. This is done by mitosis
2
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Biology 110 – Lab Exam 2 – Study Guide A+
In general, Lab Exam 2 will be a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions that will
test your knowledge of biological principles and procedures, your application of scientific
method, your ability to understand graphs, and your ability to think critically and analytically.
The labs covered are: 6) Cell Cycle & Division, 7) Genotypes & Phenotypes, 8) Molecular
Genetics, 9) Population Genetics & Evolution, and 10) Population Ecology.
In General
1. Review the introductory/background material in each lab. Refer back to your lecture notes
and/or the textbook to clarify and/or expand.
2. Pay special attention to any terms or sentences highlighted by bold typeface.
3. Review your data from the labs. Consider the expected outcomes of various lab exercises.
4. Review the questions asked in the lab worksheets and each lab Quiz 2.
5. Be able to construct a null hypothesis. This has been a consistent theme – it’s going to be
on the exam.
6. Be able to use statistical tests to evaluate a null hypothesis.
7. The following questions will help you study. These are not the questions that will be on the
exam; they have been compiled to help you study the material.
Cell Cycle & Division
1. Why is understanding the cell cycle and cell division important?
The cell cycle is the most important process in the growth of an organism.
Cell cycle is the fundamental process by which a cell matures, synthesizes
DNA and divides to form daughter cells. All multicellular organisms use cell
division for growth, maintenance and repair of cells and tissues. Unicellular
organisms use this process to reproduce.
2. Describe the phases of the cell cycle.
a. Which phases are in interphase?
G1, S, and G2
b. Which phases are in mitosis? (*think PMAT)
Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
c. Which phase does DNA replicate (also known as DNA synthesis)? Is DNA replicated
in G1 or G2 phase?
DNA replicates in G2
d. Which phase results in two new cells?
M phase (Mitosis)
3. What are homologous chromosomes? Would you expect to find homologous chromosomes
1|Page
, in human egg and sperm cells? Why or why not?
Chromosome pairs (one from each parent) that are similar in length, gene
position-banding, and centromere location. Homologous chromosomes are similar but not
identical. Each carries the same genes in the same order, but the alleles for each trait may not
be the same. Human sperm and eggs, which have only one homologous chromosome from each
pair, are said to be haploid (1n)
4. What are chromatids and where would you expect to find chromatids, before or after DNA
replication?
A chromatid is one of 2 identical halves of a chromosome that has been replicated in
preparation for cell division. The 2 sister chromatids are then joined at the centromere.
5. What is the primary role of spindle fibers?
These are microtubules (you can think of them like strings) that are attached to kinetochores
on the centromere and help pull the sister chromatids apart. They are filaments that form the mitotic
spindle in mitosis and meiosis which help move and segregate the chromosomes during cell division.
6. Define the terms ploidy, diploid (2n) and haploid (1n)
Ploidy- The number of sets of chromosomes in a cell
Diploid (2n)- When a cell contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent
Haploid (1n)- Having a single set of chromosomes
7. Which cells in the human body undergo mitosis and do you think these cells are genetically
identical or different from each other? Are the daughter cells 2n or 1n?
Somatic cells, adult stem cells, and the cells in the embryo are the 3 types of cells that
undergo mitosis. The result of mitosis is 2 genetically identical daughter cells, all having 2n
chromosomes.
8. Which cells in the human body undergo meiosis and do you think these cells are genetically
identical or different from each other? Are the daughter cells 2n or 1n?
Germ cells undergo meiosis, giving rise to sperm or egg. These cells are genetically
different than each other and produce 1n haploid daughter cells.
9. Homologous chromosomes only pair during meiosis. Why is this pairing important?
The pairing up of homologous chromosomes during meiosis is important to promote
genetic variation. Because of the genetic recombination that occurs between homologous pairs
at meiosis, the resulting haploid gametes contain chromosomes that are genetically different from
each other.
10. Why are gametes (egg and sperm) in plant cells produced by mitosis and not meiosis?
Plants make their gametes by mitosis. This is because in meiosis the daughter cells only
contain half the number of gametes. Plants reproduce by asexual reproduction, so the cells will
be identical to the plant. This is done by mitosis
2
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