Biology 211 Exam 1 - Iowa State University
✅✅
What are the 5 fundamental traits of life? With these traits in mind, are
viruses alive? What evidence supports your conclusion? - --Energy
Use and Metabolism
-Cell Theory
-Information, Genetics
-Replication or reproduction
-Biological Evolution
-No, viruses are not alive because they do not have cells.
How do hypotheses and theories differ? What do scientists mean by
✅✅
"theory" and does this mean the same thing as "in theory" that
non-scientists may say in conversation? Explain. - -A hypothesis is a
constructed idea before any applicable research has been done. A theory
is an idea supported by evidence.
When scientists say theory, they mean something that is true and
supported by evidence. When it is used in everyday conversations, it is
simply an idea that hasn't been proven, aka a hypothesis.
✅✅
Write the Cell Theory in your own words. Did the Cell Theory challenge or
support the concept of spontaneous generation? Explain. - -Cell
Theory: All cells come from pre-existing cells.
The Cell Theory challenged Spontaneous Generation and tested against it
through the Pasteur Flask Experiments.
Outline Pasteur's swan-necked flask experiment. What was the one
✅✅
variable that differed between the test and experimental groups? Why is it
important to test one variable at a time? - -Pasteur was comparing the
ideas of spontaneous generation and cell theory against each other. To do
this, he first set up an experiment where he had a straight neck flask filled
with broth. He boiled all of the bacteria out of the broth and left it to sit. After
a couple of days, there were bacterial cells. He then took a straight necked
flask and bent it into a swan necked flask. He then performed the same
experiment, boiling broth in both flasks and leaving them. After a couple of
weeks, the straight necked flask had bacterial cells in it again, but the swan
neck did not. Instead, the cells clumped inside the bend in the neck.
It's important to test one variable at a time so that the experiment isn't
overwhelmed and you can keep track of each variable that you're testing.
✅✅
What were the 2 claims made by Wallace and Darwin as they described the
process of evolution? - -All species are related by common ancestry
, ✅✅
decreases overall fertility lead to greater or lesser fitness of the affected
individuals? - -Individuals must vary in characteristics that are
heritable and in a certain environment, certain versions of these traits can
help individuals reproduce more than other versions.
A trait that increases lifespans but decreases overall fertility would lead to
lesser fitness in the affected individuals.
What is the smallest unit that can evolve? Do individuals evolve? - ✅✅ -A
population is the smallest unit that can evolve. Individuals do not evolve.
If you continuously bred large-pod peas to other large-pod peas, would you
✅✅
expect the average pod size to get smaller or larger? Why? What is this
process called? - -You would expect the average pod size to get
larger because it is a desirable heritable trait due to natural selection.
✅✅
Distinguish between fitness and adaptation? What organism are the most
evolutionarily fit? - -Fitness is how well you produce offspring and how
well they produce offspring. Adaptation is a trait that increases the fitness of
an individual in a certain environment.
✅✅
Diagram the central dogma of genetics. Label the 3 steps in order, from
DNA to protein. - -Molecular machinery makes copies of DNA in a
closely related molecule known as RNA, which is translated into protein.
Why did Carl Woese and his colleagues compare ribosomal RNA to build
✅✅
their phylogenetic trees? Could they have used the gene for a protein like
keratin or pilin? Why or why not? - -Woese and his colleagues
compared ribosomal RNA to build their phylogenetic trees because it is
very simple and every organism uses ribosomes to make proteins. They
couldn't have used the gene for proteins like keratin and pilin because not
every organism produces those. However, all of them have some sort of
ribosomal RNA.
✅✅
Given the 3 RNA sequences, draw a phylogenetic tree that accurately
represents the relationship between the 3 species. - -
What discoveries did Dr. Woese and his group make about:
✅✅
1. Archaea and Bacteria
2. Fungus, Animals, and Plants - -Although Archaea and Bacteria are
very similar in structure, Archaea are more closely related to Eukaryotes
than Bacteria.
✅✅
What are the 5 fundamental traits of life? With these traits in mind, are
viruses alive? What evidence supports your conclusion? - --Energy
Use and Metabolism
-Cell Theory
-Information, Genetics
-Replication or reproduction
-Biological Evolution
-No, viruses are not alive because they do not have cells.
How do hypotheses and theories differ? What do scientists mean by
✅✅
"theory" and does this mean the same thing as "in theory" that
non-scientists may say in conversation? Explain. - -A hypothesis is a
constructed idea before any applicable research has been done. A theory
is an idea supported by evidence.
When scientists say theory, they mean something that is true and
supported by evidence. When it is used in everyday conversations, it is
simply an idea that hasn't been proven, aka a hypothesis.
✅✅
Write the Cell Theory in your own words. Did the Cell Theory challenge or
support the concept of spontaneous generation? Explain. - -Cell
Theory: All cells come from pre-existing cells.
The Cell Theory challenged Spontaneous Generation and tested against it
through the Pasteur Flask Experiments.
Outline Pasteur's swan-necked flask experiment. What was the one
✅✅
variable that differed between the test and experimental groups? Why is it
important to test one variable at a time? - -Pasteur was comparing the
ideas of spontaneous generation and cell theory against each other. To do
this, he first set up an experiment where he had a straight neck flask filled
with broth. He boiled all of the bacteria out of the broth and left it to sit. After
a couple of days, there were bacterial cells. He then took a straight necked
flask and bent it into a swan necked flask. He then performed the same
experiment, boiling broth in both flasks and leaving them. After a couple of
weeks, the straight necked flask had bacterial cells in it again, but the swan
neck did not. Instead, the cells clumped inside the bend in the neck.
It's important to test one variable at a time so that the experiment isn't
overwhelmed and you can keep track of each variable that you're testing.
✅✅
What were the 2 claims made by Wallace and Darwin as they described the
process of evolution? - -All species are related by common ancestry
, ✅✅
decreases overall fertility lead to greater or lesser fitness of the affected
individuals? - -Individuals must vary in characteristics that are
heritable and in a certain environment, certain versions of these traits can
help individuals reproduce more than other versions.
A trait that increases lifespans but decreases overall fertility would lead to
lesser fitness in the affected individuals.
What is the smallest unit that can evolve? Do individuals evolve? - ✅✅ -A
population is the smallest unit that can evolve. Individuals do not evolve.
If you continuously bred large-pod peas to other large-pod peas, would you
✅✅
expect the average pod size to get smaller or larger? Why? What is this
process called? - -You would expect the average pod size to get
larger because it is a desirable heritable trait due to natural selection.
✅✅
Distinguish between fitness and adaptation? What organism are the most
evolutionarily fit? - -Fitness is how well you produce offspring and how
well they produce offspring. Adaptation is a trait that increases the fitness of
an individual in a certain environment.
✅✅
Diagram the central dogma of genetics. Label the 3 steps in order, from
DNA to protein. - -Molecular machinery makes copies of DNA in a
closely related molecule known as RNA, which is translated into protein.
Why did Carl Woese and his colleagues compare ribosomal RNA to build
✅✅
their phylogenetic trees? Could they have used the gene for a protein like
keratin or pilin? Why or why not? - -Woese and his colleagues
compared ribosomal RNA to build their phylogenetic trees because it is
very simple and every organism uses ribosomes to make proteins. They
couldn't have used the gene for proteins like keratin and pilin because not
every organism produces those. However, all of them have some sort of
ribosomal RNA.
✅✅
Given the 3 RNA sequences, draw a phylogenetic tree that accurately
represents the relationship between the 3 species. - -
What discoveries did Dr. Woese and his group make about:
✅✅
1. Archaea and Bacteria
2. Fungus, Animals, and Plants - -Although Archaea and Bacteria are
very similar in structure, Archaea are more closely related to Eukaryotes
than Bacteria.
