biology paper one

• Microscopes


  Normal light microscope can see cells and nucleus, electron microscope can see subcellular structures in more detail
• Calculating cell size


  1. Measure image size

  2. Divide by magnification
• Eukaryotic cells


  Have a nucleus containing DNA
• Prokaryotic cells


  Do not have a nucleus, DNA is in a ring called a plasmid
• Cell structures


  • Cell membrane
  • Cell wall (plant cells and bacteria)
  • Cytoplasm
  • Mitochondria
  • Ribosomes
  • Chloroplasts (plant cells)
• Bacterial binary fission


  1. Number doubles every 10 minutes

  2. Practical: Grow culture on agar plate using aseptic technique

  3. Calculate size of culture from initial drop or area not grown
• Diploid cells


  Have 23 pairs of chromosomes
• Haploid cells


  Have 23 single chromosomes
• Mitosis


  1. Genetic material duplicated

  2. Nucleus breaks down

  3. Chromosomes pulled to opposite sides

  4. New nuclei form
• Specialised cell types


  • Nerve
  • Muscle
  • Root hair
  • Xylem
  • Phloem
• Stem cells


  Unspecialised cells that can differentiate into different cell types
• Diffusion


  Movement of molecules/particles from high to low concentration, down concentration gradient, passive process
• Osmosis


  Diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane
• Practical: Osmosis


  1. Cut potato cylinders

  2. Weigh and place in sugar solutions

  3. Reweigh after a day

  4. Calculate percentage change in mass

  5. Plot against sugar concentration to find no change point
• Active transport


  Using energy to move substances against a concentration gradient
• Digestive system processes


  • Stomach acid breakdown
  • Bile emulsifies fats
  • Enzymes break down food molecules
• Enzymes


  Biological catalysts that are specific to certain substrates, work on a lock and key principle
• Practical: Enzyme activity


  1. Mix amylase and starch at different temperatures or pH

  2. Test for starch breakdown over time

  3. Plot time taken vs temperature/pH to find optimum
• Food tests


  • Iodine for starch
  • Benedict's solution for sugars
  • Biuret's reagent for proteins
  • Ethanol for lipids
• Breathing vs respiration


  Breathing provides oxygen for respiration to occur in cells
• Gas exchange in lungs

  1. Air moves down trachea to alveoli

  2. Oxygen diffuses into blood

  3. Carbon dioxide diffuses out
• Circulatory system


  Double circulatory system, deoxygenated blood enters right side of heart, oxygenated blood leaves left side
• Blood components


  • Red blood cells
  • White blood cells
  • Platelets
  • Plasma
• Coronary artery


  Supplies oxygen to heart muscle
• Non-communicable diseases


  Caused by internal factors, e.g. cardiovascular disease, allergies, cancer
• Communicable diseases


  Caused by external pathogens, e.g. infectious diseases
• Coronary artery


  Delivers blood to the heart muscle to supply oxygen
• Heart attack


  Caused by blockage of coronary arteries leading to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
• Stents


  Little tubes inserted into blood vessels to keep them open and allow blood flow
• Statins


  Drugs that reduce cholesterol and fatty deposits
• Heart valves


  Can become faulty, leading to backflow, and may need replacement with artificial ones
• Blood


  Carries plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)


  An example of a non-communicable disease caused by factors within the body
• Examples of non-communicable diseases

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Autoimmune conditions
  • Cancer
• Communicable disease


  Caused by a pathogen (virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite) entering the body
• Carcinogen


  Anything that increases the risk of cancer
• Benign cancer


  Doesn't spread through the body and is relatively easy to treat
• Malignant cancer

  Cancerous cells spread through the body
• Photosynthesis

  Process in plant cells that uses chlorophyll to convert light energy, carbon dioxide, and water into glucose
• Transpiration

  The evaporation of water from the leaves of plants