Chelsea Dancy

BIO 500 - Current Concepts in Biology - Final Exam Fall 2017
Answer Question 8 and ANY 5 Questions for a Total of 6 Questions
1. Biology has a very broad scope and complexity; however there are certain unifying concepts that consolidate Biology into a single, coherent field. Discuss three common concepts of biological science
One common concept is that cells are the basic unit of life. Everything is made up of cells. Cells are the building block all living things. They provide structure and determines what goes in and out.

Another common concept is that evolution is the force behind new species. Evolution is modification in the genetic characteristics of biological populations over consecutive generations. Evolutionary processes …show more content…
We often use the words data, hypothesis, theory and law; what do these terms mean? How do culture, prejudice and personal idiosyncrasies influence science?
Based on an observation you will make an educated guess which is your hypothesis.
A scientific theory summarizes your research that you have tested repeatedly and cannot be changed unless retested again through research.
Data is statistics gathered together for reference and analysis.
Scientific law simplifies a group of observations that predicts the behavior, but it cannot explain why it happens.
The outside world has a lot to do with the influence on science. Many have great ideas and not the resources to achieve their full potential. Also depending on the government and what hey decide what goes public and hat does not. All experiments and findings should be shown to the public good or bad.

3. How is energy captured by cells? Describe the role of ATP in the energy economy of the cell.
4. Discuss evidence for evolution
5. What is meant when we say that a molecule is hydrophilic or hydrophobic? How do hydrophilic molecules pass through biological membranes?
Hydrophobic molecules/particles do not mix with water, they repel it. While, hydrophilic molecules are individuals that cooperate well with …show more content…
So hydrophilic molecules will have difficulty passing through the membrane in nature because of the structure of the lipid membrane. The membrane is be made up of a lipid head that is hydrophobic and tails that are hydrophillic and so the bi-layer forms by consuming the hydrophillic tails facing each other and the hydrophobic lipids on the exterior.

6. Explain what metabolic pathways are and describe the two major types of metabolic pathways
A metabolic pathway is a sequence of steps found in biochemical responses that help change molecules or substrates, into different more usable materials. These reactions happen inside of a cell, where enzymes, or protein molecules, collapse or build up molecules. These enzymes are like stop lights in that they can determine the speed of the metabolic processes.

There are two types of metabolic pathways: catabolic and anabolic. Catabolic pathways release energy while tearing down molecules into simpler molecules. Cellular respiration is one example of a catabolic pathway. During cellular respiration, sugar is taken in by the cell and broken down to release energy that allows us to live. While enzymes in catabolic pathways break down molecules and issue energy out, enzymes in anabolic pathways, or biosynthetic reactions, need energy to convert molecules into more multifaceted