Name: _____________________ Date: _______________Period______________

Biology Mid-Term Study Guide

This study guide packet is due the day of the mid-term exam. You must
complete it and bring it with you when you come to take the test.
The following review covers the chapters in the first semester. To properly
prepare for the exam you should:
1. Review this packet
2. Organize and review your notes
3. Start Early!!
4. It is advised to work on your study guide one page at a time instead of doing
it all at once.
Remember: Your exam accounts for 20% of your final semester grade!

Good Luck!

Unit 1: Scientific Processes

1. Read the experimental design and answer the questions:
A group of students was trying to determine which type of soil would rose bushes grow the
tallest in. They had five rose bushes that they planted in five different types of soil. The size
of the pots were the same, they were watered the same amount and kept in the same light and
temperature conditions.
a. What was the problem?

b. What was the independent variable?

c. What was the dependent variable?

2. Another group of students were trying to determine at what temperature a newly discovered
fish will thrive. They set up four different aquariums and kept each at different temperatures.
They put 100 fish in each tank and then counted how many were alive at the end of a week.
a. What was the problem?

b. What was the independent variable?

c. What was the dependent variable?

d. What conditions need to be kept constant during the experiment?

3. In the following experiment described below, you are to arrange the information in logical
order of the scientific method. Match each description with the steps listed below and write
the step in the blank provided.
Problem (question to be answered)
Hypothesis (educated guess before testing)
Procedure (the experiment)
Data (observations made during the experiment)
Conclusion (answer to the problem based on testing results)
____________________Dive down and observe sponges for several hours.
Identify any predators.
____________________After hours of observation, I would say that only small
tropical fish feed upon the sponge.
____________________What marine life feed upon sponges?
____________________During hour #1, only tropical fish fed on sponges.
During hour #2, only tropical fish fed on sponges. During hour #3, only tropical
fish fed on sponges.
____________________Sharks feed on sponges.
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4. Graph the following data in the graph boxes provided below.

Unit 2: Cell Theory

5. List the 7 characteristics of all living things:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
6. What is biology?

7. What is homeostasis?
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8. Define sexual and asexual reproduction.

9. Label the diagram of the microscope.

10.

What
is the

function of the following parts of the microscope?

a. diaphragm:

f.

objective lens:

b. course adjustment:

g. light source:

c. fine adjustment:

h. base:

d. stage clips:

i. body tube:

e. eyepiece:

j. arm:

11. What is a cell?

12. What are the three parts of the cell theory?
a.
b.
c.
13. What is a prokaryotic cell? What is a eukaryotic cell?

14. What are three differences between a plant cell and an animal cell?

15. Matching: Next to each organelle, write the letter of its function
______ mitochondria
a. where proteins are made
______ cell membrane

b. site of photosynthesis in plants, contains chlorophyll

______ cell wall

c. transport system of the cell
______endoplasmic reticulum
e. provides support and protection for plant cell
______nucleus
f. storage area for the cells
______ vacuole
g. powerhouse of the cell, makes energy
______chloroplasts
_______ribosome

h. control center of the cell, contains the genetic

information
i.

is selectively permeable, controls what goes in and out

of the cell

16. Explain the function of the Golgi apparatus, lysosome, and cytoskeleton.

17. What is a polar molecule? Why is water a polar molecule? Name a few of the special
characteristics of water.

18. Label the diagrams of the cells below:

Animal Cell:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.

Plant Cell:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Unit 3: Biomolecules
19. What is an organic compound?
20. Fill out the following table about organic compounds:
Organic
Monomer
Examples
Where is it found
Compound
in the body
Protein
Carbohydrate
Lipid
Nucleic Acid
21. What is an enzyme?

22. What is a catalyst?

23. What is the lock and key model of enzyme activity? Use the following terms in your
description (active site, enzyme, products, substrate).

24. For each of the following statements, label as true or false

_____ a. Enzymes are types of proteins
_____ b. Enzymes slow down the rate of chemical reactions
_____ c. Each enzyme is specific, it only works on one type of substance
_____ f. Enzymes can not be reused.
_____ g. Proteins are made of building blocks called amino acids
_____ h. Proteins are made in the mitochondria of cells
_____ i. Proteins make up our blood, hair, skin, heart, muscles, and bones

Unit 4: Cellular Membrane and Transport

25. What does selectively permeable mean?

26. What types of organic molecules make up a cell membrane?

27. What is the function of the cell membrane?

28. What is diffusion?

29. What is equilibrium?

30. What is osmosis?

31. Define the following terms: isotonic solution, hypotonic solution, and hypertonic solution.
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32. What is active transport?

33. What type of energy molecule is needed for active transport?

34. What is endocytosis and exocytosis?

35. What is the difference between diffusion and active transport?

Unit 5: Cell Replication, Transcription, and Translation

36. Describe the process of DNA replication. Be sure to include all of the enzymes and their
roles.

37. What is made in the process of DNA replication? What is made during transcription?

38. List the three types of RNA and explain the function of each.
a.
b.
c.

38. What does structure III in the picture

represent?
39. What process is illustrated in the figure?
40. Describe the processes of transcription and translation. Including enzymes and also take note
of where each process happens.
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41. What is the start codon? What amino acid does it code for?

42. Which type of RNA contains the anticodon? Which type contains the codon?

43. Fill in the code below

(Use an old Amino Acid chart to fill in above or google an amino acid chart)

Unit 6: Cell Cycle, Mitosis, Meiosis

44. What is a chromosome?
45. What is mitosis?
46. What is a centromere?
47. Write the following stages of mitosis in order: Telophase, metaphase, interphase,
prophase, anaphase

48. What are the 3 parts (A,B,C) of Interphase? What happens in each one? And give the
chromosomal count. What happens (D,E,F,G)?

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Draw a picture next to the description on the left for each stage of mitosis
INTERPHASE
Longest stage
Nucleolus and nuclear membrane disappear
Chromosomes look like tangled threads
Centrioles together
PROPHASE
Chromosomes pair up
Centrioles move to opposite sides of the cell
METAPHASE
Chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell
ANAPHASE
Chromosome pairs pull apart and move To opposite sides of the cell
TELOPHASE
The chromosomes are at opposite sides of the cell
Nuclear membrane and nucleolus reappear
a. What happens during cytokinesis?
b. What is different with cytokinesis in plant cells

Name the phases of meiosis below

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1) What is produced at the end of Mitosis?

2) What is produced at the end of Meiosis?
3) Why do cells go through Meiosis? How do that differ from Mitosis?

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