Biology – Mid

Term Exams S1
Revision
Please be careful, read the questions well in the exam. If they ask you
to cross the answer you cross the answer. If they ask you to tick the
answer you tick the answer…
Otherwise, your answer will be market wrong even though you put
the right answer. Good Luck!

Aljouri Ahmed M s Al-Saad

Characteristics of living organisms:
Mrs Gren:
M – Movement: All living things move.
R – Reproduction: All living things reproduce
S – Sensitivity: All living things are sensitive
G – Growth: All living things grow
R – Respiration: All living things respire (releasing energy)
E – Excretion: All living things excrete (removal of waste)
N – Nutrition: All living things need nutrition (food)
Levels of organisations:
Organelle  Cell  Tissue  Organ  Organ system  Organism
Organelles: Specialised structures with particular functions within a
living cell.
Cells: Basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms.
Tissues: A group of similar cells working together to perform a
specific function.
Organ: A group of tissues working together to carry out a specific
vital function.
Organ system: Collection of organs working together. E.g., the heart
and blood vessels of the circulatory system.
Organism: A living thing. Several organ systems make up an
organism.
Animal Cell:
- Contains nucleus, contains
cytoplasm, has a cell
membrane, contains
mitochondria and ribosomes,
has temporary vacuoles, they
don’t have a cell wall, don’t
have chloroplast. Contains a
storage of carbohydrate
called glycogen.
 

Plant Cells:
- Contains nucleus, contains cytoplasm, has a cell membrane,
contains mitochondria and ribosomes, has a permanent
vacuole, has a cell wall, has chloroplast. Contains a storage
carbohydrate called starch.  

Functions of each organelle:

Nucleus (found in animal & plant cells): Controls all activities of the
cell. Contains the genes on chromosomes.
Permanent Vacuole (only in plant cells): Large space containing cell
sap. Helps to keep cells rigid to support the plant.
Mitochondria (found in animal & plant cells): This is where oxygen is
used and most of the energy is released during respiration.
Cell wall (only in plant cells): Made of cellulose and forms a rigid
non-living box around the cell to strengthen and provide support.
Cytoplasm (found in both cells): Chemical reactions needed for life
occur in this liquid.
Cell membrane (found in both cells): Controls the movement of
substances into and out of the cell.
Chloroplast (only in plant cell): Contains chlorophyll, a green
substance that absorbs light energy to make food by photosynthesis.
Ribosomes (found in both cells): All the protein needed for the cell
are synthesised (made) here.
Variety of Life:
The 5 Kingdoms:
1. Plants:
- Multi-cellular (made of many cells).
- Cells have a nucleus.
- Contain chloroplast (carry out photosynthesis). They are
autotrophic.
- Cellulose walls
- Store carbohydrates as starch and sucrose.
- Examples: Flowering plants, such as cereal, herbaceous legume,
such as peas and beans.
2. Animals:
- Multi-cellular
- Cells have a nucleus
- No chloroplast (don’t carry out photosynthesis). They are
heterotrophic (needs to eat food to produce energy).
- No cell walls
- Have nervous control (ability to move).
- Store carbohydrates as glycogen.
- Examples: Mammals (humans) and insects (housefly, mosquito)
3. Fungi:
- Multi-cellular and unicellular
- Not all fungus are pathogens.
- They contain DNA in a nucleus
- No chloroplast (do not carry out photosynthesis).
- Body is organised into a mycelium made from thread-like
structures called hyphae. Hyphae contain many nuclei.
- Cells wall made of chitin (not cellulose).
- May store carbohydrates as glycogen.
- Examples: Mucor (which has a typical fungal hyphal structure),
yeast (which is single celled).
4. Prokaryotes (Bacteria):
- Unicellular and microscopic.
- Have a cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm.
- Not all bacteria are pathogens.
- They can respire.
- No nucleus but contain circular DNA floating around in the
cytoplasm.
- Some have additional circular DNA called plasmids.
- Some can carry out photosynthesis, most feed on dead
organisms (decomposers).
- Examples: Lactobacillus (a rod-shaped bacteria used in
production of yoghurt
and cheese),
Pneumococcus
(bacterium that causes
pneumonia).
 5. Protoctista:
- Dustbin kingdom, they are a mixed group of organisms that do
not fit anywhere.
- Generally microscopic single-celled organisms (but some forms
of algae are multicellular like seaweed).
- Examples: Amoeba (that live in pond water, have features like
an animal cell), Chlorella (have chloroplast and are more like
plants), Plasmodium (is responsible for causing malaria).
Pathogens:
- A pathogen is an organism or virus that causes a disease or
infection. E.g., Corona Virus.
Viruses:
- Have a protein coat called (capsid).
- All viruses are pathogens.
- They do not respire.
Why is a virus not included in the five kingdoms classification
system of living organisms?
- A virus cannot move, do not respire, do not feed, no sensitivity,
do not excrete, do not grow, only reproduce in living cell.
State in one way in which bacterium differs from a virus in terms or
structure:
- Bacteria have cell walls, viruses don’t.
- Bacteria have flagellum, viruses don’t.
- Viruses have a protein coat, bacteria don’t.
Specialised Cells:
What is a Specialised Cell?
- A cell that has a special shape and features to carry out a
particular function.
Biological Molecules:

 
Different Types of Specialised Cells:
Xylem Cells:
- Its job is to carry water around the plant.
- It has special features like a wide channel, start at the roots and
go all the way to the leaves, one way only, thick walls with
lignin.
Sperm Cell:
- Its job is to fertilise the eggs.
- It is small, it has a long tail so it can swim.
Egg (Ovum) Cell:
- To be fertilised.
- Its large and bulky.
Palisade Cell:
- Photosynthesis
- It is tall and has large surface area.
Ciliated Cell:
- It stops lung damage
- It has tiny hairs called cilia.
Root Hair Cell:
- Absorbs water
- It has thin cell walls and has large surface area.
Nerve Cell (neurone):
- It carries nerve impulses to different parts of the body.
- It is long, it has connections at each end.
Red Blood Cells:
 - It carries oxygen around the body
- It has large surface area, doesn’t have a nucleus.
Stem Cells:
What is a Stem Cell?
- Stem cells are cells divided several times but remain
undifferentiated, (if given the correct instruction they can
become any type of specialised cell).
There are 2 types of stem cells:
1. Embryonic Stem Cells (they can become any cell in the whole
body).
2. Adult Stem Cells (exist in the brain, bone marrow and skeletal
muscle).
Medical uses of Stem Cells:
- Stem cells are currently being trialled to see whether they can
cure blindness by replacing damaged cells.
- Adult stem cells could be used to grow new organs for
transplant.
- Stem cells from bone marrow are used to treat patients with
leukaemia.
Explain why stem cells are used to treat some diseases in humans:
- They are able to become differentiated or can form other types
of cells/tissue/organs.
- Stem cells are able to divide.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Embryo Stem Cells:
Advantages of Embryo Stem Cells:
- Can treat a wide variety, lots of diseases, problems.
- Many available.
- Using them better than wasting them.
 - Painless

Disadvantages of Embryo Stem Cells:

- A possible harm or death to the embryo.
- Relatively untested, unreliable, and it may not work.
- Long term effects not known or may be riskier.
Advantages and Disadvantages or Adult Bone Marrow Stem Cells:
Advantages of Adult Stem Cells:
- No ethical issues
- Quick recovery
- Low risk
- Well tried, tested.
Disadvantages of Adult Stem Cells:
- Operation hazards. E.g., Infection.
- Few types of cells/ tissue produced.
- Painful.