BOTANY 120 Review for the first exam

Botany  120 Review for the first exam 

The first exam includes the scientific method, the plant cell, chemistry of life, and processes like diffusion, dialysis and osmosis. No DNA topics will be on the first exam.

Organic Molecules made in plant cells:

1. What are the building blocks of carbohydrates?
2. What is the difference between a saturated and unsaturated fatty acid?
3. Why is the shape of an enzyme important to the function of the enzyme?
4. What are the major functions of carbohydrates in plant cells?
5. Which of the macromolecules we discussed stores energy in the most efficient way?
6. What are the building blocks or subunits of proteins?
7. What kind of fatty acids are usually made in plant cells?

Basic Chemistry Concepts:

1. How are polar and non polar covalent bonds different?
2. What is a hydrogen bond, and why are these bonds important to life?
3. Oxygen has 8 electrons, with 6 in the outermost energy level. Will this atom react? How do you
     know?
4. How are ions formed?
5. A solution with a pH of 5 is how many times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 7?
6. What determines if an atom with react with another?
7. What is the role of each of the sub-atomic particles?

Plant Cells, and how substances get into and out of cells

1. How are the mitochondria and chloroplasts similar?
2. Why do we think the mitochondria and chloroplasts were once independent organisms?
3. Describe the plasma membrane. Include how a lipid membrane functions in a watery environment.
4. What role do the proteins in the plasma membrane play?
5. How is dialysis different from osmosis?
6. What affect would a 10% salt solution have on a plant cell?
7. Describe how a protein would get out of a plant cell.
8. What are the channels from one cell to another called?
9. How do plants use the central water vacuole?
10. How are prokaryotic cells different from eukaryotics cells?
11.What can cyanobacteria do that the bacteria living in your mouth do not do?
12.What organelle is found on the ER?
13.Where is the nucleolus? Why is it important?
14. What are the functions of the Golgi bodies?
15. Make a list of all the plant cell structures we discussed and then state the function of each.

You are a habitat

In class we have been discussing cells, and microbes recently. We've talked about what a great habitat the human body is and that most of the cells that make up our body aren't our cells at all, but are bacterial. Your face is also home to mites. Yes mites. Mites are related to spiders and scorpions. Our skin mites are very well adapted to live in our pores. Take a look at this recent post from Discover magazine to learn more. Click here to see the article from Discover

Now is the time to plant Native Plants

Take a look at this article about Milkweed. Did you know it is the only plant where Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs? At Cerritos College we have some on the west side of the library. Maybe we will see more Monarchs this spring.

Locally I know the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach sells milkweed, and there are native plant nurseries in Claremont and San Juan Capistrano that do as well. The Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens in Claremont is a great place to wander around and enjoy native plants. They have a wonderful native plant nursery. The Tree of Life Nursery on the Ortega Highway outside of San Juan Capistrano is right next to Caspers Wilderness Park which is a huge park with great hiking trails and camping.
Click here to go to the article about milkweed and Monarchs.