General Stuff

Question 1

Characteristics of plants

Answer 1

• multicellular
• contain chloroplasts and cellulose cell walls
• autotrophic
• store carbs as starch or sucrose
• e.g. cereals (maize) or herbaceous legumes (peas and beans)

Question 2

Characteristics of animals

Answer 2

• multicellular (cell around 20-40μm long)
• no chloroplasts or cell wall
• heterotrophic
• store carbohydrates as glycogen
• usually have nervous co-ordination and are able to move from one place to another
• e.g. mammals (humans), insects (mosquitoes)

Question 3

Characteristics of protoctista

Answer 3

• unicellular, microscopic
• all have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus (some have chloroplasts)
• hetero/autotrophic
• eg. Chlorella (auto), Amoeba (Hetero), plasmodium (causes malaria)

Question 4

Characteristics of fungi

Answer 4

• multi/uni cellular
• no chloroplasts, cells walls made of chitin
• heterotrophic (saprotrophic)
• store carbs as glycogen
• body is organised into thread like hyphae which make up mycelium. Each hyphae contains many nuclei
• can be pathogenic
• e.g. yeast (uni), Mucor (multi)

Question 5

Characteristics of bacteria

Answer 5

• unicellular, microscopic
• simple cell structure with a cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm
• cell wall is made up of polysaccharides and proteins
• no nucleus, large circular chromosome of DNA and many plasmids
• some have capsule/slime layer
• some have flagella
• most hetero (living and dead), some auto trophic
• very small relative to other kingdoms
• e.g. Lactobacillus bulgaricus (rod-shaped), Pneumococcus (round)

Question 6

Characteristics of viruses

Answer 6

• NOT A CELL, a particle- smaller than bacteria
• genetic material surrounded by a protein coat
• some surround by an envelope (protein coat)
• parasitic, only reproduce inside living cells
• infect all kingdoms
• e.g. influenza, tobacco mosaic (stops leave producing chloroplast, causing discolouration), HIV

Question 7

What is a plasmid

Answer 7

Circular loop of DNA

Question 8

Why is organisation of multicellular organisms important

Answer 8

Allows an efficient system for exchanging and transporting materials

Question 9

Define atom

Answer 9

the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist

Question 10

Define molecule

Answer 10

A group of atoms bonded together; the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction

Question 11

Define macromolecule

Answer 11

A molecule containing a very large number of atoms

Question 12

Define organelle

Answer 12

Structures that carry out specific processes that cells need to survive

Question 13

Define cell

Answer 13

Smallest functional unit of life; capable of independent existence

Question 14

Define tissue

Answer 14

Collection of similar cells that perform a common function

Question 15

Define organ

Answer 15

A collection of tissues working together to perform a particular function

Question 16

Define organ system

Answer 16

A number of organs working together to perform an overall life function

Question 17

Define organism

Answer 17

An entire living being that can carry out life processes