These learning guides were written for fall 2002 by L. Dion. They will be modified for fall 2003 before each unit is started. Dr. Selva will cover some of these topics through her lectures. The guides should be appropriate for her lectures also.

LEARNING GUIDE #1; CH. 1; CH 2-3; CH 4-5;
LEARNING GUIDE #2 - Cell Structure, Membranes, and Transport (Ch. 7 & 8)
LEARNING GUIDE #3 - Enzymes, Photosynthesis, Respiration (Ch. 6, 9 & 10)
LEARNING GUIDE #4 - Cell Reproduction (Ch. 12 & 13)
LEARNING GUIDE #5 - Genetics (Ch. 14 & 15)
LEARNING GUIDE #6 - DNA, transcription, translation; Recombinant DNA technology; (Ch 16, 17, 20)
LEARNING GUIDE #7 - Evolution
 
 

COURSE OBJECTIVES
 

• Describe atomic structure and types of chemical bonds
• Describe the nature of the water molecule and its properties
• Describe the concept of pH and its importance to organisms
• Distinguish carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids from one another with respect to their structure and function.
• Explain why a change in protein structure may result in a change in function
• Understand the function and regulation of enzymes and coenzymes

CHAPTER 1

Read this chapter for an overview. These themes will be repeated throughout the course. More specifically, be familiar with

• the three major domains and six major kingdoms, based on which are prokaryotic, eukaryotic, unicellular, multicellular
• Darwin's theories
• the methods of scientific inquiry. For example, what is hypothetico-deductive reasoning? Apply it to the examples given.

Understand what atomic number and mass number (atomic weight) tell you about an atom. Relate subatomic particles to the chemical properties of an atom.

Understand the difference between isotopes of an atom

Differentiate between an electron's orbital and its shell (energy level). Predict the number of electrons per shell of an atom

Understand the difference between covalent bonds (polar and non-polar) and ionic bonds. How does electronegativity influence this? Give examples of molecules formed from each type of bond

Understand the difference between single bonds and double bonds

Explain hydrogen bonds and other weak bonds (or attractions). Why are they important?

Understand the unique properties of water, why does it have a high specific heat, and why is it a good temperature regulator? Why does it exhibit cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension?

Understand why ice floats. Of what advantage is this to living things?

Why is water a good solvent?  Calculate the weight of one mole of a substance.  Calculate how you would make up a 0.5M solution

What types of bonds contribute to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of a substance?

Differentiate between acids and bases and understand what makes a solution acidic or basic. Relate this to pH scale. Describe how a buffer works, using the carbonic acid buffer system as an example.

CHAPTER 4 & 5

Review important functional groups, their properties, and in which types of organic molecules they are found.

Understand the difference between structural, geometric and optical isomers (enantiomers)

Write the general formula of a carbohydrate and draw the structure of glucose in straight chain and ring form

Differentiate between a monosaccharide a disaccharide and a polysaccharide

Explain why starch and cellulose are different molecules even though each is made of glucose

Describe the formation of a maltose molecule; what is the process which accomplishes it? what type of linkage is formed?

Distinguish between different types of lipids. How do they differ from one another? what do they have in common?

Explain the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; between fats and oils

Sketch (in abbreviated form) the components of a triglyceride; of a phospholipid

Explain why phospholipids are suitable molecules to form membranes

Explain the general structure of an amino acid and which part influences the properties of an amino acid

Describe the different levels of protein structure and what types of bonds account for each

Explain why one protein such as keratin ay be a fibrous protein and  another such as an enzyme is a globular protein

Describe the structure of hemoglobin; Explain why a change in primary structure can affect the conformation of hemoglobin. What is denaturation?

Describe the structure and the component parts of a nucleotide and how the nucleotides are bonded together to make a nucleic acid. Distinguish between purines and pyrimidines. Which pairs with which in DNA?

Enumerate the differences between RNA and DNA

Review condensation (dehydration) synthesis reactions. Give examples using the molecules from this chapter

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