Biology: Cell Structure and Function (High School)

What is osmosis?

Answer: The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Endocytosis vs exocytosis?

Answer: Endocytosis brings material into the cell by engulfing it in a vesicle; exocytosis releases material by fusing a vesicle with the membrane.

What is active transport?

Answer: Movement of substances against their concentration gradient using energy (ATP).

What is facilitated diffusion?

Answer: Passive transport of molecules through membrane proteins (channels or carriers), no energy needed.

What happens to a cell in a hypertonic solution?

Answer: Water leaves the cell and it shrinks (crenation in animal cells, plasmolysis in plant cells).

What happens to an animal cell placed in a hypotonic solution?

Answer: Water enters the cell and it swells, possibly bursting (lysis).

What is diffusion?

Answer: The movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration without energy.

How does meiosis differ from mitosis?

Answer: Meiosis has two divisions and produces four genetically different haploid cells (gametes); mitosis produces two identical diploid cells.

What is the end result of mitosis?

Answer: Two genetically identical diploid daughter cells.

List the stages of mitosis in order.

Answer: Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase (PMAT).

What are the phases of the cell cycle?

Answer: Interphase (G1, S, G2), then M phase (mitosis and cytokinesis).

What is fermentation?

Answer: An anaerobic process that regenerates NAD+ so glycolysis can continue, producing lactic acid or ethanol and CO2.

What is ATP and why is it important?

Answer: Adenosine triphosphate — the molecule cells use to store and transfer energy.

Where does glycolysis occur and what does it produce?

Answer: In the cytoplasm; it splits glucose into two pyruvate and yields a net 2 ATP and 2 NADH.

Write the overall equation for cellular respiration.

Answer: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP (energy)

Write the overall equation for photosynthesis.

Answer: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2

What are the three parts of the cell theory?

Answer: 1) All living things are made of cells. 2) The cell is the basic unit of life. 3) All cells come from pre-existing cells.

What does 'selectively permeable' mean?

Answer: Only certain substances can pass through the membrane.

What is the function of the plasma (cell) membrane?

Answer: It controls what enters and leaves the cell and separates the cell from its environment.

What is the main difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Answer: Eukaryotic cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles; prokaryotic cells do not.

Which structures are found in plant cells but not animal cells?

Answer: Cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole.

What does the cytoskeleton do?

Answer: It gives the cell shape, supports it, and helps move materials and organelles.

What is the role of the central vacuole in plant cells?

Answer: It stores water and nutrients and maintains turgor pressure to keep the plant rigid.

What is the function of lysosomes?

Answer: They contain digestive enzymes that break down waste, old organelles, and foreign material.

What do chloroplasts do?

Answer: They carry out photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy (glucose).

What do mitochondria do?

Answer: They carry out cellular respiration to produce ATP, the cell's energy currency.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

Answer: It modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for transport or secretion.

Rough ER vs smooth ER: what is the difference?

Answer: Rough ER has ribosomes and makes/modifies proteins; smooth ER has no ribosomes and makes lipids and detoxifies.

What do ribosomes do?

Answer: They build proteins by linking amino acids in the order coded by mRNA.

What is the function of the nucleus?

Answer: It stores the cell's DNA and controls cell activities such as growth and reproduction.