Physio 1 Study Questions Exam 1 (Part 1)
1. Define “homeostasis”.
2. Define “set point, integrator, and effector” in a negative feedback loop.
3. How do negative feedback loops maintain homeostasis for 1) body temperature, 2) blood pressure, and 3) blood
glucose. Identify the set point, integrator, and effectors for each of these parameters.
4. Identify the subatomic particles of an atom and describe the charge and mass of each.
5. How do like charges and opposite charges behave when in close proximity to each other?
6. What does the atomic number tell you about the structure of that atom?
7. What is the difference between the atomic number and atomic mass? If the atomic mass of an element changes
but the atomic number remains the same, does that atom become a different element or remain the same element?
What is an isotope? Unstable isotopes are radioactive? Distinguish between alpha, beta, and gamma radiations.
Why are these types of radiations dangerous to the molecular structure and function of cells? Give examples of
types of radiation damage that can occur to biological molecules.
8. What is the atomic number and atomic mass of Hydrogen? Carbon? Oxygen? Nitrogen? How many protons,
neutrons, and electrons are typical in each of these atoms? All atoms in the periodic table have net charges of zero.
Why?
9. There are 92 naturally occurring elements in the universe. Identify element number 92. How many protons
does it have? How many electrons? How many neutrons? What is its overall net charge?
10. Apply the Orbital-filling Rule to atoms with atomic numbers 1 through 18 and determine the number of
orbitals for each atom and the number of electrons in each orbital.
11. What are the four major elements comprising human tissue? These four elements comprise what percent of
the total chemical composition of the body?
12. What are the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth most common elements in the body?
13. State the Octet Rule? When is an atom stable and chemically non-reactive? Unstable and chemically reactive?
14. Which of the following atoms is/are stable and non-reactive: Hydrogen, Helium, Carbon, Neon, Sodium,
Chlorine? Which is/are unstable and reactive?
15. Draw the Lewis Dot diagrams for Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Chlorine, and Sodium. Are any of these
atoms chemically stable and non-reactive?
16. Why do atoms form chemical bonds with other atoms?
16. What is a Covalent Bond? How many covalent bonds can each of the following atoms form: C, N, O, H?
17. Using Lewis Dot Diagrams, draw the following molecules: (Methane CH4 ) (Molecular Oxygen O2)
(Carbon Dioxide CO2) (Nitrogen gas N2) Determine the number of covalent bonds in each.
18. What is the difference between structural formulas and empirical formulas?
19. What three-dimensional geometric shape does the methane molecule have? (Note: Molecular shape and
structure is critical to understanding the functions of proteins, for example, enzymes?
20. What is electronegativity? What does it mean to say an atom has high electronegativity? Low
electronegativity?
21. Which of the four major atoms in living tissues has the highest electronegativity? the lowest electronegativity?
22. Will a covalent bond between two atoms of equal electronegativity be Polar or Non-polar? Will a covalent
bond between an atom of high electronegativity and low electronegativity be Polar or Non-polar?
23. If two atoms form a Polar Covalent Bond, the atom with the higher electronegativity will have what partial
charge? The atom with the lower electronegativity will have what partial charge? Explain why.
24. What is a ‘Hydrogen Bond’. Will hydrogen bonds form when two non-polar molecules come in close proximity?
When two polar molecules come in close proximity? When a polar and non-polar molecule come in close
proximity? Explain your answer in each case.
25. Why do water molecules have high cohesion? (eg. water beads up on glass and one drop of water readily fuses
with another drop). And why does water have such high heat capacity? (that is, in the liquid state, water absorbs a
lot of heat energy before it vaporizes and turns to steam. Stated another way, water takes a long time to boil on
your stove)? What is it about the bonding properties of water that accounts for its high cohesive properties and
high heat capacity?
26. What is an ‘ion’? How does an ‘ion’ differ from an ‘atom’? Why are ions stable as independent entities, unlike
most atoms? What makes an ion positive? Negative? Give an example of a +1 positive ion. Give an example of a -1
negative ion. Give an example of a +2 positive ion. Give an example of a -2 negative ion. What is it exactly about
1
, an ion’s atomic structure that accounts for its charge sign and number? Using electron orbitals, account for the
charges of the following ions: Li+1 Be+2 F-1 Al+3
27. What is an ionic bond? How does an ionic bond differ from a covalent bond?
28. Salts are ionic compounds. They are held together by ionic bonds. Specifically, what is the force that holds
atoms together in ionic compounds?
29. Most solids are crystalline in structure and assume geometric shapes because of the regular arrangements of
the molecules in the solid. Both salts and sugars form crystals, yet salt crystals are held together by ionic bonds
while sugar crystals are held together by polar covalent bonds. Given the structural formulae and bonding
characteristics of sodium chloride and glucose molecules, explain how crystals can form in both sugar and salt.
30. Salts dissociate in water. Write out the equation for the dissociation of a salt. Sugars do not dissociate in water,
yet sugar crystals, like salt crystals, dissolve in water. Explain the chemical difference between a solution of sugar
in water and a solution of salt in water. Will either solution carry an electric current? If so, which one?
31. MgCl2 is an ionic compound? What charge sign and number is on the Magnesium ion? The Chloride ions? Will
MgCl2 dissociate in water?
31. Salts in solution carry electricity and are therefore called electrolytes. Explain how a solution of NaCl in water
can carry electricity. Your body fluids are full of ions. Therefore, you are a good conductor of electricity. Will a
solution of sugar and water carry electricity?
32. Using your handout on electronegativities, determine whether each of the following bonds are Covalent,
Polar Covalent, or Ionic?
C–H C–O N–H C–S K – Cl C–C C–N Ca – Cl O–H O=O Na – I
33. What is an isotope of an element? Can an element have more than one isotope? How is an isotope different
from an ion? Give the atomic mass and atomic number of the three isotopes of Hydrogen. Draw the nuclear
structure and electron orbitals of each. Draw the atomic structure of Carbon-14.
34. Many isotopes are radioactive. Their nuclei are unstable and emit subatomic particles at high energies? This is
radioactivity. Carbon-14 is radioactive. When it decays, one of its neutrons emits a beta particle and becomes a
proton, thereby converting the carbon atom (with 6 protons) to a nitrogen atom (with 7 protons). Radioactive
isotopes are used in research since they can be traced and located in the molecular structures and reaction
pathways of cells.
35. On a molecular level, radiation is damaging to living tissues? How does radiation damage biological molecules?
How does radiation cause cancer?
36, What is an acid? a base?
37. What is pH? What does a pH lower than 7 indicate? What does a 1 unit change in pH mean in terms of
hydrogen ion concentration? How much more or less acidic is a solution of pH 3 as compared to a solution of
pH 6 ?
36. Is a solution of pH of 1 is an extreme acid or extreme base? Is a solution of pH of 14 an extreme acid or
extreme base? Pure water has a pH of ____? Normal blood pH is 7.4. A change in blood pH from 7.4 to 7.0 , or 7.4 to
8.0 is potentially fatal.
37. On an exam, be able to write the empirical formulas and draw the structural formulas for each of the following
simple hydrocarbons: methane CH4 ethane C2H6 propane C3H8 Butane C4H10 Cyclohexane C6H12
38. What are functional groups? Why are they important? Give the structural formulas for the each of the
following functional groups:
methyl carbonyl hydroxyl amino carboxyl ketone aldehyde phosphate
Which of the above functional groups are polar? Which are non-polar? Are polar groups attracted to or repelled
by water? Identify the functional groups in glucose. Is glucose attracted to or repelled by water? Is glucose soluble
or insoluble in water?
39. Name the four major classes of biological molecules? Give the basic functional characteristics typical of each of
the four classes of biological molecules.
40. Define ‘monomers’ and ‘polymers’.
41. Define ‘dehydration synthesis’ and ‘hydrolysis’. Which reaction is used to make biological polymers? Which
reaction is used to break down biological polymers? Which would the body use to digest a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich?
42. What is the generalized monomer of carbohydrates? Give three specific examples from lecture.
43. Define: monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide. Give an example of each.
2
1. Define “homeostasis”.
2. Define “set point, integrator, and effector” in a negative feedback loop.
3. How do negative feedback loops maintain homeostasis for 1) body temperature, 2) blood pressure, and 3) blood
glucose. Identify the set point, integrator, and effectors for each of these parameters.
4. Identify the subatomic particles of an atom and describe the charge and mass of each.
5. How do like charges and opposite charges behave when in close proximity to each other?
6. What does the atomic number tell you about the structure of that atom?
7. What is the difference between the atomic number and atomic mass? If the atomic mass of an element changes
but the atomic number remains the same, does that atom become a different element or remain the same element?
What is an isotope? Unstable isotopes are radioactive? Distinguish between alpha, beta, and gamma radiations.
Why are these types of radiations dangerous to the molecular structure and function of cells? Give examples of
types of radiation damage that can occur to biological molecules.
8. What is the atomic number and atomic mass of Hydrogen? Carbon? Oxygen? Nitrogen? How many protons,
neutrons, and electrons are typical in each of these atoms? All atoms in the periodic table have net charges of zero.
Why?
9. There are 92 naturally occurring elements in the universe. Identify element number 92. How many protons
does it have? How many electrons? How many neutrons? What is its overall net charge?
10. Apply the Orbital-filling Rule to atoms with atomic numbers 1 through 18 and determine the number of
orbitals for each atom and the number of electrons in each orbital.
11. What are the four major elements comprising human tissue? These four elements comprise what percent of
the total chemical composition of the body?
12. What are the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth most common elements in the body?
13. State the Octet Rule? When is an atom stable and chemically non-reactive? Unstable and chemically reactive?
14. Which of the following atoms is/are stable and non-reactive: Hydrogen, Helium, Carbon, Neon, Sodium,
Chlorine? Which is/are unstable and reactive?
15. Draw the Lewis Dot diagrams for Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Chlorine, and Sodium. Are any of these
atoms chemically stable and non-reactive?
16. Why do atoms form chemical bonds with other atoms?
16. What is a Covalent Bond? How many covalent bonds can each of the following atoms form: C, N, O, H?
17. Using Lewis Dot Diagrams, draw the following molecules: (Methane CH4 ) (Molecular Oxygen O2)
(Carbon Dioxide CO2) (Nitrogen gas N2) Determine the number of covalent bonds in each.
18. What is the difference between structural formulas and empirical formulas?
19. What three-dimensional geometric shape does the methane molecule have? (Note: Molecular shape and
structure is critical to understanding the functions of proteins, for example, enzymes?
20. What is electronegativity? What does it mean to say an atom has high electronegativity? Low
electronegativity?
21. Which of the four major atoms in living tissues has the highest electronegativity? the lowest electronegativity?
22. Will a covalent bond between two atoms of equal electronegativity be Polar or Non-polar? Will a covalent
bond between an atom of high electronegativity and low electronegativity be Polar or Non-polar?
23. If two atoms form a Polar Covalent Bond, the atom with the higher electronegativity will have what partial
charge? The atom with the lower electronegativity will have what partial charge? Explain why.
24. What is a ‘Hydrogen Bond’. Will hydrogen bonds form when two non-polar molecules come in close proximity?
When two polar molecules come in close proximity? When a polar and non-polar molecule come in close
proximity? Explain your answer in each case.
25. Why do water molecules have high cohesion? (eg. water beads up on glass and one drop of water readily fuses
with another drop). And why does water have such high heat capacity? (that is, in the liquid state, water absorbs a
lot of heat energy before it vaporizes and turns to steam. Stated another way, water takes a long time to boil on
your stove)? What is it about the bonding properties of water that accounts for its high cohesive properties and
high heat capacity?
26. What is an ‘ion’? How does an ‘ion’ differ from an ‘atom’? Why are ions stable as independent entities, unlike
most atoms? What makes an ion positive? Negative? Give an example of a +1 positive ion. Give an example of a -1
negative ion. Give an example of a +2 positive ion. Give an example of a -2 negative ion. What is it exactly about
1
, an ion’s atomic structure that accounts for its charge sign and number? Using electron orbitals, account for the
charges of the following ions: Li+1 Be+2 F-1 Al+3
27. What is an ionic bond? How does an ionic bond differ from a covalent bond?
28. Salts are ionic compounds. They are held together by ionic bonds. Specifically, what is the force that holds
atoms together in ionic compounds?
29. Most solids are crystalline in structure and assume geometric shapes because of the regular arrangements of
the molecules in the solid. Both salts and sugars form crystals, yet salt crystals are held together by ionic bonds
while sugar crystals are held together by polar covalent bonds. Given the structural formulae and bonding
characteristics of sodium chloride and glucose molecules, explain how crystals can form in both sugar and salt.
30. Salts dissociate in water. Write out the equation for the dissociation of a salt. Sugars do not dissociate in water,
yet sugar crystals, like salt crystals, dissolve in water. Explain the chemical difference between a solution of sugar
in water and a solution of salt in water. Will either solution carry an electric current? If so, which one?
31. MgCl2 is an ionic compound? What charge sign and number is on the Magnesium ion? The Chloride ions? Will
MgCl2 dissociate in water?
31. Salts in solution carry electricity and are therefore called electrolytes. Explain how a solution of NaCl in water
can carry electricity. Your body fluids are full of ions. Therefore, you are a good conductor of electricity. Will a
solution of sugar and water carry electricity?
32. Using your handout on electronegativities, determine whether each of the following bonds are Covalent,
Polar Covalent, or Ionic?
C–H C–O N–H C–S K – Cl C–C C–N Ca – Cl O–H O=O Na – I
33. What is an isotope of an element? Can an element have more than one isotope? How is an isotope different
from an ion? Give the atomic mass and atomic number of the three isotopes of Hydrogen. Draw the nuclear
structure and electron orbitals of each. Draw the atomic structure of Carbon-14.
34. Many isotopes are radioactive. Their nuclei are unstable and emit subatomic particles at high energies? This is
radioactivity. Carbon-14 is radioactive. When it decays, one of its neutrons emits a beta particle and becomes a
proton, thereby converting the carbon atom (with 6 protons) to a nitrogen atom (with 7 protons). Radioactive
isotopes are used in research since they can be traced and located in the molecular structures and reaction
pathways of cells.
35. On a molecular level, radiation is damaging to living tissues? How does radiation damage biological molecules?
How does radiation cause cancer?
36, What is an acid? a base?
37. What is pH? What does a pH lower than 7 indicate? What does a 1 unit change in pH mean in terms of
hydrogen ion concentration? How much more or less acidic is a solution of pH 3 as compared to a solution of
pH 6 ?
36. Is a solution of pH of 1 is an extreme acid or extreme base? Is a solution of pH of 14 an extreme acid or
extreme base? Pure water has a pH of ____? Normal blood pH is 7.4. A change in blood pH from 7.4 to 7.0 , or 7.4 to
8.0 is potentially fatal.
37. On an exam, be able to write the empirical formulas and draw the structural formulas for each of the following
simple hydrocarbons: methane CH4 ethane C2H6 propane C3H8 Butane C4H10 Cyclohexane C6H12
38. What are functional groups? Why are they important? Give the structural formulas for the each of the
following functional groups:
methyl carbonyl hydroxyl amino carboxyl ketone aldehyde phosphate
Which of the above functional groups are polar? Which are non-polar? Are polar groups attracted to or repelled
by water? Identify the functional groups in glucose. Is glucose attracted to or repelled by water? Is glucose soluble
or insoluble in water?
39. Name the four major classes of biological molecules? Give the basic functional characteristics typical of each of
the four classes of biological molecules.
40. Define ‘monomers’ and ‘polymers’.
41. Define ‘dehydration synthesis’ and ‘hydrolysis’. Which reaction is used to make biological polymers? Which
reaction is used to break down biological polymers? Which would the body use to digest a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich?
42. What is the generalized monomer of carbohydrates? Give three specific examples from lecture.
43. Define: monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide. Give an example of each.
2
