NAS2 CHALLENGE UPDATED CORE EXAM MANUAL
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔positive feedback mechanisms - ✔✔a feedback mechanism that results in the
enhancement of the original stimulus so the activity is accelerated
ex: childbirth (if childbirth takes too long the life of the mother and baby are at risk)
✔✔protons - ✔✔positive, in the nucleus
✔✔electron - ✔✔negatively charged particle in the outer shell
✔✔neutron - ✔✔neutral charge, in the nucleus
✔✔number of protons is the same as? - ✔✔the number of electrons
✔✔what is the atomic number equal to - ✔✔number of protons (atomic number is top
left above atomic symbol)
✔✔atomic mass - ✔✔the same as the protons and neutrons added together (at the
bottom below atomic symbol)
✔✔characteristics of ionic bonds - ✔✔between metal and nonmetal, high melting and
boiling points, generally solid at room temp, hard/brittle, conducts electricity, dissolves in
water, gives up one or more electrons to another atom
✔✔characteristics of covalent bonds - ✔✔between nonmetal only(metalloids), atoms
share electrons, lower melting and boiling point, usually liquid and gas at room temp,
soft, not a conductor of electricity, insoluble (don't dissolve)
✔✔characteristics of hydrogen bonds - ✔✔more of an attraction than a bond, generally
weak bond, always include hydrogen that is already part of a polar molecule
ex: water
✔✔non-polar covalent bond - ✔✔electrons are shared equally between two atoms
✔✔polar covalent bond - ✔✔unequal sharing of electrons between two atoms
✔✔substrate - ✔✔reactant acted upon by an enzyme
✔✔active site - ✔✔part of an enzyme to which substrate binds and where a reaction is
catalyzed
, ✔✔enzymes - ✔✔-promotes chemical reactions by bringing substrates together in an
optimal orientation, therefore creating an ideal chemical environment for the reaction to
occur
-catalyzes chemical reactions by lowering activation energy barriers an converting
substrate molecules to products
✔✔decomposition reaction - ✔✔bonds between components of a larger molecule are
broken
ex: bookworm ---> book+worm
✔✔synthesis reaction - ✔✔two components bond to make a larger molecule
ex: note+book ---> notebook
✔✔exchange reaction - ✔✔bonds are both formed and broken such that the
components of the reactants are rearranged
ex:notebook+worm ---> note+bookworm
✔✔describe how enzyme catalyze chemical reactions - ✔✔enzymes decrease the
activation energy required for a given chemical reaction to occur. helps speed up the
rate of reaction
✔✔identify waters role in life - ✔✔water is the universal solvent, helps cells transport
and use substances like oxygen or nutrients, helps regulate body temp, hydration and
moisturizes the body, lubrication for joints
✔✔define ph - ✔✔measure of acidity or basicity
✔✔identify values for acid on ph scale - ✔✔ph below 7 is acidic
✔✔identify values for alkaline on ph scale - ✔✔ph above 7 is basic/alkaline
✔✔define organic compound - ✔✔any large class of chemical compounds in which one
or more atoms of carbon are covalently linked to atoms of other elements, most
commonly hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen
✔✔monomer - ✔✔small unit that can join together with other small units to create
polymers
✔✔polymer - ✔✔large compound formed from combinations of many monomers
✔✔identify the four major groups of organic compounds - ✔✔carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acid
✔✔Carbohydrates - ✔✔-sugars, starches, and fibers
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔positive feedback mechanisms - ✔✔a feedback mechanism that results in the
enhancement of the original stimulus so the activity is accelerated
ex: childbirth (if childbirth takes too long the life of the mother and baby are at risk)
✔✔protons - ✔✔positive, in the nucleus
✔✔electron - ✔✔negatively charged particle in the outer shell
✔✔neutron - ✔✔neutral charge, in the nucleus
✔✔number of protons is the same as? - ✔✔the number of electrons
✔✔what is the atomic number equal to - ✔✔number of protons (atomic number is top
left above atomic symbol)
✔✔atomic mass - ✔✔the same as the protons and neutrons added together (at the
bottom below atomic symbol)
✔✔characteristics of ionic bonds - ✔✔between metal and nonmetal, high melting and
boiling points, generally solid at room temp, hard/brittle, conducts electricity, dissolves in
water, gives up one or more electrons to another atom
✔✔characteristics of covalent bonds - ✔✔between nonmetal only(metalloids), atoms
share electrons, lower melting and boiling point, usually liquid and gas at room temp,
soft, not a conductor of electricity, insoluble (don't dissolve)
✔✔characteristics of hydrogen bonds - ✔✔more of an attraction than a bond, generally
weak bond, always include hydrogen that is already part of a polar molecule
ex: water
✔✔non-polar covalent bond - ✔✔electrons are shared equally between two atoms
✔✔polar covalent bond - ✔✔unequal sharing of electrons between two atoms
✔✔substrate - ✔✔reactant acted upon by an enzyme
✔✔active site - ✔✔part of an enzyme to which substrate binds and where a reaction is
catalyzed
, ✔✔enzymes - ✔✔-promotes chemical reactions by bringing substrates together in an
optimal orientation, therefore creating an ideal chemical environment for the reaction to
occur
-catalyzes chemical reactions by lowering activation energy barriers an converting
substrate molecules to products
✔✔decomposition reaction - ✔✔bonds between components of a larger molecule are
broken
ex: bookworm ---> book+worm
✔✔synthesis reaction - ✔✔two components bond to make a larger molecule
ex: note+book ---> notebook
✔✔exchange reaction - ✔✔bonds are both formed and broken such that the
components of the reactants are rearranged
ex:notebook+worm ---> note+bookworm
✔✔describe how enzyme catalyze chemical reactions - ✔✔enzymes decrease the
activation energy required for a given chemical reaction to occur. helps speed up the
rate of reaction
✔✔identify waters role in life - ✔✔water is the universal solvent, helps cells transport
and use substances like oxygen or nutrients, helps regulate body temp, hydration and
moisturizes the body, lubrication for joints
✔✔define ph - ✔✔measure of acidity or basicity
✔✔identify values for acid on ph scale - ✔✔ph below 7 is acidic
✔✔identify values for alkaline on ph scale - ✔✔ph above 7 is basic/alkaline
✔✔define organic compound - ✔✔any large class of chemical compounds in which one
or more atoms of carbon are covalently linked to atoms of other elements, most
commonly hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen
✔✔monomer - ✔✔small unit that can join together with other small units to create
polymers
✔✔polymer - ✔✔large compound formed from combinations of many monomers
✔✔identify the four major groups of organic compounds - ✔✔carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acid
✔✔Carbohydrates - ✔✔-sugars, starches, and fibers
