UA BSC 108 EXAM 1 CORE CELL BIOLOGY
AND BASIC GENETICS CONCEPTS REVIEW
2026
◉ What is a theory?
Answer: A much broader in scope than a hypothesis, can be changed
but unlikely
◉ What are the limits of science?
Answer: It is not the only way to understand nature and cannot
address every question posed by man
◉ What is an atom?
Answer: It is the smallest unit of an element that has all its
properties
◉ What is a proton, neutron, and electron?
Answer: A proton is a positive charged atom, a neutron is a no
charged atom, and a electron is a negative charged atom
◉ What is an atom composed of?
Answer: protons, neutrons, and electrons
,◉ What is 1 proton and neutron equal to? and electron?
Answer: 1 proton and neutron can equal to 1 dalton. An electron is
negligible
◉ What is an ion?
Answer: An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the
loss of gain or looses its amount of electron
◉ What is the difference between an ion and isotope?
Answer: An atom is an ion when it gains or losses electrons
An atom is an isotope when it has the same number of protons, but a
different number of neutrons
◉ What is the association between isotopes and fossils?
Answer: to calculate half life in fossils, you must determine the
number of isotopes
◉ What is energy?
Answer: The capacity to do work and make a change in matter
◉ What is a neutral atom?
, Answer: When the number of electrons are equal to the number of
protons
◉ What is a trace element?
Answer: elements that are essential for life
◉ What are the 4 most important trace elements? (include symbol
and %)
Answer: Oxygen O 65%
Carbon C 18.5%
Hydrogen H 9.5%
Nitrogen N 3.3%
◉ What are 8 other important trace elements? (include symbol)
Answer: sodium Na
potassium K
iron Fe
magnesium Mg
calcium Ca
chlorine Cl
phosphorus P
sulfur S
AND BASIC GENETICS CONCEPTS REVIEW
2026
◉ What is a theory?
Answer: A much broader in scope than a hypothesis, can be changed
but unlikely
◉ What are the limits of science?
Answer: It is not the only way to understand nature and cannot
address every question posed by man
◉ What is an atom?
Answer: It is the smallest unit of an element that has all its
properties
◉ What is a proton, neutron, and electron?
Answer: A proton is a positive charged atom, a neutron is a no
charged atom, and a electron is a negative charged atom
◉ What is an atom composed of?
Answer: protons, neutrons, and electrons
,◉ What is 1 proton and neutron equal to? and electron?
Answer: 1 proton and neutron can equal to 1 dalton. An electron is
negligible
◉ What is an ion?
Answer: An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the
loss of gain or looses its amount of electron
◉ What is the difference between an ion and isotope?
Answer: An atom is an ion when it gains or losses electrons
An atom is an isotope when it has the same number of protons, but a
different number of neutrons
◉ What is the association between isotopes and fossils?
Answer: to calculate half life in fossils, you must determine the
number of isotopes
◉ What is energy?
Answer: The capacity to do work and make a change in matter
◉ What is a neutral atom?
, Answer: When the number of electrons are equal to the number of
protons
◉ What is a trace element?
Answer: elements that are essential for life
◉ What are the 4 most important trace elements? (include symbol
and %)
Answer: Oxygen O 65%
Carbon C 18.5%
Hydrogen H 9.5%
Nitrogen N 3.3%
◉ What are 8 other important trace elements? (include symbol)
Answer: sodium Na
potassium K
iron Fe
magnesium Mg
calcium Ca
chlorine Cl
phosphorus P
sulfur S
