BIO 212 Unit 1 Questions and Answers Fully Solved Latest Version 2025-2026
Fundamental Unit of all life - Answers Cells
Why is a virus not considered living? - Answers Don't have a metabolism, don't have a cell
membrane or any properties or living things. They require a host cell for reproduction.
Three criteria to be Life - Answers 1) Reproduction
2) Have a metabolism
3) Made of one or more cells
Why are cells considered the primary unifying feature of all living things? - Answers All cells
evolved from one common ancestor; a proto-cell.
4 biological molecules all cells utilize: - Answers 1) Protein
2) Carbohydrates
3) Lipids
4) Nucleic acid
Protein - Answers Polymers of amino acids.
Many functions: enzymes, structural, transport, motors, communication
Carbohydrates - Answers Polymers of monosaccharides (sugar).
Functions: energy use and storage, structural, cell recognition
Lipds - Answers made of glycerol and fatty acids.
Functions: important in membranes, energy storage, hormones, and insulation
Nucleic acid - Answers Polymers of nucleotides.
Function: store and disseminate biological information to make proteins, direct energy source
(ATP), and important in respiration
Nucleotides - Answers Sub-units that make up DNA
, Biochemical functions all cells share: - Answers A) Protein synthesis = makes protein
B) Membrane transport = transports material in and out of the cells
C) Anaerobic respiration = makes ATP for all cells and doesn't require oxygen
D) Many enzyme driven reactions = responsible for all metabolism
What did all life evolve from? - Answers A proto-cell (Founder cell), prokaryotic
Describe how the information in DNA is expressed as a protein... - Answers The information
from DNA through Transcription makes a Messenger transcript called mRNA. The information
in the mRNA will be used to synthesize a specific protein with a specific sequence of amino
acids.
DNA - Answers deoxyribose nucleic acid
Archaea - Answers ancient group of prokaryotic cells with very unique metabolism
Eubacteria - Answers very diverse group of prokaryotic cells can be chemo, photo, or
heterotrophic
Protists - Answers Diverse group of single cell or small colonies of eukaryotic cells can be
phototrophic or heterotrophic
Fungi - Answers multicellular eukaryotic cells, usually decomposers composed of hyphae have
cell walls
Plant cells - Answers multicellular eukaryotic phototrophs that have chloroplasts and cell walls
Animal cells - Answers heterotrophs eukaryotic without cell walls
Chemotrophs - Answers an organism that obtains energy through chemical process (inorganic
material), which is by the oxidation of electron donating molecules from the environment rather
than by photosynthesis.
Phototrophs - Answers Obtains energy by photosynthesis
Heterotroph - Answers Obtains energy from other living things
3 basic shape of prokaryotic cells: - Answers Round - Cocci
Rods - Bacilli
Fundamental Unit of all life - Answers Cells
Why is a virus not considered living? - Answers Don't have a metabolism, don't have a cell
membrane or any properties or living things. They require a host cell for reproduction.
Three criteria to be Life - Answers 1) Reproduction
2) Have a metabolism
3) Made of one or more cells
Why are cells considered the primary unifying feature of all living things? - Answers All cells
evolved from one common ancestor; a proto-cell.
4 biological molecules all cells utilize: - Answers 1) Protein
2) Carbohydrates
3) Lipids
4) Nucleic acid
Protein - Answers Polymers of amino acids.
Many functions: enzymes, structural, transport, motors, communication
Carbohydrates - Answers Polymers of monosaccharides (sugar).
Functions: energy use and storage, structural, cell recognition
Lipds - Answers made of glycerol and fatty acids.
Functions: important in membranes, energy storage, hormones, and insulation
Nucleic acid - Answers Polymers of nucleotides.
Function: store and disseminate biological information to make proteins, direct energy source
(ATP), and important in respiration
Nucleotides - Answers Sub-units that make up DNA
, Biochemical functions all cells share: - Answers A) Protein synthesis = makes protein
B) Membrane transport = transports material in and out of the cells
C) Anaerobic respiration = makes ATP for all cells and doesn't require oxygen
D) Many enzyme driven reactions = responsible for all metabolism
What did all life evolve from? - Answers A proto-cell (Founder cell), prokaryotic
Describe how the information in DNA is expressed as a protein... - Answers The information
from DNA through Transcription makes a Messenger transcript called mRNA. The information
in the mRNA will be used to synthesize a specific protein with a specific sequence of amino
acids.
DNA - Answers deoxyribose nucleic acid
Archaea - Answers ancient group of prokaryotic cells with very unique metabolism
Eubacteria - Answers very diverse group of prokaryotic cells can be chemo, photo, or
heterotrophic
Protists - Answers Diverse group of single cell or small colonies of eukaryotic cells can be
phototrophic or heterotrophic
Fungi - Answers multicellular eukaryotic cells, usually decomposers composed of hyphae have
cell walls
Plant cells - Answers multicellular eukaryotic phototrophs that have chloroplasts and cell walls
Animal cells - Answers heterotrophs eukaryotic without cell walls
Chemotrophs - Answers an organism that obtains energy through chemical process (inorganic
material), which is by the oxidation of electron donating molecules from the environment rather
than by photosynthesis.
Phototrophs - Answers Obtains energy by photosynthesis
Heterotroph - Answers Obtains energy from other living things
3 basic shape of prokaryotic cells: - Answers Round - Cocci
Rods - Bacilli
