Biology 110 – Lab Exam 1 – Study Guide
In general, the lab exam will be a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions that
will test your knowledge of biological principles and procedures, your application of scientific
method, your ability to understand graphs, and your ability to think critically and analytically.
The following labs are covered: 1) The Scientific Method & Common Descent, 2) Data Analysis &
Interpretation, 3) Organic Molecules, 4) Cells & Microscopy, 5) Membranes & Diffusion.
In General
1. Review the introductory/background material in each lab. Refer back to your lecture
notes and/or the textbook to clarify and/or expand.
2. Pay special attention to any terms or sentences highlighted by bold typeface in the
introduction.
3. Review your data from the labs. Consider the expected outcomes of the lab exercises.
4. Review the questions asked on the worksheets and feedback on the
worksheets/quizzes associated with each lab.
5. Be able to construct a null hypothesis.
6. Review Quiz 2s on D2L.
7. The following questions will help you study. These are not the questions that will be on
the lab exam; they have been compiled to help you study the material.
The Scientific Method & Common Descent
1. Relate the following to each other: Order, Family, Genus & Species.
Species that are most similar to each other are put together within a grouping known as
a genus. Furthermore, similar genera (the plural of genus) are put together within a family and
further into an order consisting of one or more families.
2. Describe the concept of binomial nomenclature.
A system of nomenclature in which each species of animal or plant receives a name of
two terms of which the first identifies the genus to which it belongs and the second the species
itself. The scientific names of species are italicized. The genus name is always capitalized and is
written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized.
3. Be able to explain how taxa are classified hierarchically.
There are seven main taxonomic ranks: kingdom, phylum or division, class, order, family,
genus, species.
4. Be able to describe the steps of the scientific method.
, Scientific Method- a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations
and answer questions
1. Make an Observation and Ask a Question
2. Propose a Hypothesis
3. Test the Hypothesis
4. Interpret the Results
5. Refine Your Understanding
5. What is the difference between a scientific hypothesis and a theory?
Hypothesis- an educated guess than can never be proven, it is either supported or
refuted
Theory- a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested, never rejected, and can be
accepted as fact because it is supported by data
6. Be able to read a phylogeny to determine patterns of relatedness and common ancestry.
The degree of relatedness between two taxa on a phylogeny is indicated by the number
of nodes separating them (e.g., a pair of taxa with three nodes between them is more distantly
related to each other than is a pair of taxa with two nodes between them). The proximity of tips
on a phylogeny is an indicator of relatedness: taxa that are closer together are more closely
related. The trunk at the base of the tree is actually called the root. The root node represents
the most recent common ancestor of all of the taxa represented on the tree.
7. Be able to talk about convergent evolution and divergent evolution as well as analogous
structures and homologous structures, relating them to a phylogenetic tree.
Convergent evolution- is defined as the process whereby distantly related organisms
independently evolve similar traits to adapt to similar necessities.
Divergent evolution- represents the evolutionary pattern in which species sharing a
common ancestry become more distinct due to differential selection pressure which gradually
leads to speciation over an evolutionary time period.
Homologous structures- structures in different species that are similar because of
common ancestry (underlying similarities but different functionality)
Analogous structures- features of different species that are similar in function but not
necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestral feature and which
evolved in response to a similar environmental challenge. (EX: wings)
Vestigial structures- structures that have no apparent function and appear to be residual
parts from a past ancestor… Ex: appendix
Data Analysis & Interpretation
1. Know the difference between continuous and discrete variables.
Continuous variables- can take on an unlimited number of values between the lowest
and highest points of measurement
In general, the lab exam will be a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions that
will test your knowledge of biological principles and procedures, your application of scientific
method, your ability to understand graphs, and your ability to think critically and analytically.
The following labs are covered: 1) The Scientific Method & Common Descent, 2) Data Analysis &
Interpretation, 3) Organic Molecules, 4) Cells & Microscopy, 5) Membranes & Diffusion.
In General
1. Review the introductory/background material in each lab. Refer back to your lecture
notes and/or the textbook to clarify and/or expand.
2. Pay special attention to any terms or sentences highlighted by bold typeface in the
introduction.
3. Review your data from the labs. Consider the expected outcomes of the lab exercises.
4. Review the questions asked on the worksheets and feedback on the
worksheets/quizzes associated with each lab.
5. Be able to construct a null hypothesis.
6. Review Quiz 2s on D2L.
7. The following questions will help you study. These are not the questions that will be on
the lab exam; they have been compiled to help you study the material.
The Scientific Method & Common Descent
1. Relate the following to each other: Order, Family, Genus & Species.
Species that are most similar to each other are put together within a grouping known as
a genus. Furthermore, similar genera (the plural of genus) are put together within a family and
further into an order consisting of one or more families.
2. Describe the concept of binomial nomenclature.
A system of nomenclature in which each species of animal or plant receives a name of
two terms of which the first identifies the genus to which it belongs and the second the species
itself. The scientific names of species are italicized. The genus name is always capitalized and is
written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized.
3. Be able to explain how taxa are classified hierarchically.
There are seven main taxonomic ranks: kingdom, phylum or division, class, order, family,
genus, species.
4. Be able to describe the steps of the scientific method.
, Scientific Method- a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations
and answer questions
1. Make an Observation and Ask a Question
2. Propose a Hypothesis
3. Test the Hypothesis
4. Interpret the Results
5. Refine Your Understanding
5. What is the difference between a scientific hypothesis and a theory?
Hypothesis- an educated guess than can never be proven, it is either supported or
refuted
Theory- a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested, never rejected, and can be
accepted as fact because it is supported by data
6. Be able to read a phylogeny to determine patterns of relatedness and common ancestry.
The degree of relatedness between two taxa on a phylogeny is indicated by the number
of nodes separating them (e.g., a pair of taxa with three nodes between them is more distantly
related to each other than is a pair of taxa with two nodes between them). The proximity of tips
on a phylogeny is an indicator of relatedness: taxa that are closer together are more closely
related. The trunk at the base of the tree is actually called the root. The root node represents
the most recent common ancestor of all of the taxa represented on the tree.
7. Be able to talk about convergent evolution and divergent evolution as well as analogous
structures and homologous structures, relating them to a phylogenetic tree.
Convergent evolution- is defined as the process whereby distantly related organisms
independently evolve similar traits to adapt to similar necessities.
Divergent evolution- represents the evolutionary pattern in which species sharing a
common ancestry become more distinct due to differential selection pressure which gradually
leads to speciation over an evolutionary time period.
Homologous structures- structures in different species that are similar because of
common ancestry (underlying similarities but different functionality)
Analogous structures- features of different species that are similar in function but not
necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestral feature and which
evolved in response to a similar environmental challenge. (EX: wings)
Vestigial structures- structures that have no apparent function and appear to be residual
parts from a past ancestor… Ex: appendix
Data Analysis & Interpretation
1. Know the difference between continuous and discrete variables.
Continuous variables- can take on an unlimited number of values between the lowest
and highest points of measurement
