Science + Engineering
13%of exam
Cells
22%of exam
Genetics + Evolution
26%of exam
Organisms
20%of exam
DiversityPlantsAnimalsTaxonomy
Ecology
19%of exam
PopulationsCommunitiesEcosystemsCycles
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Praxis 5236
- Owner
- ETS
- Format
- Selected response
- Questions
- 150
- Time
- 2.5 hours
- Fee
- $130
- Delivery
- Computer delivered
- Score
- Varies by state
- SEP
- 40%+ integrated
- Teaching
- About 25%
Experiment Picker
- Need baseline→Control group
- Changed factor→Independent variable
- Measured result→Dependent variable
- Hidden influence→Confounder
- Human treatment→Randomized trial
- Association only→Observational study
- Repeat by others→Reproducibility
Inquiry
- Hypothesis
- Testable explanation
- Theory
- Broad supported explanation
- Law
- Describes consistent pattern
- Model
- Simplified representation
- Control group
- Baseline comparison
- Independent variable
- Changed factor
- Dependent variable
- Measured outcome
- Replication
- Repeatable evidence
Data + Stats
- Mean
- Arithmetic average
- Median
- Middle value
- Mode
- Most frequent
- Range
- Max minus min
- Std dev
- Spread around mean
- p-value
- Chance under null
- Correlation
- Association only
- Sample size
- Power improves
Lab Safety
- SDS
- Chemical hazard source
- Spill
- Notify teacher
- Skin exposure
- Flush with water
- Eye exposure
- Eyewash immediately
- Biohazard
- Contain then disinfect
- Unknown chemical
- Do not mix
- Broken glass
- Use brush
- Heat source
- Treat as hot
Osmosis vs Diffusion
Osmosis
- Water moves
- Membrane required
- Tonicity matters
Diffusion
- Particles move
- Down gradient
- No ATP
Water vs solute
Cell Process Picker
- Hypertonic outside→Water exits
- Hypotonic outside→Water enters
- Low oxygen→Fermentation
- Light reactions→Thylakoid
- Carbon fixation→Calvin cycle
- DNA copied→S phase
- Protein exported→ER/Golgi
Organelles
- Nucleus
- Stores DNA
- Ribosome
- Builds protein
- Rough ER
- Protein processing
- Smooth ER
- Lipids detox
- Golgi
- Sorts ships
- Mitochondria
- ATP respiration
- Chloroplast
- Photosynthesis site
- Lysosome
- Digestive vesicle
Membranes + Metabolism
- Diffusion
- High to low
- Osmosis
- Water diffusion
- Active transport
- ATP moves uphill
- Endocytosis
- Membrane brings in
- Exocytosis
- Vesicles release out
- Enzyme
- Lowers activation energy
- Photosynthesis
- CO2 to glucose
- Respiration
- Glucose to ATP
Central Dogma
DNA to RNA to protein
DNARNAProtein
Mitosis vs Meiosis
Mitosis
- Body cells
- Diploid copies
- One division
Meiosis
- Gametes
- Haploid variation
- Two divisions
Growth vs gametes
Inheritance Picker
- Three-to-one→Single gene
- One-to-one testcross→Heterozygote
- Male X trait→Maternal allele
- Allele frequency shifts→Evolution
- Small population→Drift
- Higher reproduction→Selection
Genetics
- DNA
- Genetic code
- RNA
- Working copy
- Codon
- Three-base word
- Transcription
- DNA to RNA
- Translation
- RNA to protein
- Allele
- Gene variant
- Genotype
- Allele combination
- Phenotype
- Observable trait
Mitosis Memory
Mitosis makes matching body cells
One divisionDiploidGrowth
Transcription vs Translation
Transcription
- DNA template
- RNA product
- Nucleus first
Translation
- mRNA read
- Protein product
- Ribosome site
Copy vs build
Heredity + Meiosis
- Mitosis
- Identical body cells
- Meiosis
- Haploid gametes
- Crossing over
- Chromatid exchange
- Independent assortment
- Chromosomes segregate randomly
- Dominant
- Masks recessive
- Recessive
- Hidden when heterozygous
- Carrier
- Has recessive allele
- Testcross
- Unknown with recessive
Homologous vs Analogous
Homologous
- Shared ancestry
- Different functions
- Same origin
Analogous
- Similar function
- Different ancestry
- Convergent evolution
Origin vs function
Evolution
- Fitness
- Reproductive success
- Adaptation
- Heritable advantage
- Selection
- Differential survival
- Drift
- Random allele change
- Gene flow
- Alleles migrate
- Mutation
- New variation
- Speciation
- Reproductive isolation
- Cladogram
- Shared ancestry diagram
Diversity + Systems
- Domain
- Highest taxonomy
- Species
- Interbreeding group
- Virus
- Acellular parasite
- Bacteria
- Prokaryotic cells
- Fungi
- Chitin walls
- Xylem
- Water upward
- Phloem
- Sugar transport
- Homeostasis
- Stable internal state
Energy + Matter
Energy flows; matter cycles
SunTrophic levelsNutrients
Primary vs Secondary
Primary
- No soil
- Pioneer lichens
- Slow start
Secondary
- Soil remains
- After disturbance
- Faster recovery
Soil absent vs present
Ecology + Cycles
- Population
- Same species area
- Community
- All populations
- Ecosystem
- Biotic plus abiotic
- Producer
- Autotroph
- Consumer
- Heterotroph
- Decomposer
- Recycles nutrients
- Carrying capacity
- Maximum sustainable size
- Phosphorus cycle
- No major gas
Producer vs Consumer
Producer
- Makes food
- Autotroph
- Energy entry
Consumer
- Eats organisms
- Heterotroph
- Energy transfer
Make vs eat
Common Traps
Correlation Is Not Cause
Association observed ≠ Cause unproven
Theory Is Not Guess
Well supported ≠ Broad explanation
Hypertonic Shrinks Cells
Water exits ≠ Cell shrinks
Fitness Means Reproduction
More offspring ≠ Not stronger
Energy Is Lost
Heat loss ≠ Matter cycles
Viruses Are Acellular
Need hosts ≠ Not cells
Last Minute
- 1.Check exact domain weights
- 2.Control equals baseline group
- 3.Correlation never proves cause
- 4.Water follows solute gradient
- 5.DNA RNA protein order
- 6.Meiosis makes varied gametes
- 7.Fitness means reproductive success
- 8.Phosphorus lacks gas phase
- 9.Energy flows through trophic levels
- 10.Teaching tasks need misconceptions
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