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Exam
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Organismal Biology
Population Biology

COURSE SYLLABUS
SMA-001 – Biology

About the Course
The Biology examination covers material that is usually taught in a one-year college general biology course. The subject matter tested covers the broad field of the biological sciences, organized into three major areas: molecular and cellular biology, organismal biology and population biology.

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Activities:
Flash Cards Quiz Forums Crib Sheet
Flash Cards Practice Exam Course Forums Crib Sheet

Credit by Exam Program
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Resources
Exam Bank Questions = 60
FlashCard Phrases = 365
Media Web Links = 0

Recommended Prerequisits
None

Sections
Section 1 - Molecular and Cellular Biology
This section will cover the following areas:
  • Chemical composition of organisms - Simple chemical reactions and bonds, Properties of water, Chemical structure of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and the origin of life.
  • Cells - Structure and function of cell organelles, Properties of cell membranes and the Comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  • Enzymes - Enzyme-substrate complex, Roles of coenzymes, Inorganic cofactors and Inhibition and regulation.
  • Energy transformations - Glycolysis, respiration, anaerobic pathways and Photosynthesis
  • Cell division - Structure of chromosomes, Mitosis, meiosis, and cytokinesis in plants and animals.
  • Chemical nature of the gene - Watson-Crick model of nucleic acids, DNA replication, Mutations, Control of protein synthesis: transcription, translation, posttranscriptional processing, Structural and regulatory genes, Transformation and Viruses.
Section 2 - Organismal Biology
This section will cover the following areas:
  • Structure and function in plants with emphasis on angiosperms - Root, stem, leaf, flower, seed, fruit, Water and mineral absorption and transport and Food translocation and storage.
  • Plant reproduction and development - Alternation of generations in ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, Gamete formation and fertilization, Growth and development: hormonal control and Tropisms and photoperiodicity.
  • Structure and function in animals with emphasis on vertebrates - Major systems (e.g., digestive, gas exchange, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, excretory, immune), Homeostatic mechanisms and Hormonal control in homeostasis and reproduction.
  • Animal reproduction and development - Gamete formation, fertilization, Cleavage, gastrulation, germ layer formation, differentiation of organ systems, Experimental analysis of vertebrate development, Extraembryonic membranes of vertebrates, Formation and function of the mammalian placenta and Blood circulation in the human embryo.
  • Principles of heredity - Mendelian inheritance (dominance, segregation, independent assortment), Chromosomal basis of inheritance, Linkage, including sex-linked, Polygenic inheritance (height, skin color), Multiple alleles (human blood groups)
Section 3 - Population Biology
This section will cover the following areas:
  • Principles of ecology - Energy flow and productivity in ecosystems, Biogeochemical cycles, Population growth and regulation (natality, mortality, competition, migration, density, r- and K-selection), Community structure, growth, regulation (major biomes and succession), Habitat (biotic and abiotic factors), Concept of niche, Island biogeography and Evolutionary ecology (life history strategies, altruism, kin selection)
  • Principles of evolution - History of evolutionary concepts, Concepts of natural selection (differential reproduction, mutation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, speciation, punctuated equilibrium), Adaptive radiation, Major features of plant and animal evolution, Concepts of homology and analogy, Convergence, extinction, balanced polymorphism, genetic drift, Classification of living organisms, Evolutionary history of humans
  • Principles of behavior - Stereotyped, learned social behavior, Societies (insects, birds, primates).
  • Social biology - Human population growth (age composition, birth and fertility rates, theory of demographic transition), Human intervention in the natural world (management of resources, environmental pollution), Biomedical progress (control of human reproduction, genetic engineering)

Available Resources
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