HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE

SECTION A: LIVING ORGANISMS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

(1) Describe the characteristics of living

Organisms:
Movement
An action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change
of position or place.
An animal must move about and search for food.
Movement of the entire body is known as locomotion

Respiration

The release of energy from food substances to do work in the body.

Oxygen from the air combines with food.
Water and carbon dioxide are produce and excrete as waste materials.
Also known as cellular respiration.

Sensitivity or Irritability
The ability to detect or sense changes in the environment (stimuli) and to
make responses.
For example moving towards the sent of food when you smell it.

Growth/Development
This characteristic is when there is a permanent increase in size or weight of
a living thing.
It includes the replacement of worn-out parts of the body.
An increase in cell number or cell size or both.
Growth requires an organism to take in material from the environment and
organize the material into its own structures.

Reproduction
This is the processes which make more of the same kind of organism.
Humans must reproduce if the group is to survive.
Reproduction is often an extension of the growth process. e.g.
There are two types of reproduction. (Sexual Reproduction and Asexual Reproduction.

Excretion
This characteristic is the removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste
products of metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration) and
substances in excess of requirements.
Excretion is only responsible for the removal of waste produced by metabolism
in body cells.
Removal of undigested food from the intestine is called elimination or egestion.

Nutrition
This is the intake of food into the human body, so that body cells can make
energy and provide the materials for building up the body structures.

 The taking in of nutrients which are organic substances and mineral

ions, containing raw materials or energy for growth and tissue repair,
absorbing and assimilating them.

(2). Compare the structures of an unspecialized

Plant and animal cell and selected
Microbes;
The Structure of cells:
Animal cell

Has a irregular shape

Do not usually have vacuoles but if present, they are very small.
Cell membrane surrounding the cell contents.

Plant cell

Plant
cells
have a

rectangular shape.
Have all the components of Animal cells and other parts.

Comparing plant and animal cells

Both animal and plan cells contain the following:

Cell membrane
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Mitochondria
Vacuoles
Ribosomes

Differences Between Plant And

Animal Cell

Microbes
Microbes are single-cell organisms so tiny that millions can fit into the
eye of a needle.

Bacteria
A bacterium is a unicellular organism, with a cell wall, cell
membrane and cytoplasm.
It contains genetic material but no true nucleus.
Bacteria are single-celled microbes, which are generally
smaller than other cells.
A line of 1000 bacteria stretch about 1 cm.
Bacteria can be ball shaped or rod shape.
Structure of a Bacterium
It has a cell wall.
It has a cell membrane.
It contains DNA but not a true nucleus.
Bacterium does not have parts such as those found in animal
and plant cells.
The flagella help the bacterium to move

Viruses
Viruses have two main parts.
An outer capsule made mostly of protein.
An inner core of nucleic acid (DNA /RNA).
Viruses reproduce, but they can only do this inside a living cell.
Because viruses cannot carry out life functions such as growth and
reproduction, is they are not inside a living animal or plant cell.
All viruses are called parasites.
A parasite is an organism which lives on or in another organism.
Viruses are classified as parasites.

Structure of a Virus
A virus does not has cell wall or cell membrane.
Surrounded by a protein coating.
The protein coat protects genetic information of the virus.
A virus has no cytoplasm or cell parts.

Fungi
Yeast is a fungus that is unicellular.
Yeast cell contains mitochondria, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum,
ribosomes and a large vacuole.

(3) State the functions of cell structures;

Cell membrane
Forms the boundary between the cell contents and the
surroundings.
Control the movement of substances into and out of the
cell.

Cytoplasm
All cell activities take place here.
Contains the cell organelles for example mitochondria
and ribosomes.

Nucleus
This is where chromosomes are found
The nucleus controls the cells activities.
Mitochondrion
This is where cellular respiration take place.
Where energy for cell activities are release.
Cells which are more active contain more mitochondria.

Cell wall
This is a non-living layer outside of plants cell
membrane.
The cell wall allow substances to pass through it freely.

Vacuole
Large in plant cells and contain water (cell sap).
Small and sometimes not permanent in animal cells.

Chloroplast
The green pigment chlorophyll is found in it.
This is where photosynthesis take place.
Not found in animal cells.
Ribosome
Makes protein

(4) Identify selected cells which make up the

Human body;
NERVE CELL

A nerve cell is like a receiver, transmitter and

transmission line with the task of passing a signal.
Conducts nerve impulses.

Epithelial cell
Line the cavities and surfaces of structures in the body
Form many glands
it help in secretion, selective absorption and protection

Sperm cell
Specialize to fertilize egg.
the tail allows the sperm cell to swim towards the female sex cell.

Egg cells
Have a large nucleus containing genetic information from the female.
Store food in the cytoplasm.

(5) explain the importance of cell specialization in humans;

Specialized Cells In The Human Body
While many cells make up simple body parts, such as tissues,
some complete more complex and specialized tasks.
These specialized cells are specially designed to perform the
functions for which they are intended.
Each of these cell types are formed and operate differently,
ensuring that the cell can carry out the necessary body function
that it is intended to complete. Example red blood cells, white
blood cells and nerve cells.

(6) distinguish between osmosis and diffusion;

Diffusion:

The movement of particles from a region of high concentration.

(many particles in a small area) to a region of low
concentration (few particles in a small area). When the particles
are released in the surroundings, they randomly move until there
is an even distribution of the particles throughout.

Osmosis:
the movement of solvent particles (usually water) from a region of high
concentration to a region of low concentration through a partially
permeable membrane.

9. Investigate the effect of light and chlorophyll

On the production of starch;