Cards

Term
Explain why many animals have a heart and circulation
(mass transport to overcome limitations of diffusion in
meeting the requirements of organisms). (Activity 1.2)

Definition
Small organisms can survive by oxygen and carbon
dioxide etc. diffusing in and out of them. However,
larger animals which have a low surface area to volume
ratio will need a circulatory system to circulate these
substances with in their body.

Term
Explain the importance of water as a solvent in
transport, including its dipole nature. (Activity 1.5)

Definition
Water is a polar molecule. This is beneficial in many
ways. Firstly, it means that water is a liquid at normal
temperatures. Secondly, many chemicals dissolve easily
in water making them easy to transport. Thirdly, the
specific heat capacity is high, taking 42000 Joules to
heat one cm3 of water 1oC. This maintains a constant
body temperature.

Term
Explain how the structures of blood vessels (capillaries,
arteries and veins) relate to their functions. (Activity
1.6)

Definition
Arteries carry blood away from the heart. This blood is
under high pressure so the walls must be thick, with lots
of muscle and elastic fibre, and the lumen must be
narrow.
Veins carry blood under low pressure to the heart. The
Veins have a wide lumen and less muscle and elastic
tissue than an artery.
Cappillaries only have one cell thick walls with a very
small lumen, just wide enough for red blood cells to
travel down. The capillaries are designed for the
exchange of chemicals through the walls by diffusion.

Term
Describe the Cardiac cycle (atrial systole, ventricular
systole and diastole). (Activity 1.7)

Definition
Firstly, blood is pumped out of the atrium and into the
ventrical. During this step, there is high pressure in the
atrium, thus the name Atrial Systole. Then the Ventricles
contract pushing blood out into the body. At this step,
there is high pressure in the ventricles thus the name
Ventricular Systole. Finally, both chaimbers of the heart
relax and blood is sucked into the chaimbers. Because
the heart relaxes, this step is called Diastole.

Term
Relate the structure and operation of the mammalian
heart to its function, including the major blood vessels.
(Activities 1.3 and 1.4)

Definition
The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs
whilst the left side of the heart pumps blood to the rest
of the body. If the blood starts by coming into the right
atrium via the vena cava, it is deoxygenated. It is then
pumped into the right ventricle and then pumped out of
the heart and into the lungs via the pulmonary artery
where it is oxyginated. Then the blood flows back to the
heart via the pulmanory vein, into the left atrium, where
it is pumped into the left ventricle and pumped to the

rest of the body via the aorta. The left ventricle has the
thickest wall as it has to pump blood all the way through
out the body...

Term
Explain the course of events that leads to
atherosclerosis (endothelial damage, inflammatory
response, plaque formation, raised blood pressure).
(Activity 1.8)

Definition
Firstly, there is damage to the endothelium. This causes
an inflamatory response. White blood cells and
cholesterol move into the wall of the blood vessel. This
deposit is called an atheroma. Calcium salts and fibrous
tissue build up causing the atheroma to go hard and to
form a plaque. The blood vessel is now much narrower,
increasing the blood pressure. The blood pressure could
then cause another atheroma. This is positive feedback
in effect.

Term
Describe the blood clotting process (thromboplastin
release, conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and
fibrinogen to fibrin) and its role in cardiovascular
disease (CVD). (Activity 1.8)

Definition
When blood comes into contact with collagen,
thromboplastin is released from the damaged tissue and
platelets. This converst Prothrombin into Thrombin.
Thrombin then converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble
fibrin. If there is already an atheroma in the place where
are clott forms, the artery may be thin enough for the
clott to completely stop the blood flow, thus preventing
oxygenated blood from providing cells with oxygen possibly killing them. This is CVD.

Term
Analyse and interpret quantitative data on illness and
mortality rates to determine health risks (including
distinguishing between correlation and causation and
recognising conflicting evidence). (Activity 1.9)

Definition
Correlation - when an increase in one thing is
accompanied by an increase in another (positive). (e.g.
the length of a TV programme and the percentage of
the class asleep)
Causation - a change in one variable is responsible for a
change in the other. (e.g. its not the length of the TV
programme but the fact that they did not get enough
sleep which accounts for the percentage of children
asleep).

Term
Explain why people's perceptions of risks are often
different from the actual risks (including
underestimating and overestimating the risks due to
diet and other lifestyle factors in the development of
heart disease). (Activity 1.9)

Definition
People tend to overestimate the risks if something is
involuntary, not natural, unfamiliar, dreaded, unfair or
very small. Sometimes if the risk is far off into the future
- like a heart attack - one will underestimate the chance
of it happening. For example few people bother about
the fact that smoking NOW will affect their health in the
FUTURE.

Term
Definition
Evaluate design of studies used to determine health risk Cohort studies - a group of people are followed over
factors (including sample selection and sample size
time to see who develops the disease.
used to collect data that is both valid and reliable).
Case-control studies - a group of people who have the

(Activity 1.10)

Term
Describe the factors that increase the risk of CVD
(genetic, diet, age, gender, high blood pressure,
smoking and inactivity). (Age and Gender Activity 1.11.
Genetic Inheritance Activity 1.19. Blood Pressure
Activities 1.12, 1.13 and 1.22. Diet Activities 1.17 and
1.20)

disease are compared with a group of people who do

not have the disease. (the groups's history is
observed...)
A good study should have a clear aim, a representative
sample and valid and reliable results.

Definition
The main factors which increase the risks of CVD are a
high blood pressure - high pressure could cause a break
in the epithelial cells, obesity - large amounts of
cholesterol and high blood pressure, blood cholesterol
and other dietary factors, smoking - harmful toxins in
teh blood, and genetic inheritance - genes which make
you more likely to get CVD (maybe more likely to be
obese or higher cholesterol).

Term
Definition
Distinguish between monosaccharides, disaccarides and sugars and starch are composed of many single sugar
polysaccharides (glycogen and starch - amylose and
units put together. One of these units is called a
amylopectin) and relate their structures to their roles in
monosaccharide. Two are called a disaccharide. Three or
providing and storing energy (alpha-glucose and
more become a polysaccharide.
cellulose are not required in this topic). (Activity 1.14)
Starch (found in plants) is made up of polysaccharides
in two main molecules - amylose and amylopectin.
Amylose is a straight chain between 200 and 5000
glucose molecules with 1,4 glycosidic links. this forms a
spiral. Amylopectin is also made of a chain of glucose
but it has side branches. A 1,6 glycosidic link holds each
protrusion onto the main chain.
Glycogen found in animals, bacteria and fungi is also a
polymer of glucose. It has many side branches meaning
it can be easily hydrolised giving easy access to stored
energy. In humans, Glycogen is stored in the liver and
muscles.
These chains of glucose are good for storing energy as
they are compact, insoluble so they do not affect the
concentration of water in cells.

Term
Describe how monosaccharides join to form
disaccharides (sucrose, lactose and maltose) and
polysaccharides (glycogen and amylose) through
condensation reactions forming glycosidic bonds, and
how these can be split through hydrolysis reactions.
(Activities 1.14 and 1.15)

Definition
Sucrose is formed from a glucose and fructose sugar.
Maltose is formed from two glucose sugars.
Lactose is formed from a galactose and glucose sugar.
The bond in Maltose is a 1,4 glycosidic link. It is know by
this because the bond is made at its first and fourth
carbon atom. An oxygen atom joins them and a water
molecule is released thus the name of the reaction condensation reaction. If water is added however, the
disaccharide will break into two molecules of glucose
again. This is called a hydrolysis reaction.

Term
Describe the synthesis of triglyceride by the formation
of ester bonds during condensation reactions between

Definition
Three fatty acids and one glycerol molecule make up
one triglyceride molecule. The molecules bond with an

glycerol and three fatty acids and recognise differences

between saturated and unsaturated lipids. (Activity
1.16)

ester bond again a condensation reaction. The bond is

between an oxygen and carbon atom (the carbon has a
double bond between an oxygen).
A saturated lipid has a chain of hydrocarbons which is
saturated with hydrogen atoms. An unsaturated lipid
however will have one or more double bonds between
any of the carbon atoms meaning there are less
hydrogen atoms in the hydrocarbon chain. As a
saturated lipid's chain is straight they pack together
well making the bonds between the molecules hard to
break and therefore increasing their melting point (they
are solid at room temp.). However, unsaturated lipids do
not pack so well together as they have a kink where the
carbon double bond is, thus lowering their melting point
(they are liquid at room temp.).

Term
Analyse data on energy budgets and diet so as to be
able to discuss the consequences of energy imbalance,
including weight loss, weight gain, and development of
obesity. (Activity 1.17)

Definition
If energy input is equal with energy output a normal
weight will be maintained. If your enery input is less
than your energy output, you will lose weight and vice
versa. Obesity would be the outcome if much more
energy is continually consumed than the amount that is
used up.
body mass/kg
***BMI= -----------(height/m)^2

Term
Analyse and interpret data on the possible significance
for health of blood cholestorol levels and levels of highdensity lipoproteins (HDLs) and low-density lipoproteins
(LDLs). (Activity 1.18)

Definition
HDLs can be thought of as the good cholesterol as a
higher amount of this is good, where as LDLs are the
cholesterol which is bad for you. LDL is the major
component of cholesterol risk for CVD.

Term
Describe the evidence for a causal relationship between
blood cholesterol levels (total cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol) and CVD. (Activity 1.18)

Definition
Lots of studies done etc...

Term
Describe how to investigate the Vit. C content of food
and drink. (Activity 1.21)

Definition
Juices titraited into a DCPIP solution till colour changes.
find amount of Vit. C needed to change colour of DCPIP
then you can find the amount in each fruit juice...

Term
Describe how the effect of caffeine on heart rate in
Daphnia can be investigated practically, and discuss
whether there are ethical issues in the ues of
invertebrates. (Activity 1.23)

Definition
Daphnia put under microscope in slide with cotton wool
and cirtain conc. of caffeine solution, then heart beats
counted...

Term
Discuss how people use scientific knowledge about the
effects of diet (including obesity indicators), exercise
and smoking to reduce their risk of coronary heart
disease. (Activity 1.17 and 1.25)

Definition
If it is known that a bad diet and smoking increase the
risk of CHD, then people can have a good diet and not
smoke, thus decreasing their risk of CHD. If exercise is
know to decrease the risk of CHD more people can do it
to reduce their risk.

Term
Describe the benefits and risks of treatments for CVD
(antihypertensives, plant statins, anticoagulants and
platelet inhibitory drugs).

Definition
ACE inhibitors (antihypertensives) lower the blood
pressure. Side effects - dizziness, dry cough, abnormal
heart rhythms and a reduction in the function of the
kidney.
Calcium channel blockers (antihypertensives) block
calcium channels in the muscles lining the arteries.
blood pressure lowers because muscles can't contract.
Side effects - headaches, dizziness, swollen ankles,
abnormal heart rhythms, flushing red and constipation.
(these may make symptoms worse...)
Diuretics increase the volume of urine produced by the
kidneys thus lowering the blood pressure. Side effects dizziness, nausea or muscle cramps.
Anticoagulants - stop clood clotting therefore blood clott
cannot block artery but this could cause internal
haemorrhage.
Platelet inhibitory same sort of thing... stops platelets...