EOU Exam on Thursday, May 1st

Lesson 4: Cell Application and Enzyme Review

Learning Intention

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of cells to regents type questions, as well as review the function of enzymes.

Success Criteria

Apply knowledge of cells, photosynthesis, cellular respiration to a new scenario.
Dissect regents questions to extract tier 2 and 3 vocabulary that is unknown.
Review important key concepts related to Enzymes.

Standards

Reminders

MP 2 and Fall Term ends Monday, January 17th.
Winter regents week is from January 20th to 27th.
Test at end of this unit.
Half regents due January 10th
Test grades are not finished yet.

Part 1

Warm-Up

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Directions: DO NOT ANSWER THE QUESTIONS UNTIL WE SAY SO

Step #1) Underline Tier 2 vocabulary, which is multi-subject vocabulary that is not specific to Science.

Step #2) Circle Tier 3 vocabulary, which is specific to Science.

Step #3) Work with your table to define the Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary you underlined and circles. You can use your laptops but do not just copy and paste. In the margins, write the definition in simple language that you can understand (your own words).

Base your answers to questions 1 through 6 on the information below and your knowledge of biology.

The Mystery of the Algae Blooms

In a remote freshwater lake, scientists have observed a dramatic increase in the number of algae blooms over the past decade. Algae are simple, unicellular organisms that carry out photosynthesis. Under normal conditions, algae populations are kept in balance with other organisms in the ecosystem. However, rising temperatures and an increase in nutrient levels, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural runoff, have led to uncontrolled algae growth, known as blooms.

During an algae bloom, the dense population of algae shades the water, reducing light penetration and disrupting photosynthesis for aquatic plants. When algae die, they are decomposed by bacteria, a process that consumes large amounts of dissolved oxygen in the water. This depletion of oxygen, known as hypoxia, threatens the survival of fish and other aquatic organisms.

At the cellular level, algae are eukaryotic cells, containing a nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Chloroplasts allow algae to produce their own food. When nutrients become abundant, chloroplast activity increases, leading to rapid cell division and an exponential increase in algae population. Scientists are studying how changes in chloroplast function under nutrient-rich conditions contribute to this phenomenon.

Questions

Which organelle is directly responsible for the rapid growth of algae during a bloom?
(1) Nucleus
(2) Mitochondria
(3) Ribosome
(4) Chloroplast

The increased decomposition of dead algae during a bloom decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the lake. Which process is primarily responsible for this oxygen reduction?
(1) Photosynthesis by algae
(2) Respiration by decomposers
(3) Nitrogen fixation by bacteria
(4) Osmosis in aquatic plants

The graph below shows the relationship between nutrient levels in the lake and the population size of algae over time.

Based on the graph, what is the most likely cause of the algae bloom?
(1) A decrease in nitrogen levels.
(2) An increase in nutrient levels.
(3) Rising oxygen levels in the water.
(4) Decreasing water temperatures.

How does the presence of chloroplasts in algal cells contribute to the algae blooms described in the scenario? (Short Response)

What effect does hypoxia caused by algae blooms have on aquatic organisms, and what is its relationship to cellular respiration?
(1) Hypoxia increases respiration in aquatic organisms, improving their survival.
(2) Hypoxia limits oxygen availability, reducing energy production in cells.
(3) Hypoxia decreases the need for respiration in decomposers, stabilizing the ecosystem.
(4) Hypoxia enhances the photosynthetic activity of algae.