Exam Revision Sheet: Biology & Chemistry Fundamentals

1. 📌 Essentials

• Water’s polarity leads to cohesion,, high specific heat, and floating ice.
• Organic molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins nucleic acids.
• Cell theory: all living organisms are made of cells; cells arise from pre-existing cells.
• Enzymes are biological catalysts that lower activation energy.
• Macromolecules are built from monomers via dehydration synthesis.
• Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-bound organelles; prokaryotic cells do not.
• Water is a universal solvent; critical for biochemical reactions.
• Chemical bonds: ionic (transfer), covalent (sharing), hydrogen bonds (polar attraction).
• Cell membrane: phospholipid bilayer, selectively permeable.
• Metabolism includes catabolic (breakdown) and anabolic (build-up) pathways.

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