Unit 1 Learning Goals and Outcomes

1. Understand what is the same about all life, and what makes life diverse

LOCS

A. List the five characteristics all organisms on Earth share

B. Explain why the first four are required for life

C. Differentiate heterotrophs and autotrophs

2. Understand that energy to sustain life is derived from chemical potential energy

LOCS

A. Relate the distance of electrons from their protons to the concept of chemical potential energy

B. Define exergonic and endergonic chemical reactions

C. Classify the hydrolysis of ATP as either endergonic or exergonic

D. Classify the phosphorylation of a substrate by ATP as either endergonic or exergonic

E. Use the First Law of Thermodynamics to explain how chemical reactions transfer energy from one molecule to another

HOCS

F. Predict whether reactions are exergonic or endergonic given information on the potential energy of reactants and products

G. Use the concepts of exergonic and endergonic reactions to explain how ATP does work in the cell via phosphorylation.

3. Understand the importance of cellular respiration to (almost all) life on Earth

LOCS

A. List (separately) the inputs and outputs of cellular respiration.

B. Recall that nearly all life on Earth conducts cellular respiration

C. Differentiate and relate the roles of glucose and ATP in cellular respiration

D. Describe the role of cellular respiration in the transfer of energy from glucose to work done in the cell

E. Differentiate aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration

HOCS

F. Justify why some organisms would use aerobic cellular respiration and others would use anaerobic cellular respiration

G. Justify why most life on Earth uses aerobic cellular respiration, instead of anaerobic cellular respiration

4. Understand the importance of photosynthesis to (almost all) life on Earth

LOCS

A. List (separately) the inputs and outputs of the light reactions of photosynthesis

B. List (separately) the