NUMS Entry Test Biology Syllabus

Biology syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Biology in NUMS Entry Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Biological Molecules

   5 topics

   • Carbohydrates
   • Proteins and amino acids
   • Lipids
   • Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
   • Water and its biological importance
2. 2

   Enzymes

   4 topics

   • Mechanism of enzyme action
   • Factors affecting enzyme activity
   • Enzyme inhibition
   • Cofactors and coenzymes
3. 3

   Cell Structure and Function

   4 topics

   • Cell membrane and transport
   • Cytoplasmic organelles
   • Nucleus and chromosomes
   • Cell wall
4. 4

   Bioenergetics

   3 topics

   • Photosynthesis
   • Respiration
   • ATP as energy currency
5. 5

   Prokaryotes (Kingdom Monera)

   4 topics

   • Structure of bacteria
   • Classification and nutrition of bacteria
   • Viruses and bacteriophage
   • Importance and control of bacteria
6. 6

   Diversity Among Animals

   3 topics

   • Acoelomate, pseudocoelomate and coelomate
   • Major animal phyla
   • Parasitic adaptations
7. 7

   Life Processes in Animals and Plants

   4 topics

   • Nutrition
   • Gaseous exchange
   • Transport
   • Homeostasis and excretion
8. 8

   Coordination and Control

   4 topics

   • Nervous coordination
   • Chemical coordination (endocrine system)
   • Receptors and effectors
   • Plant hormones and movements
9. 9

   Support and Movement

   4 topics

   • Human skeleton
   • Joints and muscles
   • Mechanism of muscle contraction
   • Support in plants
10. 10

    Reproduction

    4 topics

    • Sexual and asexual reproduction
    • Human reproductive system
    • Reproduction in plants
    • Development and aging
11. 11

    Variation and Genetics

    4 topics

    • Mendelian inheritance
    • Linkage and crossing over
    • Sex determination and sex-linked inheritance
    • Gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations
12. 12

    Evolution

    3 topics

    • Lamarckism and Darwinism
    • Evidences of evolution
    • Natural selection
13. 13

    Biodiversity

    3 topics

    • Classification and taxonomy
    • Five-kingdom system
    • Conservation of biodiversity

Biology flashcards for NUMS Entry Test

22 of 52 cards from the Biology deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are carbohydrates, and what is their general empirical formula?

   Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones (or compounds that yield them on hydrolysis). Their general formula is (CH2O)n, i.e. Cn(H2O)n.

2. Classify carbohydrates into their three main groups with one example of each.

   Monosaccharides (e.g. glucose), oligosaccharides/disaccharides (e.g. sucrose), and polysaccharides (e.g. starch).

3. Name the monosaccharide units that make up sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

   Sucrose = glucose + fructose; Lactose = glucose + galactose; Maltose = glucose + glucose.

4. Compare the storage polysaccharides of plants and animals.

   Plants store glucose as starch (amylose + amylopectin); animals store glucose as glycogen, which is more highly branched than starch.

5. What type of bond joins monosaccharides in di- and polysaccharides, and how is it formed?

   A glycosidic bond, formed by a condensation (dehydration) reaction with the removal of a water molecule.

6. What is the structural role of cellulose and why can't humans digest it?

   Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide of plant cell walls made of beta-1,4-linked glucose; humans lack the enzyme cellulase to break the beta bonds, so it acts as dietary fiber.

7. What is the basic structural unit (monomer) of proteins, and what is the bond linking them?

   The monomer is the amino acid; amino acids are linked by peptide bonds (formed by condensation between the carboxyl group of one and the amino group of the next).

8. Draw the general structure of an amino acid by naming its four groups attached to the central carbon.

   The central (alpha) carbon bears: an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), a hydrogen atom (-H), and a variable R (side) group.

9. How many amino acids commonly occur in proteins, and what distinguishes essential from non-essential amino acids?

   There are 20 common amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from diet; non-essential ones can be synthesized by the body.

10. List the four levels of protein structure.

    Primary (amino acid sequence), secondary (alpha-helix and beta-pleated sheet via hydrogen bonds), tertiary (3D folding of a polypeptide), and quaternary (assembly of multiple polypeptide subunits).

11. Which bonds stabilize the secondary structure of proteins, and give two examples of secondary structures.

    Hydrogen bonds stabilize secondary structure; examples are the alpha-helix and the beta-pleated sheet.

12. What is denaturation of a protein, and name two agents that cause it?

    Denaturation is the loss of a protein's three-dimensional (secondary/tertiary/quaternary) structure and function without breaking peptide bonds. Causes include high temperature and extremes of pH (also heavy metals, alcohol).

13. What are lipids, and what general property defines them?

    Lipids are a heterogeneous group of organic compounds that are insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar (organic) solvents such as ether and chloroform.

14. What are the building blocks of a triglyceride (fat/oil)?

    One molecule of glycerol and three fatty acid chains, joined by ester bonds formed through condensation.

15. Differentiate between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

    Saturated fatty acids have no C=C double bonds (single bonds only) and are usually solid at room temperature; unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more C=C double bonds and are usually liquid (oils).

16. Describe the structure of a phospholipid and its role in membranes.

    A phospholipid has a hydrophilic phosphate-containing head and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails (glycerol backbone). This amphipathic nature lets it form the bilayer of cell membranes.

17. Give two important biological functions of lipids besides energy storage.

    Forming cell membranes (phospholipids), acting as steroid hormones/cholesterol, insulation and thermal protection, and as fat-soluble vitamin carriers (any two).

18. What are the nucleotide components of DNA and RNA?

    Each nucleotide has a pentose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. DNA uses deoxyribose; RNA uses ribose.

19. Name the nitrogenous bases of DNA and RNA, classifying them as purines or pyrimidines.

    Purines: adenine (A) and guanine (G). Pyrimidines: cytosine (C), thymine (T, DNA only), and uracil (U, RNA only).

20. State the base-pairing rules in DNA and the number of hydrogen bonds in each pair.

    Adenine pairs with thymine (2 hydrogen bonds); guanine pairs with cytosine (3 hydrogen bonds).

21. Compare DNA and RNA in terms of sugar, bases, and number of strands.

    DNA: deoxyribose sugar, bases A/T/G/C, double-stranded. RNA: ribose sugar, bases A/U/G/C, single-stranded.

22. Who proposed the double-helix model of DNA, and what holds the two strands together?

    Watson and Crick proposed the double helix. The two antiparallel strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases.

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