click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
2.2 & 2.3 Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
---|---|
classification | the process of grouping things based on their similarities. |
taxonomy | the scientific study of how living things are classified. |
binomial nomenclature | each organism is given a unique,two-part scientific name. |
genus | a classification grouping that contains similar, closely related organisms. |
species | a group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce. |
prokaryote | organisms whose cells lack a nucleus. |
nucleus | a dense area in a cell that contains nucleic acids. |
eukaryote | organisms with cells that contain nuclei. |
cell | the basic unit of structure and function in an organism. |
microscope | an instrument that makes small objects look larger. |
cell theory | a widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things. |
organism | living things |
unicellular | |
muticellular | composed of many cells that are specialized to do certain tasks. |
stimulus | a change in an organism's surroundings that causes the organism to react. |
response | An action or change in behavior. |
development | the process of change that occurs during an organism's life to produce a more complex organism. |
spontaneous generation | the mistaken idea that living things can arise from nonliving material. |
autotroph | organisms that make their own food. |
heterotroph | organisms that cannot make their own food. |
homeostasis | the maintenance of stable internal conditions. |
organelle | carry out specific functions within the cell. |
cell wall | a rigid layer of nonliving material that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms. |
cell membrane | controls what substances come into and out of a cell. |
cytoplasm | the region between the cell membrane and the nucleus. |
mitochondria | known as the "powerhouses" of the cell because they convert energy in food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions. |
endoplasmic reticulum | passageways carry proteins and other materials from one part of the cell to another. |
ribosome | function as factories to produce proteins. |
Golgi body | receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic reticulum, package them, and distribute them to other parts of the cell. |
chloroplast | captures energy from sunlight and use it to produce food for the cell. |
vacuole | the storage areas of cells. |
lysosome | small, round structures containing chemicals that break down certain materials in the cell. |