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7th Sci Ch. 2 Vocab
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Organism | A living thing. |
Cell | The basic unit of structure and function in living things. |
Unicellular | Made of a single cell. |
Multicellular | Consisting of many cells. |
Metabolism | The combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down. |
Stimulus | Any change or signal in the environment that can make an organism react in some way. |
Response | An action or change in behavior that occurs as a result of a stimulus. |
Development | The process of change that occurs during an organism’s life to produce a more complex organism. |
Asexual reproduction | A reproductive process that involves only one parent and produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent. |
Sexual reproduction | A reproductive process that involves two parents that combine their genetic material to produce a new organism which differs from both parents. |
Classification | The process of grouping things based on their similarities. |
Microscope | An instrument that makes small objects look larger. |
Cell theory | A widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things. |
Cell wall | A rigid supporting layer that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms. |
Nucleus | In cells, a large oval organelle that contains the cell’s genetic material in the form of DNA and controls many of the cell’s activities. |
Organelle | A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell. |
Ribosome | A small grain-shaped organelle in the cytoplasm of a cell that produces proteins. |
Cytoplasm | The thick fluid region of a cell located inside the cell membrane (in prokaryotes) or between the cell membrane and nucleus (in eukaryotes). |
Mitochondria | Rod-shaped organelles that convert energy in food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions. |
Endoplasmic reticulum | An organelle that forms a maze of passageways in which proteins and other materials are carried from one part of the cell to another. |
Golgi apparatus | An organelle in a cell that receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic reticulum, packages them, and distributes them to other parts of the cell. |
Vacuole | A sac-like organelle that stores water, food, and other materials. |
Chloroplast | An organelle in the cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and changes it to an energy form that cells can use in making food. |
Lysosome | A cell organelle which contains chemicals that break down large food particles into smaller ones that can be used by the rest of the cell. |
Tissue | A group of similar cells that perform a specific function. |
Organ | A body structure that is composed of different kinds of tissues that work together. |
Organ system | A group of organs that work together to perform a major function. |
Element | A pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical or physical means. |
Compound | A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined in a specific ratio, or proportion. |
Carbohydrate | An energy-rich organic compound, such as a sugar or a starch, that is made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. |
Lipid | An energy-rich organic compound, such as fat, oil, or wax, that is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. |
Protein | Large organic molecule made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur. |
Enzyme | A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing. |
Nucleic acid | A very large organic molecule made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, that contains the instructions cells need to carry out all the functions of life. |
DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid; the genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed from parent to offspring. |
Double helix | The shape of a DNA molecule. |
Homeostasis | The condition in which an organism’s internal environment is kept stable in spite of changes in the external environment. |
Diffusion | The process by which molecules move form an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. |
Active transport | The movement of materials across a cell membrane using cellular energy. |
Cell division | A process in which one cell splits into two new cells that are genetically identical to the original cell. |