Question | Answer |
cell | the smallest uit that can perform all life processes;are covered by a membrane and have DNA and cytoplasm |
stimulus | a change that affects the activity of the organism |
homeostasis | the maintenance of a stable internal environment |
sexual reproduction | two parents produce offspring that will share characteristics of both parents; most animals reproduce this way |
asexual reproduction | a single parent produces offspring that are identical to the parent;most single celled organisms reproduce this way |
heredity | passing of traits from one generation to the next |
metabolism | the sum of all chemical processes that occur in an organism |
One example of homeostasis in humans is called | shivering or sweating |
Name the six characteristics of living things. | have cells, sense and respond to change, reproduce, have DNA, use energy and grow and develop. |
Examples of a stimulus | chemicals, gravity, light, sounds, hunger, and touch |
Examples of activities of life | making food, breaking down food, moving materials into and out of cells, building cells |
What are the four needs of organisms? | food, water, air and living space |
producer | an organism that can make its own food by using energy from its surroundings |
consumer | an organism that eats other organisms or organic matter |
decomposer | an organism that gets energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animal wastes and consuming or absorbing the nutrients |
protein | a molecule that is made up of amino acids and that is needed to repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body |
carbohydrate | a class of energy-giving nutrients that includes sugars, starches, and fiber; contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen |
lipid | a type of biochemical that does not dissolve in water;fats and steroids are lipids |
phospholipid | a lipid that contains phosphorus and that is a structural component in cell membranes |
ATP | adenosine triphosphate; a molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes |
nucleic acid | a molecule made up of subunits called nucleotides |
Why do organisms need food? | food gives organisms energy and the raw material needed to carry on life processes; use the nutrients to replace cells and build body parts |
What are the 3 ways organisms get food? | produce it, consume it, decompose it |
Why do organisms need water? | cells are almost 70% water and most chemical reactions in metabolism require water |
Why do organisms need air? | most living things use oxygen from the air in the chemical process that releases energy from food;plants need carbon dioxide |
What process do plants use to make food? | Photosynthesis (convert the energy in sunlight to energy stored in food); light+carbon dioxide=food + oxygen |
Why do organisms need living space? | all organisms need a place to live that contains all of the things they need to survive;organisms often compete with each other for this space |
One example of a producer | plants |
One example of a consumer | most animals |
one example of a decomposer | mushroom |
nutrients are made up of | molecules |
A molecule is | a substance made when two or more atoms combine |
A compound is | molecules made of different kinds of atoms |
6 elements that make up most living things | carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur |
The 6 elements combine to form | proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, ATP, and nucleic acids |
Almost all life processes of a cell involve | proteins |
How do organisms make new proteins? | the proteins in food are broken down to amino acids the the amino acids link up to make new proteins |
What are some functions of proteins? | help cells like hemoglobin that gives oxygen to the body, protect cells, are enzymes that start or speed up chemical reactions, or make webs, feathers, hair and horns |
Sugars are | carbohydrates |
two types of carbohydrates | simple (table sugar) and complex (starch is potatoes) |
two types of lipids that store energy are | fats and oils |
one difference between fats and oils | at room temperature - fats are solid and oil is liquid |
the blueprints of life | nucleic acid (like DNA) |