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Life Science Vocab.
Vocabulary of Life Science
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| stimulus | anything that causes a reaction or change in an organism or any part of an organism |
| sexual reproduction | reproduction in which the sex cells from two parents unite to produce offspring that share traits from both parents |
| structure | the arrangement of parts in an organism |
| tissue | a group of similar cells that perform a common function |
| vesicle | a small cavity or sac that connects materials |
| taxonomy | the science of describing, naming, and classifying organisms |
| sex chromosomes | pair of chromosomes that determines the sex of an individual |
| asexual reproduction | reproduction that doesn't involve the union of sex cells and in which one parent produces offspring that're genetically identical to the parent |
| 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 |
| carbohydrate | a class of energy-giving nutrients that includes sugars , starches, and fiber; contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen |
| ATP | Adenosine TriPhosphate, a molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes |
| cell | in biology, the smallest unit that can perform all life processes; cells are covered by a membrane and contain DNA and cytoplasm |
| cell membrane | a phospholipid layer that covers a cell's surface and acts as a barrier between the inside of a cell and the cell's environment |
| cell wall | a rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell |
| active transport | the movement of substances across the cell membrane that requires the cell to use energy |
| cellular respiration | the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food |
| cell cycle | the life cycle of a cell |
| chromosome | in a eukaryotic cell, one of the structures in the nucleus that're made up of DNA and protein; in a prokaryotic cell, the main ring of DNA |
| cytokinesis | the division of the cytoplasm of a cell |
| Classification | the division of organisms into groups, or classes, based on specific characteristics |
| Archaebacteria | a kingdom made up of bacteria that live in extreme environments |
| Animalia | a kingdom made up of complex, multicellular organisms that lack cell walls, can usually move around, and quickly respond to their environment |
| allele | one of the alternative forms of a gene that governs a characteristic |
| homeostasis | the maintenance of a constant internal state in a changing environment |
| heredity | the passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring |
| eukaryote | an organism made up of cells that have a nucleus enclosed by a membrane; eukaryotes include animals, plants, and fungi but not archaebacteria or eubacteria |
| endoplasmic reticulum | a system of membranes that's found in a cell's cytoplasm and that assists in the production, processing, and transport of proteins and in the production of lipids |
| Golgi complex | cell organelle that helps make and package materials to be transported out of the cell |
| eukaryote | an organism made up of cells that have a nucleus enclosed by a membrane; eukaryotes include animals, plants, and fungi but not archaebacteria or eubacteria |
| endoplasmic reticulum | a system of membranes that's found in a cell's cytoplasm and that assists in the production, processing, and transport of proteins and in the production of lipids |
| Golgi complex | cell organelle that helps make and package materials to be transported out of the cell |
| function | the special, normal, or proper activity of an organ or part |
| diffusion | the movement of particles from regions of higher density to regions lower density |
| endocytosis | the process by which a cell membrane surrounds a particle and encloses the particle in a vesicle to bring the particle into the cell |
| exocytosis | the process in which a cell releases a particle by enclosing the particle in a vesicle that then moves to the cell surface and fuses with the cell membrane |
| fermentation | the breakdown of food without the use of oxygen |
| homologous chromosomes | chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes and the same structure |
| dichotomous key | an aid that's used to identify organisms and that consists of the answers to a series of questions |
| Eubacteria | a kingdom that contains all prokaryotes except archaebacteria |
| Fungi | a kingdom made up of nongreen, eukaryotic organisms that have no means of movement, reproduce by using spores, and get food by breaking down substances in their surroundings and absorbing the nutrients |
| heredity | the passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring |
| dominant trait | the trait observed in the first generation when parents that have different traits are bred |
| gene | one set of instructions for an inherited trait |
| genotype | the entire genetic makeup of an organism; also the combination of genes for one or more specific traits |
| homologous chromosome | chromosomes that have the same sequence of genes and the same structure |
| metabolism | the sum of all chemical processes that occur in an organism |
| lipid | a type of biochemical that doesn't dissolve in water; fats and steroids are lipids |
| nucleus | in a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-bound organelle that contains the cell's DNA and that has a role in processes such as growth, metabolism, and reproduction |
| mitochondrion | in a eukaryotic cells, the cell organelle that's surrounded by two membranes and that's the site of cellular respiration |
| lysosome | a cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes |
| mitosis | in eukaryotic cells, a process of cell divisions that forms two nuclei, each of which has the same number of chromosomes |
| meiosis | a process in cell division during which the number of chromosomes decreases to half the original number by two divisions of the nucleus, which results in the production of sex cells |
| producer | an organism that can make its own food by using energy from its surroundings |
| protein | a molecule that's made up of amino acids and that's needed to build and repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body |
| phospholipid | a lipid that contains phosphorus and that's a structural component in cell membranes |
| organelle | one of the small bodies in a cell's cytoplasm that're specialized to perform a specific function |
| prokaryote | an organism that consists of a single cell that doesn't have a nucleus |
| ribosome | a cell organelle composed of RNA and protein; the site of protein synthesis |
| organ | a collection of tissues that carry out a specialized function of the body |
| organ system | a group of organs that work together to perform body functions |
| organism | a living thing; anything that can carry out life processes independently |
| osmosis | the diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane |
| passive transport | the movement of substances across a cell membrane without the use of energy by the cell |
| photosynthesis | the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food |
| Protista | a kingdom of mostly one-celled eukaryotic organisms that're different from plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi |
| Plantae | a kingdom made up of complex, multicellular organisms that're usually green, have cell walls made of cellulose, can't move around, and use the sun's energy to make sugar by photosynthesis |
| recessive trait | a trait that's apparent only when two recessive alleles for the same characteristic are inherited |
| phenotype | an organism's appearance or other detectable characteristics |
| probability | the likelihood that a possible future event will occur in any given instance of the event |
| pedigree | a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family |
Created by:
Boromir
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