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Biology Vocabulary
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Biology | The study of life |
Science | process of testing and discovering/explaining various things in the natural world |
Homeostasis | maintaining stabilibility |
Metabolism | all the chemical reactions taking place in an organism |
Hypothesis | educated prediction or possible answer to an observation/problem that can be tested. Can be changed repeatedly if necessary |
Scientific Theory | Well substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through repeated tests that support the same conclusion. Can be changed |
Scientific Law | several related hypotheses that have been confirmed through testing |
Ion | atom with a charge; has lost or gained one or more electrons |
Hydrogen bond | a weak bond between two molecules that contain hydrogen; between two water molecules |
Cohesion | two molecules of the same type are attracted to one another |
Adhesion | two molecules of different types are attracted to one another |
Polar | molecule that is charged on one end. Example: water |
Organic | contains the element Carbon |
Polymer | large molecule made up of repeating units |
Monomer | small sub units that bond together to make up a polymer |
Hydrolysis | “hydro”=water, “lysis”=split; the splitting of water. A chemical reaction that involves the splitting of a water molecule |
Dehydration synthesis | chemical reaction that occurs where a molecule of H2O is created |
Biomolecule | a molecule that is produced by living things |
Carbohydrate | biomolecule made of C, H, O (sugars, starches, glycogen) used for energy, energy storage & cell to cell recognition |
Saccharide | word that means sugar |
Lipid | biomolecule; aka fat: made of glycerol + 3 fatty acids, used for energy storage. Can also be oils and cholesterols |
Protein | composed of amino acids; contains nitrogen; make up an organism |
Nucleic acids | DNA & RNA, used for storage of genetic information that is the blueprint for building proteins |
Enzyme | proteins that speed up chemical reactions (can either break things down, or put things together) |
Activation energy | the amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction |
Catalyst | substance that speeds up a chemical reaction. Ex: enzyme |
Prokaryotic | cell with NO nucleus, ex. - bacteria |
Eukaryotic | cells that DO have a nucleus, ex. - everything other than bacteria |
Nucleus | contains DNA for cell, makes ribosomes (RNA) |
Mitochondria | power house of the cell; makes energy (ATP) |
Ribosome | site for protein synthesis |
Synthesis | to make or put together |
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) | highway system of the cell. Transports proteins and other things in the cell. Can have ribosomes (rough ER) or no ribosomes (smooth ER) |
Golgi body(apparatus) | packages things for the cell |
Vacuole | storage unit for the cell. In plants, it will hold LOTS of water |
Cell membrane | gate keeper, monitors what goes in and what goes out |
Cell wall | found in plants and bacteria, provides structure for the cell |
Chloroplast | contains the green pigment chlorophyll, site for photosynthesis |
Nucleolus | found in nucleus, produces ribosomes |
Microtubules | help with cell movement |
Lysosome | gets rid of unwanted waste, recycles |
Centrioles | helps with cell reproduction |
Diffusion | the movement of substances from a high to low concentration |
Osmosis | the diffusion of water |
Hyper | prefix that means “more” |
Hypo | prefix that means “less” |
Iso | prefix that means “equal” |
Selective permeability | only certain things can go in and out of cell through the cell membrane |
Ligand | a molecule that a protein receptor binds to |
Cyto | Prefix that means “cell” |
Endo | Prefix that means “into” or ‘inner’ |
Exo | Prefix that means “out of” or “exit” |
Photosynthesis | process that uses light to make sugars |
Autotroph | auto = self; troph = feeder |
Heterotroph | must consume food that is then converted to energy (ATP) |
Cellular respiration | process that uses food (glucose) to make ATP |
ATP | Adenosine Triphosphate : Cellular energy |
Chlorophyll | green pigment found in chloroplasts. Site for photosynthesis |
Glycolysis | “glyco”=sugar; “lysis”=to split: the splitting of sugar |
Somatic cell | body cell |
Gamete | sex cell |
Chromosome | coiled DNA, visible under a microscope |
Homologous chromosomes | pair of chromosomes that contain the same genetic information. One came from mother, the other from father. |
Centromere | center of the chromosome |
Chromatid | ½ of the X forming the chromosome |
Mutation | change in the DNA sequence or chromosome structure |
Cancer | uncontrolled cell growth |
Diploid | cell with 2 sets of chromosomes (ex: somatic cells) |
Haploid | cell with 1 set of DNA (ex: gametes) |
DNA | DeoxyriboNucleic Acid: polymer; genetic blueprint that is the genetic code to produce proteins. |
Double helix | words that mean “twisted staircase”; shape of DNA |
Nucleotide | Sugar, Phosphate & Nitrogen base; DNA’s monomer |
Nitrogen base | adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine in DNA |
Purine | type of nitrogen base; examples: adenine and guanine |
Pyrimidine | type of nitrogen base; examples: thymine and cytosine |
Replication | making an EXACT copy |
Helicase | enzyme, breaks down hydrogen bonds that hold nitrogen bases together |
DNA polymerase | enzyme that proofreads DNA, corrects mistakes |
Deoxyribose | sugar that is part of DNA backbone |
Gene | segment of DNA that codes for a protein |
Repressor | prevents a gene from being expressed, blocks movement of RNA polymerase |
Intron | non- coding portions of DNA |
Exon | coding portions of DNA, codes for proteins |
Point mutation | one nucleotide changes/switched |
Frameshift mutation | inserting or deleting a nucleotide, causing nucleotides to shift, changes nearly every amino acid code in the protein from that point |
Genetics | the study of heredity |
Gregor Mendel | monk who is known as the father of genetics |
Monohybrid Cross | genetic cross involving one trait |
Phenotype | physical characteristic |
Homozygous | genotype with two alike (same) alleles |
Heterozygous | genotype with two different alleles |
Genotype | the alleles of an individual |
Allele | way to represent a gene, can be in two forms (dominant or recessive) |
Dominant | expressed form of a trait, represented by a capital letter |
Recessive | “hidden” form of a trait, takes 2 recessive alleles. Represented by a lower case letter. |
Radiometric dating | estimation of the age of an object by measuring its radiation content |
Endosymbiosis | certain organelles originated as free-living bacteria that were taken inside another cell |
Population | all individuals of a species living in a specific place |
Natural selection | individuals who are the most “fit” will survive and pass on their traits over those “unfit” individuals |
Adaptation | phenotype that provides some type of survival advantage |
Genetic drift | is the change in the frequency of a gene (allelle) in a population due to randomness |
Migration | The transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another |
Gradualism | gradual change over time |
Punctuated equilibrium | model of evolution that states there are periods of rapid change followed by periods of little or no change |
Speciation | formation of a new species |
Vestigial structure | structure with no function (ex. – human appendix) |
Homologous structure | same structure/different function…shows common ancestry(ex. Human arm & whale flipper) |
Analogous structure | different structure/same function(ex. the wing of a bat & butterfly) |
Convergent evolution | the process of a characteristic or adaptation that evolved in two or more separate organisms independently of each other. (Ex: the wing of a bird and a butterfly.) |
Taxonomy | science of naming and classifying organisms |
Biological species | group of similar organisms that can breed with one another |
Phylogeny | evolutionary history |
Cladistics | method of analysis that reconstructs phylogenies by inferring relationships based on shared characteristics |
Virus | DNA or RNA wrapped in a protein coat; pathogenic |
Bacteria | unicellular prokaryote that contains a cell wall |
Pathogen | a disease causing agent |
Aerobic | a process requiring oxygen |
prefix “a” or “an” | makes its root word opposite |
Bacteriophage | virus that infects bacteria |
Antibiotics | medicine that kills bacteria |
Lytic cycle | virus destroys the cell it uses to reproduce |
Lysogenic cycle | virus does not destroy the cell it uses to reproduce |
Vaccine | used to prevent viral infections/diseases |
Protist | kingdom made up of mainly unicellular, eukaryotic organisms |
pseudopod | “false” “foot”, flexible cytoplasmic extensions used by amoeba |
Flagella | long hair like structure that grows out of cell and helps the cell move |
Cilia | tightly packed rows of short flagella used for movement |
Chitin | type of polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungus, the exoskeleton of insects, & the cuticles of round worms |
Mycorrhizae | mutualistic relationship between fungus and plants |
Blastula | hollow ball of cells that is formed in early development in all animals |
Hox genes | genes that control early development in animals and specifically determine the head-to-tail pattern in animal embryos |
Cephalization | cluster of nerves near head region |
Coelem | true body cavity that is completely surrounded by mesoderm cells |
Prefix “meso” | middle |
Prefix “ecto” | outer |
Prefix “pseudo” | false |
Root word “stoma” | mouth |
Prefix ‘proto’ | first |
Prefix ‘deutero’ | second |
Tissue | group of similar cells working together |
Epithelial tissue | lining of most body surfaces |
Prefix “osteo” | pertaining to bone |
cardio | pertaining to the heart |
Plasma | the liquid portion of the blood |
Digestion | process of breaking down food into smaller molecules |
Neuron | nerve cell |
Nephron | tiny tubes in the kidneys |
Composition | the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole |
Inhibit | to prevent from doing something |
“leuko” | prefix meaning “white” |
Cuticle | waxy layer of plant tissue that protects the plant and doesn’t allow water or gases through |
stoma (stomata) | pores on the underside of a leaf that permit gas exchange |
guard cell | specialized cells that border the stoma |
Vascular plants | plants with a system of tubes used to distribute water and nutrients |
Phloem | plant tissue that transports food |
Xylem | plant tissue that transports water |
Seed | structure that contains the plant embryo |
tropism | the growing or turning of an organism in response to a stimulus |
“photo” | light |
Geotropism | plant’s response to gravity |
Germination | emerge from a seed/spore and begin to grow |
Dormancy | to temporarily stop |
Carrying capactiy | the maximum number of individuals that can be supported in a habitat |
Ecology | study of the interactions of living and non-living things in an environment |
Symbiosis | long term interaction between two or more different species |
Mutualism | type of symbiosis where both individuals benefit |
Parasitism | type of symbiosis where one benefits at the other’s expense |
Commensalism | type of symbiosis where one benefits and the other is completely unaffected |
Habitat | the place where something lives |
Succession | progression of species replacement, can be primary-growth where no growth has ever occurred before, or secondary-growth where there has been previous growth |
Trophic level | the position an organism occupies in a food chain/web |
Biomagnification | is the increase in concentration of a substance that occurs in a food chain |
Detritivore | are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus |
Combustion | burning |