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Biology EOC Review
This is a vocab review for everything related to the Biology EOC.
Term | Definition |
---|---|
ecology | scientific study of interactions among organisms and be￾tween organisms and their environment |
biosphere | part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere |
species | group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring |
population | group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area |
community | assemblages of different populations that live together in a defined area |
ecosystem | collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving environment |
biome | group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities |
autotroph | organism that can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce its own food from inorganic compounds; also called a producer |
producer | organism that can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce food from inorganic compounds; also called an autotroph |
photosynthesis | process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as sugars and starches |
chemosythesis | process by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates |
heterotroph | organism that obtains energy from the foods it consumes; also called a consumer |
consumer | organism that relies on other organisms for its energy and food supply; also called a heterotroph |
herbivore | organism that obtains energy by eating only plants |
carnivore | organism that obtains energy by eating animals |
omnivore | organism that obtains energy by eating both plants and animals |
detritivore | organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter |
decomposer | organism that breaks down and obtains energy from dead organic matter |
food chain | series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten |
food web | network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem |
trophic level | step in a food chain or food web |
ecological pyramid | diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter within each trophic level in a food chain or food web |
biomass | total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level |
biogeochemical cycle | process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another |
evaporation | process by which water changes from a liquid into an atmospheric gas |
transpiration | loss of water from a plant through its leaves |
nutrient | chemical substance that an organism requires to live |
nitrogen fixation | process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia |
denitrification | conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas |
primary productivity | rate at which organic matter is created by producers in an ecosystem |
limiting nutrient | single nutrient that either is scarce or cycles very slowly, limiting the growth of organisms in an ecosystem |
algal bloom | an immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from a large input of a limiting nutrient |
phytoplankton | population of algae and other small, photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean and forming part of plankton |
food vacuole | small cavity in the cytoplasm of protists that temporarily stores food |
cilium | short hairlike projection similar to a flagellum; produces movement in many cells |
contractile vacuole | Cavity in the cytoplasm of some protists that collects water and discharges it from the cell |
prokaryote | unicellular organism lacking a nucleus |
virus | a particle made up of nucleic acid, protein, and in some cases lipids that can replicate only by infecting living cells |
bacteriophage | virus that infects bacteria |
retrovirus | virus that contains RNA as its genetic information |
gene pool | combined genetic information of all the members of a particular population |
relative frequency | number of times an allele occurs in a gene pool compared with the number of times other alleles occur |
single-gene trait | trait controlled by a single gene that has two alleles |
polygenic trait | trait controlled by two or more genes |
directional selection | form of natural selection in which the entire curve moves; occurs when individuals at one end of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals in the middle or at the other end of the curve |
stabilizing selection | form of natural selection by which the center of the curve remains in its current position; occurs when individuals near the center of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals at either end |
disruptive selection | form of natural selection in which a single curve splits into two; occurs when individuals at the upper and lower ends of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals near the middle |
genetic drift | random change in allele frequencies that occurs in small populations |
evolution | change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms |
theory | well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations |
fossil | preserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism |
artificial selection | selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from natural variation |
struggle for existence | competition among members of a species for food, living space, and the other necessities of life |
fitness | ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment |
adaptation | inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival |
survival of the fittest | process by which the individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called natural selection |
natural selection | process by which the individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest |
descent with modification | principle that each living species has descended, with changes, from other species over time |
common descent | principle that all living things were derived from common ancestors |
homologous structures | structures that have different mature forms in different organisms but develop from the same embryonic tissues |
vestigial organ | organ that serves no useful function in an organism |
bacteriophage | kind of virus that infects bacteria |
nucleotide | building block of a nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) |
base pairing | Adenine+ Thymine, Cytosine+ Guanine |
chromatin | long strands of DNA found in the eukaryotic cell nucleus; condense to form chromosomes |
histone | protein molecule around which DNA is tightly coiled in chromatin |
replication | (genetics) the process whereby DNA makes a copy of itself before cell division |
DNA polymerase | enzyme that makes bonds between nucleotides, forming an identical strand of DNA during replication |
gene | sequence of DNA that codes for a protein and thus determines a trait |
mRNA (messenger RNA) | RNA molecule that carries copies of instructions for the assembly of amino acids into proteins from DNA to the rest of the cell |
rRNA (ribosomal RNA) | type of RNA that makes up the major part of ribosomes |
tRNA (transfer RNA) | type of RNA molecule that transfers amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis |
transcription | process in which part of the nucleotide sequence of DNA is copied into a complementary sequence in RNA |
codon | three-nucleotide sequence on messenger RNA that codes for a single amino acid |
translation | decoding of a mRNA message into a polypeptide chain |
anticodon | group of three bases on a tRNA molecule that are complementary to an mRNA codon |
mutation | a change or alteration in form or qualities |
sex-linked genes | genes found on the chromosomes that determine sex, XX= female, XY= male |
nondisjunction | occurs in meiosis when homologous chromosomes fail to separate |
homologous | term used to refer to chromosomes that each have a corresponding chromosome from the opposite-sex parent |
diploid | term used to refer to a cell that contains both sets of homologous chromosomes |
haploid | term used to refer to a cell that contains only a single set of chromosomes and therefore only a single set of genes |
meiosis | process by which the number of chromosomes per cell is cut in half through the separation of homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell |
tetrad | structure containing 4 chromatids that forms during meiosis |
crossing-over | process in which homologous chromosomes exchange portions of their chromatids during meiosis |
cell division | process by which a cell divides into two new daughter cells |
mitosis | part of eukaryotic cell division during which the cell nucleus divides |
cytokinesis | division of the cytoplasm during cell division |
chromatid | one of two identical "sister" parts of a duplicated chromosome |
centromere | area where the chromatids of a chromosome are attached |
interphase | period of the cell cycle between cell divisions |
cell cycle | series of events that cells go through as they grow and divide |
prophase | first and longest phase of mitosis, during which the chromosomes become visible and the centrioles separate and take up positions on the opposite sides of the nucleus |
centriole | one of two tiny structures located in the cytoplasm of animal cells near the nuclear envelope |
spindle | fanlike microtubule structure that helps separate the chromosomes during mitosis |
metaphase | second phase of mitosis, during which the chromosomes line up across the center of the cell |
anaphase | the third phase of mitosis, during which the chromosome pairs separate and move toward opposite poles |
telophase | fourth and final phase of mitosis, during which the chromosomes begin to disperse into a tangle of dense material |
cancer | disorder in which some of the body's own cells lose the ability to control growth |
Nucleus | Controls the cell |
Cell Membrane aka Plasma Membrane | controls what enters and leaves the cell |
Cell wall | structure and support of plant cell |
Mitochondria | site of cellular respiration. releases energy from food to make atp |
Vacuoles | storage of food water and waste |
Chloroplasts | site of photosynthesis. makes food (glucose) for plant cell |
Ribosomes | site of protein synthesis - not membrane bound |
Prokaryotes | is a single-celled organism (bacteria) that lacks a nucleus, mitochondria, or any other membrane-bound organelles |
Eukaryote | any organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles enclosed within membranes. |
Osmosis | water moves from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration with no energy needed |
Diffusion | movement of substances from an area of high concentration to low concentration; no energy needed |
facilitated diffusion | movement of substances from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration using a transport protein. NO energy needed |
Active Transport | movement of substances from low concentration to high concentration where ENERGY is needed |
Homoestasis | maintaining a stable internal environment in response to a changing external environment |
Enzyme | a protein that accelerates, or catalyze, chemical reactions. Lowers activation energy of chemical reactions |
activation energy | Least amount of energy needed to for a chemical reaction to occur |