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Topic 2: Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cell | The basic unit of structure and function in living things. |
| Microscope | An instrument that makes small objects look larger. |
| Cell theory | A widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things. |
| Organelle | A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell. |
| Cell wall | A rigid supporting layer that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms. |
| Cell membrane | A thin, flexible barrier that surrounds a cell and controls which substances pass into and out of a cell. |
| Cytoplasm | The thick fluid region of a cell located inside the cell membrane (in prokaryotes) or between the cell membrane and nucleus (in eukaryotes). |
| 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. |
| Mitochondria | Rod-shaped organelles that convert energy in food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions. |
| 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. |
| Vacuole | A sac-like organelle that stores water, food, and other materials. |
| Selectively permeable | A property of cell membranes that allows some substances to pass across it, while others cannot. |
| Diffusion | The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. |
| Osmosis | The diffusion of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane. |
| Photosynthesis | The process by which plants and other autotrophs capture and use light energy to make food from carbon dioxide and water. |
| Autotroph | An organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce its own food. |
| Heterotroph | An organism that cannot make its own food and gets food by consuming other living things. |
| Chlorophyll | A green photosynthetic pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants ,algae, and some bacteria. |
| Cellular respiration | The process in which oxygen and glucose undergo a complex series of chemical reactions inside cells, releasing energy. |