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Discovering Cells
Lesson 1+2
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Nucleus | In cells, a large oval organelle that contains the cells genetic material in the form of DNA and controls many of cell's activties. |
| Organelle | A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell. |
| Ribosome | A small grain-shaped organelle in the cytoplasm of a cell that produces proteins. |
| Cytoplasm | A thick fluid region of a cell located inside the cell membrane(in prokaryotes) or between the cell membrane and nucleus(in eukaryotes). |
| Mitochondria | Red-shaped organelles that convert energy in food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions. |
| Endoplasmic Reticulum | An organelle that forms a maze of passageways in which proteins and other materials are carried from one part of the cell to another. |
| Golgi Apparatus | An organelle in a cell that receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic reticulum, packages them, and distributes them to other parts of the cell. |
| Vacuole | A sac-like organelle that stores water, food, and other materials. |
| Chloropast | 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 foods. |
| Lysosome | A cell organelle which contains chemicals that break down large food particles into smaller ones and that can be used by the rest of the cell. |
| Multicellular | Consisting of many cells. |
| Unicellular | Made of a single cell. |
| Tissue | A group of similar cells that perform a specific function. |
| Organ | A body structure that is composed of different kinds of tissues that work together. |
| Organ System | A group of organs that work together to perform a major function. |
| Element | A pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical or physical means. |
| Compound | A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined in a specific ratio, or proportion. |
| Carbohydrate | An energy-rich organic compound, such as a sugar or a starch. that is made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. |
| Lipid | An energy-rich organic compound such as fat, oil, or wax, that is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. |
| Protein | Large organic molecule made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur. |
| Enzyme | A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing. |
| Nucleic Acid | A very large organic molecule made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, that contains the instructions cells need to carry out all the functions of life. |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid; the genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed from parent to offspring. |
| Double Helix | The shape of a DNA molecule. |
| Selectively Permeable | A property of cell membranes that allows some substances to pass across it, while others cannot. |
| Passive Transport | The movement of dissolved materials across a cell membrane without using cellular energy. |
| Diffusion | The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. |
| Osomosis | The diffusion of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane. |
| Active Transport | The movement of materials across a cell member using cellular energy. |
| Endocytosis | The process by which the cell membrane takes particles into the cell by changing shape and engulfing the particels. |
| Exocytosis | The process by which the vacuole surrounding particles fuses with the cell membrane, forcing the contents out of the cell. |