Question | Answer |
virus | a small, nonliving particle that invades and then reproduces inside a living cell |
host | a living thing that provides a source of energy for a virus or an organism |
parasites | organisms that live on or in a host and cause harm to the host |
bacteriophage | a virus that infects bacteria |
active virus | a virus that immediately takes over the host cell's functions |
hidden virus | a virus that invades a cell, but remains inactive for awhile |
cytoplasm | the gel-like region inside a cell |
ribosomes | chemical factories inside cells where proteins are produced |
flagellum | a long, whiplike structure that extends out through the cell membrane and cell wall; used for movement |
archaebacteria | bacteria that live in extreme environments |
eubacteria | bacteria that live everywhere but extreme environments |
binary fission | a process in which one cell divides to form two identical cells |
asexual reproduction | a reproductive process that involves only one parent and produces offspring that are identical to the parent |
sexual reproduction | two parents combine their genetic material to produce a new organism which differs from both parents |
conjugation | one bacterium transfers some of its genetic material into another bacterial cell through a thin, threadlike bridge that joins the two cells |
respiration | the process of breaking down food to release its energy |
endospore | a small, rounded, thick-walled resting cell that forms inside a bacterial cell when conditions become unfavorable for the bacteria |
decomposer | organism that breaks down large chemicals in dead organisms into small chemicals |
infectious diseases | illnesses that pass from one organism to another |
toxin | a poison |
antibiotic | a chemical that can kill bacteria without harming a person's cells |