Term | Definition |
cuticle (23) | a waxy or fatty and watertight layer on the external wall of epidermal cells |
spore (23) | a reproductive cell or multicellular structure that is resistant to environmental conditions |
sporophyte (23) | in plants and algae that have alternation of generations, the diploid individual or generation the produces haploid spores |
gametophyte (23) | in alternation of generations, the phase in which gametes are formed; a haploid individual that produces gametes |
archegonium (23) | a female reproductive structure that produces a single egg and in which fertilization and development take place |
antheridium (23) | a reproductive structure that produces male sex cells in seedless plants |
sporangium (23) | a specialized sac, case, capsule, or other structure that produces spores |
rhizome (23) | a horizontal, underground stem that provides a mechanism for asexual reproduction |
frond (23) | the leaf of a fern or palm |
sorus (23) | a cluster of sporangia |
gymnosperm (23) | a vascular seed plant whose seeds are not enclosed by a fruit |
angiosperm (23) | a flowering plant that produces seeds within a fruit |
ovule (23) | a structure of seed plant that contains a female gametophyte and that develops into a seed after fertilization |
seed (23) | a plant embryo that is enclosed in a protective coat |
pollen grain (23) | the structure that contains the male gametophyte of seed plants |
pollination (23) | the transfer of pollen from the male reproductive structures (anthers) to the tip of a female reproductive structure (pistil) of a flower in angiosperms or to the ovule in gymnosperms |
monocot (23) | an angiosperm that produces seeds that have only one cotyledon |
cotyledon (23) | the embryonic leaf of a seed |
dicot (23) | an angiosperm that produces seeds that have two cotyledons |
stamen (23) | the male reproductive structure of a flower that produces pollen and consists of an anther at the tip of a filament |
anther (23) | the tip of a stamen, which contains the pollen sacs where pollen grains form |
pistil (23) | the female reproductive part of a flower that produces seeds and consists of an ovary, style, and stigma |
fruit (23) | a mature plant ovary; the plant organ in which the seeds are enclosed |
dermal tissue (24) | the outer covering of a plant |
vascular tissue (24) | the specialized conducting tissue that is found in higher plants and that is made up mostly of xylem and phloem |
ground tissue (24) | a type of plant tissue other than vascular tissue that makes up much of the inside of a plant |
stoma (24) | opening in a leaf or a stem of a plant that enables gas exchange to occur |
guard cell (24) | one of a pair of specialized cells that border a stoma and regulate gas exchange |
xylem (24) | the type of tissue in vascular plants that provides support and conducts water and nutrients from the roots |
phloem (24) | the tissue that carries organic and inorganic nutrients in any direction, depending on the plant's needs |
vascular bundle (24) | a strand of conducting tissue that contains both xylem and phloem |
pith (24) | the tissue that is located in the center of the stem of most vascular plants and that is used for storage |
heartwood (24) | the nonconducting older wood in the center of a tree trunk |
sapwood (24) | the tissue of the secondary xylem that is distributed around the outside of a tree trunk and is active in transporting sap |
blade (24) | the broad, flat portion of a typical leaf |
petiole (24) | the stalk that attaches a leaf to the stem of a plant |
mesophyll (24) | in leaves, the tissue between epidermal layers, where photosynthesis occurs |
germination (24) | the beginning of growth or development in a seed, spore, or zygote, especially after a period of inactivity |
meristem (24) | a region of undifferentiated plant cells that are capable of dividing and developing into specialized plant tissues |
primary growth (24) | the growth that occurs as a result of cell division at the tips of stems and roots and that gives rise to primary tissue |
secondary growth (24) | growth that results from cell division in the cambia, or lateral meristems, and that causes the stems and roots to thicken |
apical meristem (24) | the growing region at the tips of stems and roots in plants |
lateral meristem (24) | dividing tissue that runs parallel to the long axis of a stem or a root |
transpiration (25) | the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through stomata |
tropism (25) | the movement of all or part of an organism in response to an external stimulus |
phototropism (25) | a plant growth movement that occurs in response to the direction of a source of light |
thigmotropism (25) | a response of an organism or part of an organism to touch, such as the coiling of a vine around an object |
gravitropism (25) | the growth of a plant in a particular direction in response to gravity |
photoperiodism (25) | the response of plants to seasonal changes in the relative length of nights and days |
dormancy (25) | a state in which seeds, spores, bulbs, and other reproductive organs stop growth and development and reduce their metabolism, especially respiration |
nastice movement (25) | a type of plant response that is independent to the direction of a stimulus |
photosynthesis (9) | the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce carbohydrates and oxygen |
cellular respiration (9) | the process by which cells produce energy from carbohydrates |
ATP (9) | adenosine triphosphate, an organic molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes; composed of a nitrogenous base, a sugar, and three phosphate groups |
ATP synthase (9) | an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of ATP |
electron transport chain (9) | a series of molecules, found in the inner membranes of mitochondria and chloroplasts, through which electrons pass in a process that causes protons to build up on one side of the membrane. |
thylakoid (9) | a membrane system found within chloroplasts that contains the components for photosynthesis |
pigment (9) | a substance that gives another substance or a mixture its color |
chlorophyll (9) | a green pigment that is present in most plant and algae cells and some bacteria, that gives plants their characteristic green color, and that absorbs light to provide energy for photosynthesis |
Calvin cylce (9) | a biochemical pathway of photosynthesis in which carbon dioxide is converted into glucose using ATP and NADPH |
glycolysis (9) | the anaerobic breakdown of glucose to pyruvate, which makes a small amount of energy available to cells in the form of ATP |
anaerobic (9) | describes a process that does not require oxygen |
aerobic (9) | describes a process that requires oxygen |
Krebs Cycle (9) | a series of biochemical reactions that convert pyruvate into carbon dioxide and water |
fermentation (9) | the breakdown of carbohydrates by enzymes, bacteria, yeasts, or mold in the absence of oxygen |
character (12) | a recognizable inherited feature or characteristic of an organism |
trait (12) | one of two or more possible forms of a character; a recognizable feature or characteristic of an organism |
hybrid (12) | the offspring of a cross between parents that have contrasting traits |
generation (12) | the entire group of offspring produced by a given group of parents |
allele (12) | one of two or more alternative forms of a gene, each leading to a unique trait |
dominant (12) | describes an allele that is fully expressed whenever the allele is present in an individual |
recessive (12) | describes an allele that is expressed only when there is no dominant allele present in an individual |
genotype (12) | a specific combination of alleles in an individual |
phenotype (12) | the detectable trait or traits that result from the genotype of an individual |
homozygous (12) | describes an individual that carries two identical alleles of a gene |
heterozygous (12) | describes an individual that carries two different alleles of a gene |
Punnett square (12) | a graphic used to predict the results of a genetic cross |
probability (12) | the likelihood that a specific event will occur; expressed in mathematical terms |
pedigree (12) | a diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family |
genetic disorder (12) | an inherited disease or disorder that is caused by a mutation in a gene or by a chromosomal defect |
polygenic character (12) | a character that is influenced by more than one gene |
codominance (12) | a condition in which both alleles for a gene are fully expressed |
linked (12) | in genetics, describes two or more genes that tend to be inherited together |
gene (13) | a segment of DNA that is located in a chromosome and that codes for a specific hereditary trait |
DNA (13) | deoxyribonucleic acid, the material that contains the information that determines inherited characteristics |
nucleotide (13) | in a nucleic acid chain, a subunit that consists of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base |
purine (13) | a nitrogenous base that has a double-ring structure; adenine or guanine |
pyrimidine (13) | a nitrogenous base that has a single-ring structure; in DNA, either thymine or cytosine |
DNA replication (13) | the process of making a copy of DNA |
DNA helicase (13) | an enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix during DNA replication |
DNA polymerase (13) | an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule |
RNA (13) | ribonucleic acid, a natural polymer that is present in all living cells and that plays a role in protein synthesis |
gene expression (13) | the manifestation of the genetic material of an organism in the form of specific traits |
transcription (13) | the process of forming a nucleic acid by using another molecule as a template |
translation (13) | the portion of protein synthesis that takes place at ribosomes and that uses the codons in mRNA molecules to specify the sequence of amino acids in polypeptide chains |
codon (13) | in DNA and mRNA, a three-nucleotide sequence that encodes an amino acid or signifies a start signal or a stop signal |
mutation (14) | a change in the structure or amount of the genetic material of an organism |
nondisjunction (14) | a failure of homologous chromosomes to separate during meiosis I or the failure of sister chromatids to separate during mitosis or meiosis II |
polyploidy (14) | an abnormal condition of having more than two sets of chromosomes |
operon (14) | a unit of adjacent genes that consists of functionally related structural genes and their associated regulatory genes |
transcription factor (14) | an enzyme that is needed to begin and/or continue genetic transcription |
intron (14) | a nucleotide sequence that is part of a gene and that is transcribed from DNA into mRNA but not translated into amino acids |
exon (14) | one of several nonadjacent nucleotide sequences that are part of one gene and that are transcribed, joined together, and then translated |
domain (14) | in proteins, a functional unit that has a distinctive pattern of structural folding. |
genome (14) | the complete genetic material contained in an individual or species |
plasmid (14) | a genetic structure that can replicate independently of the main chromosome(s) of a cell |
transposon (14) | a genetic sequence that is randomly moved, in a functional unit, to new places in a genome |
cell differentiation (14) | the process by which a cell becomes specialized for a specific structure or function during multicellular development |
apoptosis (14) | in mutlicellular organisms, a genetically controlled process that leads to the death of a cell; programmed cell death |