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Nursing Teas Test Science Glossary Flashcards

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Question
Answer
Acetylcholine   chemical transmitter substance released by some nerve endings  
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Acid   a compound that yields H+ ions in solution or a solution with the concentration of H+ exceeding OH-  
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Acid-base balance   situation in which the pH of the blood is maintained between 7.35 and 7.45  
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Actinides   the row of elements below the periodic table, from thorium to lawrencium  
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Action potential   a large transient depolarization event, including polarity reversal, that is conducted along the membrane of a muscle cell or a nerve fiber  
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Active transport   membrane transport processes for which ATP is provided (solute pumping and endocytosis)  
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Adaptation   receive, interpret, and respond to internal and external stimuli via the nervous system  
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Adhesion   molecular attraction between dissimilar molecules, attraction between water molecules and molecules that make up the inside of a xylem tube  
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Andrenergic Fibers   nerve fibers that release norepinephrine  
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Aerobic   in the presence of oxygen  
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Afferent (sensory) nerve   nerve that contains processes of sensory neurons and carries nerve impulses to the central nervous system  
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Agglutination   clumping of (foreign) cells, induced by crosslinking of antigen-antibody complexes  
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Agonist   muscle that bears the major responsibility for effecting a particular movement, a prime mover  
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Alkali metals   the column of elements from lithium to francium  
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Allele   any of the alternative forms of a gene  
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Allergy (hypersensitivity)   overzealous immune response to an otherwise harmless antigen  
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Alpha particle   a cluster of 2 protons and 2 neutrons emitted from a nucleus in one type of radioactivity  
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Amnion   fetal membrane that forms a fluid-filled sac around the emrbyo  
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Anabolism   energy-requiring building phase of metabolism in which simpler substances are combined to form more complex substances  
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Anaerobic   without the presence of oxygen  
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Androgen   a hormone that controls male secondary sex characteristics, such as testosterone  
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Anion   an atom or molecule with a negative charge  
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Anode   the negative electrode at which oxidation occurs  
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Antibody   a protein molecule that is released by a plasma cell (a daughter cell of an activated B lymphocyte) and that binds specifically to an antigen, an immunoglobulin  
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Aqueous   refers to solution with water as teh solvent  
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Arteries   blood vessels that conduct blood away from the heart and into circulation  
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Articulation (joint)   the junction of two or more bones  
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Asexual reproduction   method of reproducing a new organism from only one parent by means of mitosis  
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Atom   the smallest amount of an element; a nucleus containing protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons  
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Atomic number   the number of protons in the nucleus of the chemical element  
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Atomic weight   the weight in grams of one mole of the chemical element; approximately the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus  
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Atrophy   reduction in size or wasting away of an organ or cell resulting from disease or lack of use  
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Avogadro's Law   equal volumes of gases contain the same number of molecules  
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Axon   neuron process that carries impulses away from the nerve cell body; efferent process; the conducting portion of a nerve cell  
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Bactericidal   able to kill bacteria  
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Basal metabolic rate (BMR)   rate at which energy is expended (heat produced) by the body per unit of time under controlled (basal) conditions: 12 hours after a meal, at rest  
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Base   a compound that yields OH- ions in solution or a solution with the concentration of OH- exceeding H+  
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Beta particle   an electron emitted from a nucleus in one type of radioactivity  
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Blood pressure   force exerted by blood against a unit area of the blood vessel walls; differences in blood pressure between different areas of the circulation provide the driving force for blood circulation  
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Boiling point   the temperature at which a liquid changes to a gas  
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Bowman's capsule   a network of capillaries encased in a membrane in the kidney for purpose of filtration  
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Boyle's Law   the volume of a gas varies inversely with pressure  
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Bronchioles   the branching air passageways inside the lungs  
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Buffer   a chemical substance or system that minimizes changes in pH by releasing or binding hydrogen ions  
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Calorie   a unit of energy, equal to 4.184 joules; the energy required to increase the temperature of 1.0 g of water by one degree Celcius  
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Capillary action   the rising of a liquid in a small tube because of adhesive and cohesive forces  
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Carbohydrate   organic compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The hydrogen-to-oxygen ration is 2:1  
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Catalyst   a chemical that changes the rate of a chemical reaction without itself  
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Cathode   the positive electrode at which reduction occurs  
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Cation   an atom or molecule with a positive charge  
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Charles's Law   the volume of a gas varies directly with temperature  
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Chlorophyll   green plant pigment that is found in chloroplast and is necessary for photosynthesis  
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Chloroplast   plant cell structures containing light-sensitive chlorophyll  
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Circulation   transporting oxygen and other nutrients to the tissues via cardiovascular system  
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Clone   descendants of a single cell  
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Coenzyme   nonprotein substance associated with and activating an enzyme, typically a vitamin  
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Cohesion   attraction between similar molecules (attraction between two water molecules)  
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Colloid   suspension that does not separate on standing  
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Collodial osmotic pressure   pressure created in a fluid by large non-diffusible molecules, such as plasma proteins, that are prevented from moving through a (capillary) membrane, such substances tend to draw water to them  
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Colony   group of bacteria cells  
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Complemental air   amount of air that can be forefully inhaled  
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Compound   a substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements  
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Concentration   the relative abundance of a solute in a solution  
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Corticosteroids   steroid hormones released by the adrenal cortex  
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Cotyledon   seed leaf that stores food for a plant embryo of seed plants  
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Covalent bond   atoms linked together by sharing valance electrons  
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Cranial nerves   12 nerve pairs that arise from the brain  
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Culture medium   specially prepared nutritious substance used to grow experimental organisms  
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Cytoplasm   the cellular material surrounding the nucleus and enclosed by the plasma membrane  
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Decomposition   a chemical reaction in which a compound is broken down into simpler compounds or elements  
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Dehydrate   to lose water  
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Dendrite   branching neurons that transmit the nerve impulse toward the cell body  
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Disaccharide   a sugar formed by the combination of two simple sugar molecules  
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DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)   a nucleic acid found in all living cells which carries the organism's hereditary information  
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DNA replication   the process that occurs before cell division and insures that all daughter calls have identical genes  
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Dominant traits   occur when one allele masks or suppresses the expression of its partner  
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Ecosystem   the interactive living organisms with their environment  
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Electrode   a conducting substance that connects an electrolyte to an external circuit  
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Electron   a light subatomic particle with negative charge; found in orbitals surrounding an atomic nucleus  
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Element   a substance that cannot be decomposed by ordinary chemical means; each chemical element is characterized by the number of protons in the nucleus  
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Elimination   removing metabolic wastes from the body via renal system  
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Embryo   early development of an animal or plant after fertilization, cylindrical structure within a seed that develops into a plant  
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Emulsion   suspension of two liquids which are incapable of mixing or attaining homogeneity  
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Endocrine glands   ductless glands that empty their hormonal products directly into the blood  
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Endocrine system   body system that includes internal organs that secrete hormones  
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Energy   the concept of motion or heat  
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Enzyme   protein catalyst; chemical that changes the rate of a chemical reaction in living tissue without itself being chemically altered  
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Equilibrium   a balanced condition resulting from two opposing reactions  
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Erythrocytes   red blood cells  
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Estrogen   hormones that stimulate female secondary sex characteristics, female sex hormones  
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Expiration   process of breathing out  
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Extracellular fluid   internal fluid located outside cells  
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Faraday's Laws   two laws of electrolysis relating the amount of substance to the quantity of electric charge  
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Fascia   layers of fibrous tissue covering and separating muscle  
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Fermentation   release of energy from sugar without the use of oxygen, anaerobic respiration  
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Fertilization   fusion of the sperm and egg nuclei  
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Fetus   developmental stage extending from the 9th week of development to birth  
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Fibrinogen   a blood protein that is converted to fibrin (a white,insoluble protein) during blood clotting  
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Filtrate   liquid that passes through the pores in a filter  
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Follicle   ovarian structure consisting of a developing egge surrounded by one or more layers of follicle cells, colloid-containing structure of the thyroid gland  
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Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)   hormone produced by the anterior pituitary that stimulates ovarian follicle production in females and sperm production in males  
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Free energy   the thermodynamic quantity measuring the tendency of a reaction to proceed, also called Gibbs free energy  
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Freezing point   the temperature at which a liquid changes to a solid  
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Fulcrum   the fixed point on which a lever moves when a fore is applied  
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Gamete   sex or germ cell  
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Genetic code   the rules by which the base sequence of a DNA gene is translated into protein structures (amino acid sequence)  
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Genome   the complete set of chromosomes derived from on parent, the haploid genome, or the two sets of chromosomes, the diploid genome  
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Genotype   one's genetic makeup or genes  
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Germinate   develop fro a seed into a plant  
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Glucose   one of the simplest and most important sugars which is the basic transportable form of fuel for living organisms  
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Golgi apparatus   membranous system close to the cell nucleus that packages protein secretions for export, packages enzymes into the lysosomes for cellular use, and modifies proteins destined to become part of cellular membranes  
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Gram formula weight   an amount of a substance equal in grams to the sum of the atomic weights  
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Gray matter   neural tissue of the brain and spinal cord that contains nerve-cell bodies as well as nerve fibers; is a brownish gray color  
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Halogens   the column of the elements from fluorine to astatine  
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Heat capacity   the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius or Kelvin  
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Hemoglobin   oxygen-transporting component of erythrocytes  
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Hepatic (portal) system   circulation in which the hepatic portal vein carries dissolved nutrients to the liver tissues for processing  
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Homeostasis   ability of a cell to regulate a stable internal environment by controlling the passage of fluids into and out of the cell  
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Hormones   steroidal or amino acid-based molecules released to the blood that act as chemical messengers to regulate specific body functions  
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Hydrocarbon   an organic compound containing only carbon and hydrogen  
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Hypertension   high blood pressure  
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Hypertonic solution   solution having a lower water concentration than a solution to which it is compared  
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Hypotension   low blood pressure  
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Hypotnoic solution   solution having a higher water concentration than a solution to which it is compared  
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Immune system   a functional system whose components attack foreign substances or prevent their entry into the body  
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In vitro   in a test tube, glass, or artificial environment  
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Inert gases   the column of elements from helium to radon, also called noble gases  
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inflammation   a nonspecific defensive response of the body to tissue injury, including dilation of blood vessels and an increase in vessel permeability, indicated by redness, heat, swelling, and pain  
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Inoculation   placement of bacteria onto a culture medium  
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Inspiration   process of breathing in  
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Ion   an atom with an electric charge due to gain or loss of electrons  
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Ionization   adding or subtracting electrons from an atom, alternatively, the dissociation of a solute into ions  
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Isomers   several molecules with the same composition but different structures  
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Isotonic solution   a solution with a concentration of a nonpenetrating solutes equal to that found in the reference cell  
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Isotope   a variation of an element characterized by a specific number of neutrons in the nucleus  
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Joule   a unit of energy equal to 0.239 calorie  
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Krebs cycle   aerobic metabolic pathway occurring within mitochondria, in which food metabolites are oxidized and CO2 is liberated, and coenzymes are reduced  
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Lipid   organic compound formed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (fats and cholesterol)  
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Locomotion   voluntary and involuntary movement of body via musculoskelatal system  
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Lymphatic system   a complex system of thin-walled vessels similar to the blood capillaries, which serve to collect lymph fluid from tissues and organs and to transport the fluid to the venous circulation  
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Macrophage   protective cell type common in connective tissue, lymphatic tissue, and certain body organs that phagozytizes tissue cells, bacteria, and other foreign debris, important as an antigen-presenter to T cells and B cells in the immune system  
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Malignant   life threatening; pertains to neoplasms that spread and lead to death, such as cancer  
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Maltose   a disaccharide or double sugar made of two glucose molecules  
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Mast cells   immune cells that function to detect foreign substances in the tissue spaces and initiate local inflammatory responses against them, typically found clustered deep to an epithelium or along blood vessels  
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Mechanical disadvantage (speed lever)   a condition that occurs when the load is far from the fulcrum and the effort is applied near the fulcrum, the effort applied must be greater than the load to be moved  
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Mechanical energy   the energy directly involved in moving matter  
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Metals   the elements in the middle and left parts of the periodic table, except for hydrogen  
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Metamorphosis   series of changes that take place as an egg develops into an adult, including the four stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult  
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Milliequivalent per liter (mEq/L)   the units used to measure electrolyte concentrations of body fluids, a measure of the number of electrical charges in 1 liter of solutions  
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Mitosis   process of cell duplication, in which two daughter cells receive exactly the same nuclear material as the original cell  
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Molarity   the number of moles of solute in 1 liter of solution  
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Mole   an amount of a substance equal in grams to the sum of the atomic weights  
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Molecule   a group of atoms linked together by covalent bonds  
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Monosaccharide   a simple sugar that cannot be broken down by hydrolysis (glucose, fructose and galactose) building blocks of carbohydrates  
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Motor neurons   special nerve cells that transmit impulses to the muscles  
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Mucous membranes   membranes that form the lining of body cavities open to the exterior (digestive, respiratory, urinary and reproductive tracts)  
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Muscle Tone   sustained partial contraction of a muscle in response to stretch receptor inputs, keeps the muscle healthy and ready to act  
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Nephron   structural and functional unit of the kidney, consists of the glomerulus and renal tubule  
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Neutralization   the chemical reaction of an acid and base to yield a salt and water  
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Neutron   a heavy subatomic particle with zero change, found in an atomic nucleus  
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Nonmetals   the elements in the upper-right part of the periodic table, and also hydrogen  
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Nucleus   core of an atom, contains protons and neutrons  
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Nutrient   nourishment, food that promotes growth in living organisms  
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Nutrition   taking in and breaking down nutrients to be used for metabolism via digestive system  
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Operant Conditioning   a method of using rewards to train an animal to perform tasks that are not innate  
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Ophthalmic   pertaining to the eye  
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Optic   pertaining to the eye or vision  
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Orbital   a classification of the energy level occupied by electrons indicating the probable location of the electrons  
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Organ   a part of the body formed by two or more tissues and adapted to carry out a specific function  
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Organic   refers to compounds based on carbon  
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Osmosis   movement of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of greater water concentration to an area of lesser water concentration  
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Osmotic pressure   force produced by the pressure of water diffusing through a semipermeable membrane, the greater the difference in water concentration on either side of the membrane, the greater the osmotic pressure  
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Oxidation   a reaction involving the loss of electrons by an element  
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Oxidation-reduction reaction   a reaction that couples the oxidation (loss of electrons) of one substance with the reduction (gain of electrons) of another substance  
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Oxygenation   taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide via respiratory system  
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Pathogen   disease-causing microorganism  
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Periodic table   display of the elements in order of atomic number with similar elements falling into columns  
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Peripheral nervous system (PNS)   portion of the nervous system consisting of nerves and ganglia that lie outside of the brain and spinal cord  
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Peristalsis   wavelike contractions of muscles in tubular organs, motion that forces food through the human digestive organs, means of locomotion in earthworms  
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Permeability   that property of membranes that permits passage of molecules and ions  
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pH   a number describing the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution  
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Photosynthesis   energy-making reaction in plants, formation of carbohydrates in chlorophyll-containing tissue of plants exposed to light  
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Phototropism   growth response of plants to light  
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Pituitary gland   neuro-endrocrine gland located beneath the brain that serves a variety of functions including regulation of gonads, thyroid, adrenal cortex, lactation, and water balance  
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Pleural cavities   a subdivision of the thoracic cavity, each houses a lung  
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Polymer   a large molecule formed by many small molecules linked together in chainlike fashion  
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Potential energy   stored or inactive energy  
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Pressure gradient   difference in hydrostatic pressure that drives filtration  
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Progestrone   hormone partly responsible for preparing the uterus for the fertilized ovum  
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Prostate gland   accessory reproductive gland, produces one-third of semen volume, including fluids that activate sperm  
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Proton   a heavy subatomic particle with a positive charge, found in an atomic nucleus  
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Radioactivity   the emission of subatomic particles from a nucleus  
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Recessive traits   a trait due to a particular allele that does not manifest itself in the present of other alleles that generate traits dominant to it, must be present in double dose in order to be expressed.  
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Reduction   a reaction involving the gain of electrons by an element  
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Regeneration   replacement of destroyed tissue with the same kind of tissue  
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Regulation   hormonal control of bodily function via endocrine system  
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Renal   pertaining to the kidney  
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Reserve air   amount of air that can be forced out of the lungs after normal expiration  
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Residual air   amount of air left in the lungs after forced expiration  
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Respiration   reaction in the cells of plants and animals that use oxygen and sugar to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy  
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RNA (ribonucleic acid)   genetic material that assists with protein synthesis  
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Salt   a solid compound composed of both metallic and nonmetallic elements  
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Saturated   describes a solution that has as much solutes as it can hold at a given temperature  
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Scientific method   a series of logically related steps used to gather information in order to solve a problem  
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Self-duplication   production of offspring via the reproductive system  
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Semipermeable membrane   a membrane that selectively allows materials to pass through  
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Sensory neurons   special nerve cells that transmit impulses from a stimulus to a receptor  
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Sex-linked inheritance   inherited traits determined by genes on the sex chromosomes  
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Shell   a set of electron orbitals with the same principal quantum number  
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Skeletal muscle   muscle composed of cylindrical multinucleated cells with striations, skeletal muscle, a voluntary muscle, attaches to the body's skeleton  
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Solubility   the upper limit to the concentration of a solute  
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Solubility product   the constant obtained by multiplying the ion concentrations in a saturated solution  
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Solute   the substance that is dissolved in a solution  
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Solvent   the host substance of dominant abundance in the solution  
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Stimulus receptors   sensory organs that respond to stimuli, organs that respond to sight, sound, smell, touch and taste  
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Sublimation   the transformation of a solid directly to a gas without an intervening liquid state  
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Substrate   substance on which an enzyme operates  
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Tridal air   amount of air involved during normal breathing  
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Tropism   movement of plants in response to stimuli  
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Valence   a signed integer describing the combining power of an atom as a real or hypothetical charge  
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Ventrally   in the front, near the bottom  
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Vital capacity   maximum volume of air inhaled or exhaled during forced breathing  
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