31 terms

Terms	Definitions
Biology	the study of life
Observation	Using your senses to gather information that leads to a question
Quantitative data	Data that uses numbers
Qualitative data	Data that uses only words
Problem	What you want to know in an experiment
Hypothesis	Proposed answer to your problem (NOT an educated guess)
Independent variable	The part of the experiment that you change on purpose
Dependent variable	The part of the experiment that you measure or observe
Homeostasis	Process by which organisms keep internal conditions constant despite changes in the environment
Neuron	(nerve) the type of cell that makes up your nervous system
Cell body	Largest part of the neuron that contains the nucleus
Dendrites	Carry nerve impulses from the environment or from other neurons toward the cell body(= receives message)
Axon	Long fiber that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body of a neuron(=sends message out)
Myelin sheath	Insulating membrane that surrounds some axons and speeds up nerve impulses
Sensory neurons	Carry impulses from the sense organs to the spinal cord and brain
Motor neurons	Carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles
Interneurons	Connect sensory and motor neurons
Central nervous system	Consists of the brain and spinal cord
Brain	Processes information = source of thoughts, emotions, & memories
Spinal cord	Connects brain to the rest of the body and controls many reflexes
Peripheral nervous system	Consists of all nerves outside of the central nervous system
Cerebrum	Largest part of the human brain
Cerebellum	2nd largest region of the brain and functions in coordination and balance
Brain stem	controls involuntary muscles such as the stomach and the heart
Hallucinogen	Class of drug that alters states of perception and can produce flashbacks
Inhalant	Class of drugs that can cause Sudden Sniffing Death
Stimulant	Class of drugs that speed up your nervous system
Alcohol	The most widely used depressant
Depressant	Class of drugs that slow down your nervous system
Control	The part of the experiment that you purposely don't change so that you have something to compare your results to
Organism	Any living thing

Flickr Creative Commons Images

Some images used in this set are licensed under the Creative Commons through Flickr.com. Click to see the original works with their full license.

• "Brain" image
• "Spinal cord" image

This product uses the Flickr API but is not endorsed or certified by Flickr.