| Term | Definition |
|---|
| spontaneous generation | a hypothetical organic phenomenon by which living organisms are created from nonliving matter |
| controlled experiment | a test of the effect of a single variable by changing it while keeping all other variables the same |
| manipulated variable | factor in an experiment that a scientist purposely changes; also known as independent variable |
| responding variable | factor in an experiment that a scientist wants to observe, which may change in response to the manipulated variable; also known as a dependent variable |
| theory | well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations |
| biology | 
the study of living things |
| cell | 
collection of living matter enclosed by a barrier that separates the cell from its surroundings; basic unit of all forms of life |
| sexual reproduction | process by which cells from two different parents unite to produce the first cell of a new organism |
| asexual reproduction | a reproductive process that involves only one parent and produces offspring that are identical to the parent |
| metabolism | set of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials as it carries out its life processes |
| stimulus | a change in an organism's surroundings that causes the organism to react |
| homeostasis | a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level |
| evolution | the gradual change in a species over time |
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