Section 1.1 The Properties of Life
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Created by:
megeliz on January 3, 2011
Subjects:
chapter 1 an introduction to biology
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26 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Organism | A living thing that maintains an internal order that is separated from the environment. |
| Cell | The simplest unit of a living organism. |
| Cell Theory | A theory that states that all organisms are made of cells, cells are the smallest units of living organisms, and new cells come from pre-existing cells by cell division. |
| Respiration | Metabolic reactions that a cell uses to get energy from food molecules and release waste products. |
| Metabolism | The sum total of all chemical reactions that occur within an organism. Also, a specific set of chemical reactions occurring at the cellular level. |
| Photosynthesis | The process whereby light energy is captured by plant, algal, or bacterial cells and used to synthesize organic molecules from carbon dioxide and water. |
| Homeostasis | The process whereby living organisms regulate their cells and bodies to maintain relatively stable internal conditions. |
| Growth | An increase in weight or size. |
| Development | A series of changes in the state of a cell, tissue, organ, or organism; the underlying process that gives rise to the structure and function of living organisms. |
| Reproduce | To generate offspring by sexual or asexual means. |
| DNA | The genetic material that provides a blueprint for the organization, development, and function of living things. |
| Gene | A unit of heredity that contributes to the characteristics or traits of an organism. At the molecular level, a gene is composed of organized sequences of DNA. |
| RNA | One of two classes of nucleic acids; consists of a single strand of nucleotides. |
| Polypeptide | A linear sequence of amino acids; the term denotes structure. |
| Protein | A functional unit composed of one or more polypeptides. Each polypeptide is composed of a linear sequence of amino acids |
| Biological Evolution | The phenomenon that populations of organisms change from generation to generation. |
| Atom | The smallest functional unit of matter that forms all chemical substances and cannot be further broken down into other substances by ordinary chemical or physical means. |
| Molecules | Two or more atoms that are connected by chemical bonds. |
| Macromolecule | Many molecules bonded together to form a polymer. Carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids are important macromolecules found in living organisms. |
| Tissue | The association of many cells of the same type. |
| Organ | Two or more types of tissue combined to perform a common function. |
| Species | A group of related organisms that share a distinctive form in nature and are capable of interbreeding. |
| Population | A group of individuals of the same species that occupy the same environment and can interbreed with one another. |
| Community | An assemblage of populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time. |
| Ecosystem | The biotic community of organisms in an area as well as the abiotic environment affecting that community. |
| Biosphere | The regions on the surface of the Earth and in the atmosphere where living organisms exist. |
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