Chapter One Vocab
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Created by:
Alelin05 on August 30, 2011
Subjects:
cellular and molecular biology
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68 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 pathogens | disease-causing organisms |
| antigens | proteins |
| biology | the science of life |
| evolution | populations have changed over time from earlier forms of life |
| information transfer | survival and function of every cell and every organism depend on the orderly transmission of info. Evolution depends on this |
| energy transfer | all life processes require a continuous input of energy. Comes from the sun. Energy is continuously transferred from one chemical compound to another within every cell. |
| cell | smallest unit of life |
| cell theory | 1. smallest unit of life = cell 2. all living things composed of cells 3. new cells are formed from existing cells |
| unicellular | consists of a single cell. Ex. Protozoa |
| multicellular | consists of billions of cells. Ex. dog, maple tree. |
| plasma membrane | envelopes/protects every cell. Separates cell from surrounding external environment. |
| DNA | where genetic instructions are encoded |
| organelles | internal (in cells) structures that are specialized to perform specific functions. |
| Prokaryotic Cells | exclusive to bacteria and to microscopic organisms called archaea. structurally simpler. DO NOT have nucleus or other membrane-enclosed organelle. |
| Eukaryotic Cells | all other organisms. typically contain a variety of organelles enclosed by membranes. |
| Nucleus | houses DNA |
| Biological growth | involves an increase in the size of individual cells of an organism, in the number of cells, or both. |
| Developement | includes all the changes that take place during an organism's life. Ex. human starting from a fertilized egg. |
| Metabolism | the sum of all the chemical activities of the organism or all energy transformations and chemical processes that occur within an organism |
| homeostasis | balanced internal enviroment |
| homeostasis mechanisms | self-regulating control systems that are remarkably sensitive and efficient. |
| glucose | simple sugar |
| Stimuli | physical or chemical changes in their internal or external environment. |
| Amoeboid movement | locomotion achieved by the slow oozing of the cell. |
| cilia | tiny, hairlike extensions of the cell. Used in locomotion |
| flagella | longer structures (like cilia) extending from the cell. Used in locomotion |
| Sessile | meaning does not move from place to place |
| asexual reproduction | reproduce by splitting in half to form two new amoebas. Replicate hereditary material (set of genes) before duplicating. |
| genetic mutation | permanent change in the genes. |
| sexual reproduction | carried out by the fusion of an egg and a sperm cell to form a fertilized egg. |
| adaptations | inherited characteristics that enhance an organism's ability to survive in a particular environment. Can be structural, physiological, biochemical, behavioral, or a combination of all four. |
| reductionism | learning about a structure by studying its parts |
| emergent properties | characteristics not found at lower levels.Ex. the population will have a characteristic, but the individual will not. |
| atom | smallest unit of a chemical element that retains the characteristic properties of that element. |
| molecule | atoms combined chemically |
| tissue | multicellular organisms that associated/formed |
| organs | tissues organized to form functional structures |
| organ system | coordinated group of tissues and organs |
| organism | organ systems functioning together |
| population | all the members of one species living in the same geographic area at the same time |
| community | the populations of various types of organisms that inhabit a particular area and interact with one another |
| ecosystem | a community together with its nonliving environment |
| biosphere | all of Earth's ecosystems together. Includes all of Earth that is inhabited by living organisms - the atmosphere, the hydrosphere (water in any form), and the lithosphere (Earth's crust) |
| ecology | the study of how organisms relate to one another and to their physical environment. |
| nucleotides | chemical subunits that sequence together to form DNA |
| proteins | large molecules important in determining the structure and function of cells and tissue. |
| hormones | signal other cells in multicellular organisms |
| neurotransmitters | electrical impulses and chemical compounds that transmits information in animals nervous systems. |
| cellular respiration | cells capture energy released by nutrient molecules through a series of carefully regulated chemical reactions |
| auto-trophs | producers such as plants, algae, and certain bacterias |
| photosynthesis | the process during which producers synthesize complex molecules such as glucose from carbon dioxide and water |
| consumers | organisms that depend on producers for food, energy, and oxygen |
| heterotrophs | consumers |
| primary consumers | eat producers |
| secondary producers | eat primary consumers |
| decomposers | heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by breaking down nonliving organic material such as wastes, dead leaves and branches, and the bodies of dead organisms |
| systematics | the field of biology that studies the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships |
| taxonomy | a subspecialty of systematics, a science of naming and classifying organisms |
| species | group of organisms with similiar structure, function, and behavior |
| gene pool | all the genes present in the population |
| genus | closely related species grouped together |
| binomial system of nomenclature | the Linnaean system of naming species. each species is assigned a two-part name |
| specific epithet | designates a particular species belonging to the genus |
| clade | a group of organisms with a common ancestor |
| tree of life | family tree showing proposed evolutionary relationships among organisms |
| cladogram | a branching diagram that depicts the tree of life as it is currently understood |
| prokaryotes | bacteria that have long been recognized as unicellular prokaryotic cells; they differ from all other organisms |
| protists | unicellular, colonial, or simple multicellular organisms that have a eukaryotic cell organization. |
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