Bio Definitions Flashcards
1
Q
protoplasm
A
all the living parts of a cell
2
Q
ultrastructure
A
the detail of a structure as seen by using an electron microscope
3
Q
chromatin
A
the name given to chromosomes when they are elongated and not dividing
4
Q
prokaryotic cells
A
do not have a nucleus or membrane enclosed organelles
5
Q
eukaryotic cells
A
have a nucleus and cell organelles, all of which are enclosed by membranes
6
Q
tissue
A
a group of similar cells that are modified to carry out the same function
7
Q
tissue culture
A
the growth of cells in or on a sterile nutrient medium outside an organism
8
Q
organ system
A
consists of a number of organs working together to carry out one or more functions
9
Q
cell continuity
A
means that all cells develop from pre-existing cells
10
Q
chromosomes
A
coiled threads of DNA(which forms genes) and protein that become visible in the nucleus at cell divison
11
Q
gene
A
a section of DNA that controls the production of a particular protein
12
Q
haploid cell
A
has one set of chromosomes, ie it has only one of each type of chromosome in the nucleus
13
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diploid cell
A
has two sets of chromosomes, ie has two of each type of chromosome in the nucleus
14
Q
cell cycle
A
the changes that take place in a cell during the period between one cell division and the next
15
Q
interphase
A
the phase in the cell cycle when the cell is not dividing
16
Q
mitosis
A
a form of nuclear division in which one nuclei divides to form two nuclei, each containing the same number of chromosomes with identical genes
17
Q
cancer
A
a group of disorders in which certain cells lose their ability to control both the rate of mitosis and the number of times mitosis takes place
18
Q
meiosis
A
a form of nuclear division in which the four daughter nuclei contain half the chromosome number of the parent nucleus
19
Q
centromere
A
the point at which the chromosomes are attached in a double-stranded chromosome
20
Q
selectively permeable membrane
A
allows some but not all molecules to pass through
21
Q
diffusion
A
the spreading out of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration
22
Q
osmosis
A
the movement of water molecules across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration
23
Q
turgor or turgor pressure
A
the outward pressure of the cytoplasm or vacuole against the cell wall of a plant
24
Q
catalyst
A
a substance that speeds up a reaction without itself being used up in the reaction
25
solar energy
energy from the sun
26
cellular energy
energy stored in the bonds of biomolecules
27
denatured enzyme
has lost its shape and can no longer function
28
bioprocessing
the use of enzyme-controlled reactions to make a product
29
bioreactor
a vessel or container in which living cells or their product are used to make a product
30
immobilized enzymes
enzymes that are attached or fixed to one another or to an inert material
31
pharynx
throat
32
larynx
voicebox
33
inhalation
breathing in
34
exhalation
breathing out
35
Ectotherms
Gain or lose heat from their external environment
36
Endotherms
generate their own heat from metabolic reactions
37
piloerection
when erector muscles contract forming goosebumps. this causes the hairs to stand up on your skin
38
vasoconstriction
when we are cold, blood vessels in our face contract. this reduces heat loss through the skin
39
glomerular filtrate
dilute solution of waste products such as glucose, amino acids, vitamins , hormones,salts, water and urea that are forced out of the blood plasma and stored in the bowmans capsule
40
filtration
means that water and small molecules pass (under high pressure) from the blood into the nephron
41
reabsorption
means that molecules pass from the nephron back into the blood
42
active transport
means that energy (in the form of ATP ) is used to move molecules often against concentration gradient i.e from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentraton
43
secretion
some substances pass from the blood into the nephron
44
gonad
an organ that produces sex cells in animals
45
semen
fluid containing sperm and seminal fluid
46
puberty
the beginning of sexual maturity
47
secondary sexual charachteristics
those features that distinguish males from females, apart from the sex organs themselves
48
infertility
the inability to produce offspring
49
ovulation
the release of an egg from the ovary
50
oviduct
collective term for the fallopian tubes and the funnel
51
menstrual cycle
a series of events that occurs on average, every 28 days in the female if fertilisation has not taken place
52
menopause
when ovulation and menstruation stop happening in a female
53
menstruation
the discharge of the lining of the uterus (the endometrium and the unfertilized egg)
54
copulation
the act of sexual intercourse
55
orgasm
the physical and emotional sensations experienced at the peak of sexual excitement
56
ejaculation
the release of semen from the penis
57
insemination
the release of semen into the vagina, just outside the cervix
58
chemotaxis
if ovulation has occured and an egg is present, it releases a chemical that attracts the sperm
59
fertilisation
occurs when the nucleus of the sperm fuses with the nucleus of an egg, forming a diploid zygote
60
implantation
the embedding of the fertilised egg into the lining of the uterus
61
in vitro fertilisation
involves removing eggs from an ovary and fertilising them outside the body
62
morula
solid ball of cells formed from a zygote by mitosis
63
blastocyst
a hollow ball of cells formed from a morula
64
germ layers
basic layers of cells in the blastocyst from which all adult tissues and organs will form
65
gestation
the length of time spent in the uterus from fertilization until birth
66
lactation
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of the female
67
birth control
refers to the methods taken to limit the number of children that are born
68
contraception
refers to the deliberate prevention of fertilization or pregnancy
69
prolactin
stimulates milk production
70
biology
the study of living things
71
the scientific method
a process of investigation in which problems are identified and their suggested explanations are tested by carrying out experiments
72
observation
when something is noticed
73
hypothesis
an educated guess based on observations
74
experiment
designed to test a hypothesis
75
data
consists of the measurements, observations or information gathered from experiments
76
conclusion
a summary of the results of an experiment
77
theory
a hypothesis that has been supported by many different experiments
78
principle or law
arises from a theory that has been shown to be fully valid when tested over a long period of time
79
experiment
a test for a hypothesis
80
variable
a factor that may change in an experiment
81
control
used to provide a comparison, or standard against which the actual experiment can be judged
82
replicate
a repeat of an experiment
83
double-blind
means both the investigator and the participant are unaware of the nature of the treatment the participant is receiving
84
ethics
relate to whether conduct is right or wrong
85
science
the study of the physical, material and living world
86
organism
a living thing
87
metabolism
sum of all the chemical reactions in an organism
88
continuity of life
means that living things arise from other living things of the same kind
89
life
is defined as the possession of all the following charachteristics;
organisation, nutrition, excretion, reproduction,response
90
excretion
the removal of waste products of metabolism from the body
91
response
the way in which all living things react to their environment
92
biomolecules
chemicals made inside a living thing
93
phospholipids
fat like substances in which one of the fatty acids has been replaced by a phosphate group, or has had a phosphate group added to it
94
anabolic reactions
use energy to convert smaller molecules into larger molecules
95
catabolic reactions
release energy when a complex molecule is broken down into a simpler form
96
ecology
the study of the interactions between living things, and the interactions between living things and their environments
97
biosphere
the part of the planet containing living organisims
98
ecosystem
a group of clearly distinguished organisms that interact with their environment as a unit
99
habitat
the place where a plant or animal lives
100
population
all the members of the same species living in an area
101
community
all the different populations in an area
102
abiotic factors
none-living factors
103
biotic factors
living factors
104
climatic factors
refer to weather over a long period of time
105
edaphic factors
relate to soil
106
producers
organisms that carry out photosynthesis
107
flora
all the plants in an ecosystem
108
consumers
organisms that take food from other organisms
109
fauna
all the animals in an ecosystem
110
decomposers
organisms that feed on dead organic matter
111
detritus feeders
organisms that feed on small pieces of dead organic matter
112
food chain
a grazing food chain is a sequence of organisms in which each one is eaten by the next one in the chain
113
trophic level
feeding stage in a food chain
114
food web
consists of two or more interlinked food chains
115
pyramid of numbers
represents the number of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain
116
niche
the functional role an organism plays in its community
117
nutrient recycling
the way in which elements such as carbon and nitrogen are exchanged between the living and none living components of an ecosystem
118
nitrogen fixation
the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia, ammonium or nitrate
119
nitrogen fixation
the conversion of ammonia and ammonium compounds into nitrites and then nitrates
120
denitrification
the conversion of nitrates to nitrogen gas
121
pollution
any harmful addition to the environment
122
pollutants
harmful additions to the environment
123
conservation
the wise management of the existing natural recourses in an ecosystem in order to maintain a wide range of habitats and prevent the extinction of organisms
124
competition
occurs when organisms actively struggle for a resource that is in short supply
125
intra specific competition
takes place between members of the same species
126
inter specific competition
takes place between members of different species
127
contest competition
in contest competition there is active physical contest between two organisms
128
scramble competition
in scramble competition all the competing individuals get some of the recourse
129
predation
the catching,killing and eating of another organism
130
predator
an organism that catches kills and eats another organism
131
prey
organism that is eaten by the predator
132
parasitism
occurs when two organisms of different species live in close association and one organism (the parasite) obtains its food from , and to the disadvantage of, the second organism (the host)
133
symbiosis
occurs when two organisms live, and have to live in close association to one another and at least one benefits
134
catalyst
a substance that speeds up a reaction , whithout it itself being used up in the reaction
135
enzymes
proteins that are used to speed up a reaction without it itself being used up in the reaction
136
solar energy
energy from the sun
137
cellular energy
energy stored in the bonds of biomolecules
138
substrate
the substance which an enzyme acts on
139
product
the substance an enzyme forms
140
denatured enzyme
has lost its shape and can no longer function
141
bioprocessing
the use of enzyme controlled reactions to make a product
142
bioreactor
a vessel or container in which living cells or their products are used to make a product
143
immobilised enzymes
enzymes that are attached or fixed to each other or to an inert material
144
photolysis
the splitting of water by light
145
aerobic respiration
the controlled release of energy from food using oxygen
146
anaerobic repiration
the controlled release of energy from food without using oxygen
147
fermentation
another name for anaerobic respiration
148
biotechnology
the use of living things or their components to make a useful product
149
glycolysis
the conversion of two molecules of glucose into pyruvic acid
150
plasma
the liquid part of the blood
151
serum
plasma without the clotting proteins
152
open circulatory system
means that blood leaves blood vessels and flows freely around the animal's body before entering blood vessels again
153
closed circulatory system
blood remains in a continuous system of blood vessels
154
blood pressure
the force the blood exerts against the wall of a blood vessel
155
valves
control the direction of blood flow
156
portal system
a blood path that begins and ends in capillaries
157
pulse
the alternate expansion and contraction of the arteries
158
diastole
when the heart chambers relax
159
systole
when the heart chambers contract
160
pulse
the alternate expansion and contraction of the arteries
161
herbivores
animals that feed mainly on plants
162
carnivores
animals that feed mainly on animals
163
omnivores
animals that feed on plants and animals
164
digestion
the physical and chemical breakdown of food
165
peristalsis
a wave of muscular action in the walls of the alimentary canal to move the contents along
166
balanced diet
consists of all the necessary food types in the correct proportions
167
homeostasis
the ability of an organism to maintain a constant internal environment
168
heredity
the passing on of features from parents to offspring by means of genes
169
gene
a section of DNA that causes the production of a particular protein
170
gene expression
the way in which genetic information in a gene is decoded in the cell and used to make a protein
171
characteristics
traits or features that are inherited genetically
172
the genetic code
the sequence of bases in DNA that provide the instruction for a cell (using RNA) to form a protein.
173
triplet/codon
a sequence of three bases in DNA (or RNA) that act as a code for an amino acid
174
DNA profile
(also called a DNA or a genetic fingerprint) is a method of making a unique pattern of bands from the DNA of a person, which can then be compared with the DNA profile of another person
175
forensic medicine
the way in which medical knowledge is used in legal situations
176
genetic screening
testing the DNA for the presence or absence of a particular gene or an altered gene
177
transcription
the copying of a sequence of genetic bases fro DNA onto messenger RNA
178
translation
the conversion of a sequence of genetic bases on messenger RNA into a sequence of amino acids.
179
anticodon
a sequence of three bases (a triplet) on tRNA that are complementary to a sequence of three bases on mRNA
180
gametes
haploid cells capable of fusion
181
fertilisation
the union of two gametes to form a single haploid cell called a zygote
182
dominant
the allele that prevents the recessive allele from being expressed
183
recessive
the allele is prevented from being expressed by the dominant allele
184
locus
the locus of a gene is its position on a chromosome
185
genotype
the genetic makeup of an organism ie the genes that are present
186
phenotype
the physical makeup of an organism
187
progeny
refers to all offspring that are produced
188
homozygous
means that two alleles are identical
189
heterozygous
means that two alleles are different
190
a punnett square
used to show the ratio of genotypes in the progeny of a genetic cross
191
incomplete dominance
means that neither allele is dominant or recessive with respect to the other
both alleles are equally expressed in the heterozygous genotype to produce an intermediate phenotype
192
pedigree
a diagram showing the genetic history of a group of related individuals
193
the law of segregation (Mendel's first law)
characteristics are controlled by pairs of alleles which separate (or segregate) at gamete formation with only one from each pair being found in each gamete
194
monohybrid cross
involves the study of one charachteristic
195
dihybrid cross
involves the study of two charachteristics
196
the law of independant assortement
when gametes are formed, either of a pair of alleles are equally likely to combine with either of another pair of alleles
197
linkage
genes are located on the same chromosome
198
sex linkage
means that a charachteristic is controlled by a gene located on a sex (or X) chromosome
199
axial skeleton
consists of the skull, spine, ribs and sternum
