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Anything Under The Sun > Biology Definitions > Flashcards

Biology Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Copies the genetic instructions from DNA in the nucleus, and carries the instructions to the cytoplasm.

A

Messenger RNA( mRNA )

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2
Q

Helps form ribosomes, the organelle where proteins are assembled.

A

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA )

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3
Q

Brings amino acids to ribosomes, where they are joined together to form proteins.

A

Transfer RNA (tRNA )

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4
Q

The addition of nucleotides to the growing mRNA strand.

A

Elongation

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5
Q

The beginning of transcription; occurs when RNA polymerase binds to the promoter of a gene.

A

Initiation

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6
Q

Ending of transcription and occurs when RNA polymerase crosses a stop ( termination ) sequence in the gene.

A

Termination

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7
Q

Group of three nitrogen bases in RNA or DNA that is the genetic code word for a single amino acid or for a start or stop signal.

A

Codons

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8
Q

The three-base frame that divides the bases into codons.

A

Reading frame

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9
Q

Structure found in all cells that is the site of protein synthesis.

A

Ribosome

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10
Q

Nonliving aspect of the environment such as sunlight and water.

A

Abiotic factors

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11
Q

Are the living aspects of the environment. They consist of other organisms, including members of the same and different species.

A

Biotic factors

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12
Q

Two species within the same area coexist and adapt by developing different specializations.

A

Character displacement

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13
Q

Is a relationship between two species, or individuals of the same species, that strive for the same resources in the same place.

A

Competition

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14
Q

An organism that must eat or consume other organisms to obtain energy and nutrients.

A

Consumer

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15
Q

Branch of biology that is the study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

A

Ecology

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16
Q

Role that a particular species plays in its ecosystem, including all the ways that the species interacts with the biotic and abiotic factors in the ecosystem.

A

Niche

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17
Q

All the organisms of the same species that live in the same area.

A

Population

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18
Q

Type of organism that uses light energy or chemical energy to make food for itself and other organisms.

A

Producers

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19
Q

Aquatic biome such as a pond, lake, stream, or river in which the water contains little or no salt.

A

Freshwater biome

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20
Q

Predator species that plays a special role in its community because changes in its population affect the population of many species in the community.

A

Keystone species

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21
Q

Interaction between two organisms of unlike species; one organism acts as a predator that captures and feeds on the other organism, which serves as the prey.

A

Predator-prey relationship

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22
Q

A situation in which a species completely dies out and no members remain.

A

Extinction

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23
Q

The relationship between organisms of different species that strive for the same resources in the same place.

A

Interspecific competition

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24
Q

The relationship between organisms of the same species that strive for the same resources in the same place.

A

Intraspecific competition

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25
Q

Close relationship between two species in which at least one species benefits.

A

Symbiosis

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26
Q

Type of species that first colonizes a disturbed area.

A

Pioneer species

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27
Q

Change in the numbers and types of species that live in a community that occurs in an area that has never before been colonized by organisms and lacks soils.

A

Primary succession

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28
Q

Change in the numbers and types of species that live in a community that occurs in an area that has soil and was previously colonized but has been disturbed.

A

Secondary succession

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29
Q

Bar graph that represents the number of individuals of each sex and age ( or age group ) in a population.

A

Population pyramid

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30
Q

Movement of individuals out of a population

A

Emigration

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31
Q

Movement of individuals into a population.

A

Immigration

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32
Q

Regular movement of individuals or populations each year during certain seasons, usually to find food, mates, or other resources.

A

Migration

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33
Q

Organism that makes its own food.

A

Autotrophs

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34
Q

Type of organism that obtains food by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or other organic wastes into its various components, including nutrients that can be used by other organisms.

A

Decomposers

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35
Q

Organism that gets food by consuming other organisms.

A

Heterptrophs

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36
Q

Type of decomposer that consumes dead animals.

A

Scavengers

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37
Q

All the living things in a given area together with the physical and chemical factors of the nonliving environment.

A

Ecosystem

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38
Q

Total mass of organisms at a given trophic level in a food chain or food web.

A

Biomass

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39
Q

An organism’s feeding position in a food chain.

A

Trophic level

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40
Q

The evaporation that occurs from the land surface along with transpiration.

A

Evapotranspiration

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41
Q

Release of water vapor into the atmosphere from stomata in the leaves of plants.

A

Transpiration

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42
Q

Process of changing nitrogen gas to nitrates that is carried out by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil or in the roots of legumes.

A

Nitrogen fixation

43
Q

The variety of life within a particular habitat, often measured by the number of different species.

A

Biodiversity

44
Q

An area with similar climate that includes similar communities of plants and animals.

A

Biome

45
Q

Average weather in an area over a long period of time.

A

Climate

46
Q

Group of similar, land-based ecosystems, such as tropical rain forests, temperate grasslands, or tundras.

A

Terrestrial biomes

47
Q

Area in a body of water that is deeper than 200 meters where sunlight does not penetrate to allow photosynthesis to take place.

A

Aphotic zone

48
Q

Water-based biome, or group of similar water-based ecosystems; including freshwater or marine biomes.

A

Aquatic biomes

49
Q

Aquatic biome in the salt water of the ocean.

A

Marine biomes

50
Q

Area in a body of water that extends to a maximum depth of 200 meters and where enough sunlight penetrates to allow photosynthesis to take place.

A

Photic zone

51
Q

Largest population size of a species that can be supported by the environment.

A

Carrying capacity

52
Q

Individuals that do not have the genetic disorder themselves, but they carry the mutant allele and can pass it to their offspring.

A

Carriers

53
Q

Monomer of a protein.

A

Amino acids

54
Q

Doctrine that genetic instructions in DNA are copied by RNA, which carries them to a ribosome where they are used to synthesize a protein ( DNA to RNA to protein )

A

Central dogma of molecular biology

55
Q

Observations by Erwin Chargaff that concentrations of the four nucleotide bases differ among species; and that, within a species, the concentrations of adenine and thymine are always about the same and the concentrations of cytosine and guanine are always about the same.

A

Chargaff’s rules

56
Q

Relationship between two alleles for the same gene in which both alleles are expressed equally in the phenotype of the heterozygote.

A

Codominance

57
Q

Double-stranded nucleic acid that stores genetic information; also known as deoxyribonucleic acid.

A

DNA

58
Q

Double spiral shape of the DNA molecule.

A

Double Helix

59
Q

Universal code of three-base codons that encodes the genetic instructions for the amino acid sequence of proteins.

A

Genetic code

60
Q

All of the hereditary information encoded in the DNA of a species.

A

Genome

61
Q

Organism that inherits two different alleles for a given gene. AKA heterozygous.

A

Heterozygote

62
Q

International science project that sequenced all 3 billion base pairs of the human genome.

A

Human Genome Project

63
Q

Relationship between the alleles for a gene in which one allele is only partly dominant to the other allele do an intermediate phenotype results.

A

Incomplete dominance

64
Q

A change in the sequence of bases in DNA.

A

Mutations

65
Q

Organic compounds, such as DNA or RNA, that is made of monomers called nucleotides.

A

Nucleic acid

66
Q

Monomer of nucleic acids; contains a five-carbon sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.

A

Nucleotide

67
Q

Characteristics, or trait, controlled by more than one gene, each of which may have two or more alleles.

A

Polygenic traits

68
Q

Process in which cells make proteins; includes transcription ( DNA to mRNA ) and translation ( mRNA to protein ).

A

Protein synthesis

69
Q

A single-stranded nucleic acid that helps make proteins.

A

RNA

70
Q

Process in which genetic instructions in DNA are copied to form a complementary strand of mRNA.

A

Transcription

71
Q

Containing a gene transferred from another organism.

A

Transgenic

72
Q

Process in which the genetic code in mRNA is read, one codon at a time, to make a protein.

A

Translation

73
Q

Traits controlled by a gene located on the X chromosomes.

A

X-linked traits

74
Q

Energy-requiring movement of molecules across a membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration.

A

Active transport

75
Q

Any of the alternative forms of a gene that occurs at a specific place on a chromosome.

A

Allele

76
Q

High energy molecule that contains, within its bonds, energy that cells can use.

A

ATP

77
Q

Basic unit of life.

A

Cell

78
Q

Double-layer of phospholipids that forms a boundary between a cell and the surrounding environment and controls the passage of materials into and out of a cell.

A

Cell membrane

79
Q

Process of producing ATP by breaking down carbon-based molecules when oxygen is present.

A

Cellular respiration

80
Q

Organelle composed of numerous membranes that are used to convert solar energy into chemical energy; contain chlorophyll.

A

Chloroplast

81
Q

Long, continuous thread of DNA that consists of numerous genes and regulatory information.

A

Chromosome

82
Q

Cell that has two copies of each chromosome, one from an egg and one from a sperm.

A

Diploid

83
Q

Allele that is expressed when two different alleles are present in an organism’s genotype.

A

Dominant

84
Q

Interconnected network of thin, folded membranes that produce, process, and distribute proteins.

A

Endoplasmic reticulum

85
Q

Protein that catalyzes chemical reactions for organisms.

A

Enzyme

86
Q

Sex cell; an egg or sperm cell.

A

Gamete

87
Q

Specific region of DNA that codes for a particular protein.

A

Gene

88
Q

Cell that has only one copy of each chromosome.

A

Haploid

89
Q

Regulation and maintenance of constant internal conditions in an organism.

A

Homeostasis

90
Q

Proposed explanation or answer to a scientific question.

A

Hypothesis

91
Q

Form of nuclear division that divides a diploid cell into haploid cells; important in forming gametes for sexual reproduction.

A

Meiosis

92
Q

Bean shaped organelle that supplies energy to the cell and has its own ribosomes and DNA.

A

Mitochondria

93
Q

Process by which a cell divides its nucleus and contents.

A

Mitosis

94
Q

Molecular subunit of a polymer.

A

Monomer

95
Q

Organelle composed of a double membrane that acts as the storehouse for most of a cell’s DNA.

A

Nucleus

96
Q

An individual living thing.

A

Organism

97
Q

Measurement of acidity; related to free hydrogen ion ( H+ ) concentration in a solution.

A

pH

98
Q

Process by which light energy is converted to chemical energy; produces sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water.

A

Photosynthesis

99
Q

Large, carbon based molecule formed by monomers.

A

Polymer

100
Q

Model for predicting all possible genotypes resulting from a cross, or mating.

A

Punnett square

101
Q

Allele that is not expressed unless two copies are present in an organism’s genotype.

A

Recessive

102
Q

Condition or quality of allowing some, but not all, materials to cross a barrier or membrane.

A

Selective permeability

103
Q

Group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.

A

Species

Anything Under The Sun (24 decks)

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