Biology Keystone Vocab Flashcards
A term that describes a nonliving factor in an ecosystem.
Abiotic
The movement of particles from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration that uses energy
provided by ATP or a difference in electrical charges across a cell membrane.
Active Transport
A molecule that provides energy for cellular reactions and processes. ATP releases energy when one of its
high‐energy bonds is broken to release a phosphate group.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
The intermolecular attraction between unlike molecules. Capillary action results from the adhesive properties of
water and the molecules that make up plant cells.
Adhesion
The artificial cultivation of food, fiber, and other goods by the systematic growing and harvesting of various organisms.
Agriculture
A variation of a gene’s nucleotide sequence (an alternative form of a gene).
Allele
The measure of the relative frequency of an allele at a genetic locus in a population; expressed as a proportion or
percentage.
Allele Frequency
A physical structure, present in multiple species, that is similar in function but different in form and inheritance.
Analogous Structure
A term that describes an organism associated with a water environment.
Aquatic
The smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical and physical properties of that element.
Atom
The changing of organic matter into other chemical forms such as fuels.
Biochemical Conversion
The study of energy flow (energy transformations) into and within living systems.
Bioenergetics
The movement of abiotic factors between the living and nonliving components within ecosystems; also known as nutrient cycles (i.e., water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle).
Biogeochemical Cycles
A group of biomacromolecules that interact with biological systems and their environments.
Biological Macromolecules
The scientific study of life.
Biology
A large area or geographical region with distinct plant and animal groups adapted to that environment.
Biome
The zone of life on Earth; sum total of all ecosystems on Earth.
Biosphere
Any procedure or methodology that uses biological systems or living organisms to develop or modify either products or
processes for specific use. This term is commonly associated with genetic engineering, which is one of many applications.
Biotechnology
A term that describes a living or once‐living organism in an ecosystem.
Biotic
A macromolecule that contains atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio and serves as a major source of
energy for living organisms (e.g., sugars, starches, and cellulose).
Carbohydrate
Proteins embedded in the plasma membrane involved in the movement of ions, small molecules, and macromolecules
into and out of cells; also known as transport proteins.
Carrier (Transport) Proteins
A substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions
(e.g., lower temperature) than otherwise possible without being changed by the reaction.
Catalyst
The basic unit of structure and function for all living organisms. Cells have three common components: genetic material,
cytoplasm, and a cell membrane. Eukaryotic cells also contain specialized organelles.
Cell
The series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication. The main phases of the cell cycle are
interphase, nuclear division, and cytokinesis.
Cell Cycle
A complex set of chemical reactions involving an energy transformation where potential chemical energy in the
bonds of “food” molecules is released and partially captured in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules.
Cellular Respiration
An organelle found in plant cells and the cells of other eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms where photosynthesis
occurs.
Chloroplast
A change in the structure of a chromosome (e.g., deletion, the loss of a segment of a chromosome and thus the loss of
segment containing genes; duplication, when a segment of a chromosome is duplicated and thus displayed more than
once on the chromosome; inversion, when a segment of a chromosome breaks off and reattaches in reverse order; and
translocation, when a segment of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to a nonhomologous chromosome).
Chromosomal Mutation
A single piece of coiled DNA and associated proteins found in linear forms in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells and
circular forms in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells; contains genes that encode traits. Each species has a characteristic
number of chromosomes.
Chromosomes
A process in which a cell, cell product, or organism is copied from an original source (e.g., DNA cloning, the transfer of a
DNA fragment from one organism to a self‐replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid; reproductive cloning,
the transfer of genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg cell that has had its nucleus removed for
the purpose of creating an embryo that can produce an exact genetic copy of the donor organism; or therapeutic
cloning, the process of taking undifferentiated embryonic cells [STEM cells] for use in medical research).
Cloning
A pattern of inheritance in which the phenotypic effect of two alleles in a heterozygous genotype express each
phenotype of each allele fully and equally; a phenotype which would not be expressed in any other genotypic
combination.
Co‐dominance
The intermolecular attraction between like molecules. Surface tension results from the cohesive properties of water.
Cohesion
Different populations of organisms interacting in a shared environment.
Community (Ecological)
When individuals or groups of organisms compete for similar resources such as territory, mates, water, and food in
the same environment.
Competition
The measure of the amount or proportion of a given substance when combined with another substance.
Concentration
The graduated difference in concentration of a solute per unit distance through a solution.
Concentration Gradient
An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms or their remains.
Consumer (Ecological)
An exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during anaphase I of meiosis; contributes to
the genetic variability in gametes and ultimately in offspring.
Crossing‐over
The final phase of a cell cycle resulting in the division of the cytoplasm.
Cytokinesis
An organism that obtains nutrients by consuming dead and decaying organic matter which allows nutrients to be
accessible to other organisms.
Decomposer
A biological macromolecule that encodes the genetic information for living organisms and is capable of self‐replication
and the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
The movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration; a natural result of
kinetic molecular energy.
Diffusion
The process in which DNA makes a duplicate copy of itself.
DNA Replication
A pattern of inheritance in which the phenotypic effect of one allele is completely expressed within a homozygous and
heterozygous genotype.
Dominant Inheritance
The study of the relationships between organisms and their interactions with the environment.
Ecology
A system composed of organisms and nonliving components of an environment.
Ecosystem
The branch of zoology studying the early development of living things
Embryology
A species that is found in its originating location and is generally restricted to that geographic area.
Endemic Species
A process in which a cell engulfs extracellular material through an inward folding of its plasma membrane.
Endocytosis
An organelle, containing folded membranes and sacs, responsible for the production, processing, and transportation of
materials for use inside and outside a eukaryotic cell. There are two forms of this organelle: rough ER that has surface
ribosomes and participates in the synthesis of proteins mostly destined for export by the cell and smooth ER that has no
ribosomes and participates in the synthesis of lipids and steroids as well as the transport of synthesized macromolecules.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
A theorized process in which early eukaryotic cells were formed from simpler prokaryotes.
Endosymbiosis
A model that illustrates the biomass productivity at multiple trophic levels in a given ecosystem.
Energy Pyramid
A process in which energy changes from one form to another form while some of the energy is lost to the environment.
Energy Transformation
The total surroundings of an organism or a group of organisms.
Environment
A protein that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed by the reaction; an organic catalyst.
Enzyme
A type of organism composed of one or more cells containing a membrane‐bound nucleus, specialized organelles
in the cytoplasm, and a mitotic nuclear division cycle.
Eukaryote
A process in which new species develop from preexisting species (biological evolution or macroevolution);
a change in the allele frequencies of a population of organisms from generation to generation
(genetic evolution or microevolution).
Evolution
A process in which a cell releases substances to the extracellular environment by fusing a vesicular membrane with
the plasma membrane, separating the membrane at the point of fusion and allowing the substance to be released.
Exocytosis
term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals.
Extinction
Located outside a cell.
Extracellular
A process in which substances are transported across a plasma membrane with the concentration gradient with the aid of carrier (transport) proteins; does not require the use of energy
Facilitated Diffusion
A simplified path illustrating the passing of potential chemical energy (food) from one organism to another organism.
Food Chain
A complex arrangement of interrelated food chains illustrating the flow of energy between interdependent organisms.
Food Web