Biology Vocab Flashcards
What are some main types of pathogens that cause infectious diseases?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and prions.
Describe the bodies first line of defence against pathogens.
Includes physical barriers like skin and mucus membranes as well as chemical barriers such as enzymes in saliva and stomach acid.
What role do vaccines play in preventing infectious diseases?
Vaccines help to build a chemical memory of the invading microbe. Recognise and fight specific pathogens. Provide immunity.
Explain the difference between bacterial and viral infections.
Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, which are living cells that can reproduce on their own. Viral are not living cells that require a host cell to replicate.
What are some common methods of transmission for infectious diseases?
Transmission methods include direct contact, airborne transmission, vector borne transmission (e.g mosquitoes) and contaminated surfaces.
What are vector borne diseases?
A disease that results from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding anthropoids, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
Define homeostasis and explain its importance in biological systems.
The state of steady internal, physical and chemical reactions. Ph, body temperature, fluid balance, blood pH and oxygen tension.
What are the key components of a feedback loop in maintaining homeostasis?
Stimulus, sensor, control center, effector.
Stimulus.
The change or event that disrupts the balance and triggers the feedback loop (A rise or drop in body temp is the stimulus).
Sensor (receptor)
Sensor detects changes in the environment ( internal or external)(temp regulation, skin receptors detecct temperature changes).
Control Center
Processes the information received from the sensor (in body temperature the brain (the hypothalamus) acts as the control center)).
Effector
The part that carries out the response to bring the system back to the desired state. It receives signals from the control center.
How does the body regulate temperature as a part of homeostasis?
Sweating, shivering controlled by the hypothalamus.
Describe the role of the hypothalamus in homeostatic regulation.
Acts as a control center for homeostasis, regulating temperature, hunger, thirst and other vital functions.
What are some examples of homeostatic imbalances?
Diabetes (blood sugar), hyperthyroidism, dehydration.
What is osmoregulation and why is it crucial for organisms?
Maintaining the proper balance of water balance and solutes in the body. Crucial for cellular function and overall homeostasis.
Compare and contrast osmoregulators and osmoconformers.
Osmoregulators actively regulate their internal environment regardless of external conditions, osmoconformers match their internal osmotic pressure of their environment
How do freshwater and saltwater fish regulate their internal environment.
Freshwater fish absorb the water and discrete dilute urine, saltwater fish drink seawater and excrete concentrated urine to conserve water.
What role do the kidneys play in osmoregulators in mammals?
The kidneys filter blood, reabsorb water and solutes and excrete waste, helping to maintain fluid balance and electrolyte levels.
Explain the process of osmosis and its significance in cellular function.
Osmosis is the movement of water from a high concentration to a low concentration and the transportation of nutrients and the release of metabolic waste products within a living cell
What are the main functions of the nervous system?
Include sensory input, information processing, and motor output, allowing organisms to respond to their environment.
Describe the structure and function of a neuron.
Neuron consists of a cell body, dendrites (receive signals) and an axon (transmits signals). Communicate through electrical impulses and neurotransmitter release.
What is the difference between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system?
The CNS is the brain and spinal cord while the PNS consists of all the neutral elements including sensory and motor neurons.
How do neurotransmitters facilitate communication between neurons.
Neurotransmitters are chemical messangers released from one neuron that bind to receptors on another neuron, transmitting signals across the synapse.
What are reflex arcs and how do they function?
Reflex arcs are neutral pathways that mediate reflex actions.
