Chapter 1 Flashcards
cell
organized chemical system that includes many specialized molecules surrounded by a membrane
emergent properties
characteristics that depend on the level of organization of matter but no dot exist at lower levels of organization
unicellular organisms
single cells such as bacteria and protozoans
multicellular organisms
plants and animals (cells live in tightly coordinated groups and are interdependent)
population
group of organisms of the same kind that live together
community
all populations of different organisms that live in the same place
ecosystem
includes the community and the nonliving environmental factors with which it interacts
biosphere
encompasses all the ecosystems of the Earth’s waters, crust and atmosphere
deoxyribonucleic acid
most fundamental and important molecule that distinguishes living organisms from nonliving matter
ribonucleic acid
directs the synthesis of different protein molecules
proteins
carry out most of the activities of life, including the synthesis of all other biological molecules
metabolism
ability of a cell or organism to extract energy from its surrounding and use that energy to maintain itself, grow and reproduce
photosynthesis
when plants take electromagnetic energy in sunlight absorbed and convert it into chemical energy
cellular respiration
complex biological molecules are broken down with oxygen, releasing some of their energy content for cellular activities
primary producers
photosynthetic organisms
consumers
organisms that feed on the complex molecules manufactured by plants
decomposers
feed on dead organisms, breaking down complex biological molecules into simpler raw materials which may be recycled by producers
homeostasis
steady internal condition maintained by responses that compensate for changes in the external environment
reproduction
parents creating offspring
inheritance
passing DNA from one generation to the next
development
series of programmed changes encoded in DNA through which eggs develop into an adult that can reproduce
