Chapter 2: Cell Structures and Function Flashcards
Topics Covered: o Section 1: Cells and Life o Section 2: The Cell in its Environment o Section 3: Photosynthesis o Section 4: Respiration o Section 5: Cell Division
What is an element?
any substance that cannot be broken down into similar substances
What is an atom?
the smallest unit of all elements
What is a molecule?
the smallest unit of a compound
What is a compound?
when two or more elements combine chemically
What is a carbohydrate?
sugar molecules
What is a lipid?
fats, oils, and waxes
What is a protein?
large organic molecules that are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur
What is a nucleic acid?
organic molecules that are very long and are made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus
What is DNA?
contains the general genetic material that carries about an organism
What is RNA?
second kind of nucleic acid, and plays an important part in the production of proteins
What is diffusion?
the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
What is osmosis?
the diffusion of water molecules through a cell membrane
What is active transport?
the movement of materials through a cell membrane using cellular energy
What is photosynthesis?
the process by which a cell captures energy in sunlight and uses it to make food
What is respiration?
the process by which cells obtain energy from glucose