Characteristics, Classification and Features of Organisms Flashcards
What are eukaryotic organisms?
Eukaryotic organisms can be multicellular or unicellular and contain a nucleus with a distinct membrane.
Examples include plants, animals, fungi, and protoctists.
How do prokaryotic organisms differ from eukaryotic organisms?
Prokaryotic organisms are always unicellular, do not contain a nucleus, and have their genetic material unbound in the cytoplasm as nucleoid DNA. They lack membrane-bound organelles.
An example of prokaryotic organisms is bacteria.
What are the characteristics of plants?
Plants are multicellular organisms with cells that contain chloroplasts for photosynthesis, a cellulose cell wall, and they store carbohydrates as starch or sucrose.
Examples include maize, peas, and beans.
What are the characteristics of animals?
Animals are multicellular organisms that do not have chloroplasts, cannot perform photosynthesis, lack cell walls, usually have nervous systems, can move, and store carbohydrates as glycogen.
Examples include humans, dogs, and mosquitoes.
What are protoctists?
Protoctists are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that are not classified into the other three eukaryotic groups. They can be single-celled or consist of similar cells.
An example of a protoctist is amoeba.
What type of organisms are bacteria?
Most are unicellular.
What structures do bacterial cells have?
Their cells have cell walls (not made of cellulose) and a cytoplasm, but no nucleus or mitochondria. Some species have another layer around this wall called a capsule.
What are plasmids?
Small circular rings of DNA that the majority of bacteria have.
How do bacterial cells divide?
They divide by binary fission or budding.
How do bacteria compare in size to eukaryotes?
Bacteria are smaller than eukaryotes.
What enables most bacteria to move?
Most have a flagellum which enables them to move.
Give an example of bacteria.
E.g. E. coli, Bacilli, Chlorella
What are the main components of an animal cell?
Cell membrane, nucleus, mitochondrion.
What additional structures do plant cells have compared to animal cells?
Plant cells contain a large permanent vacuole, cellulose cell wall, and chloroplasts.
What is the main difference between light and electron microscopes?
Electron microscopes have a higher resolution and magnification than light microscopes, but specimens must be dead to be seen under them and they are more expensive.
How is magnification calculated?
Magnification = Image size / actual size.
