Cumulative Review for Biology Flashcards
Cell regulation
The process by which a cell maintains homeostasis.
Homeostasis
The process by which an organism automatically maintains its internal workings.
Cell membrane
A layer surrounding a cell that is selectively permeable.
Phospholipids
A lipid that is bonded to one or more phosphates. Part of the cell membrane.
Ion
Positively and negatively charged atoms.
Enzyme function
Enzymes are proteins that act to speed up chemical reactions that take place in cells.
Active transport
When material moves across a cell membrane from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration and requires energy.
Passive transport
When material moves across a cell membrane from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration and no energy is required.
Diffusion
The process by which molecules move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration in order to reach equilibrium.
Facilitated diffusion
When a protein channel in the cell membrane makes it possible (facilitates) for glucose to pass through it to diffuse across the membrane.
Osmosis
The diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane (most biological membranes).
Hypotonic
When a solution has a lower concentration of ions/lower pressure than something in it, such as a cell (the cell swells/busts).
Hypertonic
When a solution has a higher pressure/amount of ions than something in it such as a cell (the cell shrivels up).
Isotonic
When the pressure/ion concentration of a solution and something in it (cell) are the same.
Sodium-potassium pump
A pump in the cellular membrane that works to maintain equilibrium between sodium and potassium by exchanging the two elements each time it opens.
Evolution
The process by which animal species develop and change over time.
Eukaryotic
An organism that is a cell or cells that have DNA contained in a nucleus. Eukaryotes include every organism but eubacteria and archaebacteria.
Prokaryotic
A cell or cells in which DNA is not contained in the nucleus but floats the cytoplasm, and has no specialized organelles.
Darwin’s survival of the fittest
Charles Darwin developed a theory that said that animals with the best traits were the ones that survived. Therefore, the animals with the best traits went on to make new offspring who continued to have good traits.
Natural selection
Natural selection is the process by which animals evolve due to their environment, and is now thought to be the main building block of evolution.
Adaptation
The process by which animals change due to their environment.
Extinction
When all members of a species die off completely and are unable to be found anywhere on the planet.
Embryology
A theory that supports evolution by comparing the similarities between developing embryos of different animal species.
Comparative anatomy
A theory that supports evolution by comparing the bone structures of different species of animals and finding similarities.
Comparative physiology
The comparison of similarities of organs and things like vestigial body parts to prove evolution.
Genetic variability
When populations genetic variation tends to shift to one side or another dude to environment, competition, etc.
Gene (DNA) recombination
The creation of new alleles, usually due to crossing over of chromosomes during meiosis.
Unity
Unity (in biology) refers to the fact that all life started from the same cell.
Diversity
Though we all evolved from one single celled organism, many different classes, species, etc. evolved, bringing diversity.
Classification
The way that organisms are grouped in taxonomy.
Hierarchy
Species>population>community>ecosystem> biosphere
Classification subgroups
Kingdom>phylum>class>order>family>genus>species
Protein synthesis
mRNA is translated into protein with the help of tRNA and ribosomes.
Cell organelles
Organized special structures within a living cell.
Transcription
The act of making an RNA strand (mRNA) that is complementary to DNA.
Translation
A step in protein synthesis in which mRNA is decoded to produce the amino acids in a polypeptide chain.