Homeostasis In Organisms Flashcards
biochemical process
a chemical process that occurs in a living thing
photosynthesis
the process by which some organisms are able to capture light energy and use it to make food from carbon dioxide and water
glucose
a sugar that is a major source of energy for cells
ATP
a compound that stores energy in cells
gas exchange
the process of obtaining oxygen from the environment and releasing carbon dioxide
catalyst
a substance that can speed up the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed or used up during the reaction
pH
a measure of whether a substance is acidic, neutral, or basic
dynamic equilibrium
the constant small corrections that normally occur to keep an organism’s internal environment within the limits needed for survival
feedback mechsnism
a cycle in which the output of a system either modifies or reinforces the first action taken by the system
stimulus
any change in the environment that causes an organism to react
pancreas
an endocrine organism that secretes insulin
insulin
a hormone that prompts glucose to move from the blood into body cells, resulting in a lower glucose level in the blood
guard cells
specialized cells that controls the opening and closing of the pores on the surface of a leaf
disease
a condition, other than injury, that prevents the body from working as it should
pathogen
an organism that invades the body, causing disease
virus
a nonliving particle of protein and genetic material that reproduces by invading the cell of a living organism
bacterium
any one of many single celled organisms without a distinct nucleus
fungi
the kingdom of organisms that are mostly multicellular, have cell walls made of chitin, and are heterotrophic
parasite
an organism that survives by living and feeding on other organisms
immune system
the body’s primary defense against disease-causing pathogens
antigen
a molecule found on the outer surfaces of cells that the immune system recognizes as other part of the body or an outside invader
antibody
a protein produced by the immune system, that either attacks invading pathogens or marks them for killing
microbe
any microscopic organism
vaccines
a substance made of weakened, killed, or partial pathogens and designed to protect the body from future invasions of that pathogen
AIDS
the disease that results when the HIV virus attacks the human immune system
allergy
a condition in which a person’s immune system is overly sensitive to environmental substances that are normally harmless
