Key Definitions Flashcards
Lacking detail compared to AS ones
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, light, and water.
What are biotic factors?
Living components of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
What is the cell cycle?
The series of phases that a cell goes through from its formation to its division.
What is diffusion?
The passive movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms.
What is a gene?
A segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or trait.
What is homeostasis?
The process by which organisms maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.
What is mitosis?
A type of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells.
What is meiosis?
A type of cell division that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes.
What is natural selection?
The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
What is osmosis?
The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.
What is respiration?
The biochemical process in which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.
What is a species?
A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
What are trophic levels?
The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and so on.
What is an antigen?
A substance that induces an immune response, often found on the surface of pathogens.
What is an antibody?
A protein produced by the immune system to neutralize or destroy pathogens.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
What is a chromosome?
A structure made of DNA and protein that contains genetic information.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of living organisms and their interactions with the abiotic environment.
What is a mutation?
A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to variations in traits.
What is a phenotype?
The observable characteristics of an organism, determined by its genotype and environment.
What is a genotype?
The genetic constitution of an organism, representing the alleles it possesses.
