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GCSE Biology > Key Terms > Flashcards

Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the abdomen?

A
  • The lower region of the body.

- Contains the digestive organs.

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2
Q

Define accurate.

A

Close to the true value.

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3
Q

What is acid rain?

A
  • Rain that is acidic due to dissolved gases.
  • Produced by burning fossil fuels.

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4
Q

What is an active site?

A

The site on an enzyme where the reactants bind.

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5
Q

What is active transport?

A

The movement of substances against a concentration gradient using energy.

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6
Q

What is adaptation?

A

A feature that makes an organism well suited to the environment where it lives.

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7
Q

What is adult cell cloning?

A
  • Process in which the nucleus of an adult cell of one animal is fused with an empty egg from another animal.
  • The embryo is placed inside the uterus of a third animal to develop.
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8
Q

What is aerobic respiration?

A

Breaking down food using oxygen to release energy.

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9
Q

What is agar?

A

The nutrient jelly on which many microorganisms are cultured.

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10
Q

What are algal cells?

A

The cells of algae, single-celled

or simple multicellular organisms, which can photosynthesise but are not plants.

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11
Q

What is an allele?

A

A version of a particular gene.

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12
Q

What are alveoli?

A

Tiny air sacs in the lungs which increase the surface area for gaseous exchange.

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13
Q

What are amino acids?

A

The building blocks of protein.

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14
Q

What is amylase?

A

The enzyme made in the
salivary glands and the pancreas which speeds up the breakdown of starch into simple
sugar.

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15
Q

What is anaerobic respiration?

A

Breaking down food without
oxygen to release energy for the cell.

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16
Q

What is an anomalous result?

A

Result that does not match the pattern seen in the other data collected or is well outside the range of other repeat readings.
It should be retested and if necessary discarded.

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17
Q

What is an antibiotic?

A

A drug that destroys bacteria inside the body without damaging human cells.

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18
Q

What is an antigen?

A
  • The unique protein on the surface of the cell.

- It is recognised by the immune system as self or non-self.

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19
Q

What is the aorta?

A

The main artery leaving the left ventricle carrying oxygenated blood to the body.

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20
Q

What is an artery?

A
  • A blood vessel which carries blood away from the heart.

- It usually carries oxygenated blood and has a pulse.

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21
Q

What is asexual budding?

A

-A form of asexual reproduction where a complete new individual forms as a bud on the parent organism.

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22
Q

Give two organisms that undergo asexual budding.

A
  • Yeast
  • Hydra

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23
Q

What is asexual reproduction?

A
  • Reproduction that involves only one individual with no fusing of gametes to produce the offspring.
  • The offspring are identical to the parent.
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24
Q

What are the atria?

A
  • The small upper chambers of the heart.

- The right atrium receives blood from the body and the left atrium receives blood from the lungs.

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25
Q

What is auxin?

A

A plant hormone that controls the responses of plants to light and gravity.

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26
Q

What is bacteria?

A
  • Single celled microorganisms that can reproduce very rapidly.
  • Many bacteria are useful but some cause disease.
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27
Q

What is a bacterial colony?

A

Population of billions of bacteria grown in culture.

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28
Q

What is a biconcave disc?

A
  • The shape of red blood cells.

- A disc which is dimpled inwards on both sides.

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29
Q

What is bile?

A
  • Yellowy green liquid made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
  • It is released into the small intestine and emulsifies fats.
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30
Q

What is biodiversity?

A
  • The number and variety of different organisms found in a specific area.
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31
Q

What is biofuel?

A

-Fuel produced from biological material which is renewable and sustainable.

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32
Q

What is biogas?

A

-Methane produced by the fermentation of biological materials.

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33
Q

What is biological detergent?

A
  • Washing detergent that contains enzymes.

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34
Q

What is biomass?

A

-Biological material from living or recently living organisms.

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35
Q

What is the bladder?

A

The organ where urine is stored until it is released from the body.

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36
Q

What is blood?

A
  • The liquid which is pumped around the body by the heart.
  • It contains blood cells, dissolved food, oxygen, waste products, mineral ions, hormones and other substances needed in the body or needing to be removed from the body.
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37
Q

What is the blood circulation system?

A

The system by which blood is pumped around the body.

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38
Q

What is a blood vessel?

A

A tube which carries blood around the body.

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39
Q

What is breathing?

A
  • The physical movement of air into and out of the lungs.

- In humans this is brought about by the action of the intercostal muscles on the ribs and the diaphragm.

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40
Q

What is the breathing system?

A

The stems involved in breathing: the ribs, intercostal muscles, diaphragm as well as the lungs and tubes which bring air into the body from the outside.

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41
Q

What are capillaries?

A
  • The smallest but vessels which run between individual cells.
  • They have a wall which is only one cell thick.
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42
Q

What is carbohydrase?

A

An enzyme which speeds up the breakdown of carbohydrates.

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43
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

The cycling of carbon through the living and non-living world.

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44
Q

What is meant by carbon neutral?

A

A process which uses as much carbon dioxide as it releases.

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45
Q

What is a carnivore?

A

An animal that eats other animals.

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46
Q

What is a carrier?

A

An individual who is heterozygous for a faulty allele that causes a genetic disease in the homozygous form.

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47
Q

What is a catalyst?

A
  • A substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.

- At the end of the reaction the catalyst remains chemically unchanged.

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48
Q

What is a cell membrane?

A

The membrane around the contents of the cell which controls what moves in and out of the cell.

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49
Q

What is a cell wall?

A

A rigid structure which surrounds the cells of living organisms apart from animals.

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50
Q

What is Cellulose?

A

A big carbohydrate molecule which makes up plant and algal cell walls.

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51
Q

What is the central nervous system?

A

The system made up of the brain and spinal cord where information is processed.

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52
Q

What is chlorophyll?

A

The green pigment in chloroplasts.

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53
Q

What are chloroplasts?

A

Organelles in which photosynthesis takes place.

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54
Q

What is a chromosome?

A

A thread-like structure carrying genetic information found in the nucleus of a cell.

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55
Q

What is a clone?

A

Offspring produced by asexual reproduction which is identical to its parent organism.

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56
Q

What is combustion?

A

The process of burning.

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57
Q

What is competition?

A

The process by which living organisms compete with each other for limited resources such as food, light or partners.

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58
Q

What is a concentration gradient?

A

The gradient between an area where a substance is at a high concentration and an area where it is at a low concentration.

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59
Q

What is a contraceptive pill?

A

A pill containing female sex hormones which is used to prevent conception.

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60
Q

What is a control group?

A

A control is setup in which the independent variable is not changed enabling a comparison to be made.

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61
Q

What is the core body temperature?

A

The internal temperature of the body.

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62
Q

What is the coronary artery?

A

An artery which carries oxygenated blood to the muscle of the heart.

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63
Q

What is a culture medium?

A

A substance containing the nutrients needed for microorganisms to grow.

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64
Q

What is a cuticle?

A

The waxy covering of a leaf which reduces water loss from the surface.

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65
Q

What is cystic fibrosis?

A
  • A genetic disease that affects the lungs, digestive and reproductive systems.
  • Inherited through a recessive allele.
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66
Q

What is the cytoplasm?

A

The water based gel in which the organelles of all living cells are suspended.

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67
Q

What is a decomposer?

A

Microorganism that breaks down waste products and dead bodies.

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68
Q

What is deforestation?

A

Removal of forests by felling and burning.

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69
Q

Define dehydrated.

A

Lacking in water.

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70
Q

What is denaturing?

A

Changing the shape of an enzyme so that it can no longer speed up a reaction.

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71
Q

Define deoxygenated.

A

Lacking in oxygen.

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72
Q

What is depression?

A

A mental illness that involves feelings of great sadness that interfere with everyday life.

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73
Q

What is diabetes?

A

A condition in which it becomes difficult or impossible for the body to control the levels of sugar in the blood.

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74
Q

What is a dialysis machine?

A

The machine used to remove urea and excess mineral ions from the blood when the kidneys fail.

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75
Q

What is the diaphragm?

A
  • A strong sheet of muscle that separates the thorax from the digestive organs.
  • Used to change the volume of the chest during ventilation of the lungs.
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76
Q

Define differentiated.

A

Specialised for a particular function.

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77
Q

What is diffusion?

A

The net movement of particles of a gas or a solute from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

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78
Q

Define digested.

A

Broken down into small molecules by digestive enzymes.

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79
Q

What are digestive juices?

A

The mixture of enzymes and other chemicals produced by the digestive system.

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80
Q

What is the digestive system?

A

The organ system running from the mouth to the anus where food is digested.

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81
Q

What is direct contact?

A

A way of spreading infectious diseases by skin contact between two people.

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82
Q

What is distillation?

A

A process which separates the components of a mixture on the basis of their boiling points.

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83
Q

What is DNA?

A
  • Deoxyribonucleic acid.
  • The material of inheritance.

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84
Q

What are DNA fingerprints?

A

Patterns produced by analysing the DNA which can be used to identify an individual.

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85
Q

What is a dominant allele?

A

The characteristic that will show up in the offspring even if only one of the alleles is inherited.

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86
Q

What is a donor?

A

The person who gives material from their body to another person who needs healthy tissue.

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87
Q

What is a double blind trial?

A

A drug trial in which neither the patient nor the doctor knows if the patient is receiving the new drug or the placebo.

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88
Q

What is double circulation?

A

The separate circulation of the blood from the heart to the lungs and then back to the heart and on to the body.

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89
Q

What is droplet infection?

A
  • A way of spreading diseases through the tiny droplets full of pathogens.
  • Expelled from the body when coughing, sneezing and talking.

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90
Q

What is a drug?

A
  • A chemical which causes changes in the body.
  • Medical drugs cure disease or relieve symptoms.
  • Recreational drugs alter the mind or body.
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91
Q

What is ecology?

A

The scientific study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

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92
Q

What is effective medicine?

A

A medicine that cures the disease it is targeting.

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93
Q

What are effector organs?

A

Muscles and glands which respond to impulses from the nervous system.

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94
Q

What is an electron microscope?

A

An instrument used to magnify specimens using an electron beam.

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95
Q

What is an embryonic stem cell?

A
  • Stem cell which has the potential to form a number of different specialised cell types.
  • Taken from an early embryo.
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96
Q

Define emulsifies.

A

Breaks down into tiny droplets which will form an emulsion.

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97
Q

What is an endemic?

A

When a species evolves in isolation and is found in only one place in the world.

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98
Q

What is environmental isolation?

A

When the climate changes in one area where an organism lives but not in others.

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99
Q

What is an enzyme?

A
  • Protein molecule which acts as a biological catalyst.

- Changes the rate of chemical reactions without being affected itself.

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100
Q

What is an epidemic?

A

When more cases of a disease are recorded than would normally be expected.

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101
Q

What is epidermal tissue?

A
  • The tissue of the epidermis.

- The outer layer of an organism.

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102
Q

What is epithelial tissue?

A

Tissue made up of unspecialised cells which line the tubes and organs of the body.

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103
Q

What is a human error?

A
  • Present in the collection of data.

- Reaction times and similar.

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104
Q

What is eutrophication?

A
  • The process by which excessive nutrients in water lead to rapid plant growth.
  • When the plants die they are decomposed which uses up oxygen.
  • The water can then no longer sustain life.
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105
Q

What is evaporation?

A

The change of a liquid to a gas.

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106
Q

What is evolution?

A

The process of slow change in living organisms over long periods of time as those best adapted to survive breed successfully.

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107
Q

What is an evolutionary relationship?

A
  • Model of the relationships between organisms.
  • Often based on DNA evidence.
  • Suggests how long ago they evolved away from each other and how closely related they are.
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108
Q

What is an evolutionary tree?

A

Model of evolutionary relationships based on appearance and DNA.

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109
Q

What is an exchange surface?

A

A surface where materials are exchanged.

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110
Q

What is an exothermic reaction?

A

A reaction that releases heat energy.

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111
Q

What is extinction?

A

The permanent loss of all members of a species.

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112
Q

What is an extremophile?

A

An organism which lives in environments that are extreme.

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113
Q

What are fatty acids?

A

The building blocks of lipids.

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114
Q

What is fermentation?

A

The reaction in which the enzymes in yeast turn glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

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115
Q

What is fertile soil?

A

A soil that contains enough minerals to supply crop plants all they need for healthy growth.

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116
Q

What is fertiliser?

A

A substance provided for plants that supplies them with essential nutrients for growth.

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117
Q

What is a fossil fuel?

A

Fuel obtained from long-dead biological material.

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118
Q

What is fructose syrup?

A
  • Sugar syrup.
  • Used for weight loss.

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119
Q

What is FSH?

A
  • Follicle stimulating hormone.

- Female hormone that stimulates eggs to mature in the ovaries and ovaries to produce oestrogen.

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120
Q

What is a gamete?

A

Sex cell which has half the number of chromosomes as an ordinary cell.

121
Q

What is gaseous exchange?

A

The exchange of gases.

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122
Q

What is a gene?

A

A short section of DNA carrying genetic information.

123
Q

What is a genetic disorder?

A

Disease which is inherited.

124
Q

What is genetic engineering?

A

A technique for changing the genetic information of a cell.

125
Q

What is genetic material?

A

The DNA which carries the instructions for making a new cell or individual.

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126
Q

What is geographical isolation?

A

When two populations become physically isolated by a geographical feature.

127
Q

What is glandular tissue?

A

The tissue which makes up the glands and secretes chemicals.

128
Q

What is global warming?

A

Warming of the Earth due to greenhouse gases trapping radiation from the surface.

129
Q

What is glucagon?

A

A hormone that increases blood glucose concentration.

130
Q

What is glucose?

A

A simple sugar.

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131
Q

What is glycerol?

A

Building block of lipids.

132
Q

What is glycogen?

A

Carbohydrate store in animals.

133
Q

What is gravitropism?

A

Response of a plant to the force of gravity controlled by auxin.

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134
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A
  • The trapping of infrared radiation from the Sun as a result of greenhouse gases.
  • Maintains the temperature suitable for life.
135
Q

What is a greenhouse gas?

A

Gases which absorb infrared radiated from the surface warming the atmosphere.

136
Q

What are guard cells?

A

The cells which surround stomata in the leaves of plants and control their opening and closing.

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137
Q

What is haemoglobin?

A

The red pigment which carries oxygen around the body.

138
Q

What is a herbicide?

A

A chemical that kills plants.

139
Q

What is a herbivore?

A

An animal that feeds on plants.

140
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

The maintenance of constant internal body conditions.

141
Q

What is hydroponics?

A

Growing plants in water enriched by mineral ions rather than soil.

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142
Q

What is hypothermia?

A

The state when core body temperature falls below the normal range.

143
Q

What is immune response?

A
  • The response of the immune system to cells carrying foreign antigens.
  • The production of antibodies against the foreign cells and the destruction of the cells.
144
Q

What is the immune system?

A

The body system which recognises and destroys foreign cells or proteins such as pathogens.

145
Q

What is immunisation?

A

Giving a vaccine that allows immunity to develop without exposure to the disease.

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146
Q

What are immunosuppressant drugs?

A

Drugs which suppress the immune system of the recipient of a transplanted organ to prevent rejection.

147
Q

What is an impulse?

A

An electrical signal carried along the neurons.

148
Q

What are indicator species?

A

Species particularly sensitive to pollution that can be used to indicate changes in pollution levels.

149
Q

Define infectious.

A

Capable of causing infection.

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150
Q

What is an infectious disease?

A

A disease which can be passed from one individual to another.

151
Q

What is inheritance of acquired characteristics?

A

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s theory of evolution.

152
Q

Define inherited.

A

Passed on from parents to their offspring through genes.

153
Q

Define inoculate.

A

To make someone immune to a disease by injecting them with a vaccine which stimulates the immune system to make antibodies against the disease.

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154
Q

What is an insoluble molecule?

A

A molecule that doesn’t dissolve in a particular solvent.

155
Q

What is insulin?

A

A hormone which decreases the blood glucose concentration.

156
Q

What are the intercostal muscles?

A

The muscles between the ribs which raise and lower them during breathing movements.

157
Q

What is an ion?

A

A charged particle produced by the loss or gain of electrons.

158
Q

What is isomerase?

A

An enzyme which converts one form of a molecule into another.

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159
Q

Define isotonic.

A

Having the same concentration of solutes as another solution.

160
Q

What is a kidney?

A

An organ which filters the blood and removes urea, excess salts and water.

161
Q

What is a kidney tubule?

A

A structure in the kidney where substances are reabsorbed back into the blood.

162
Q

What is a kingdom?

A

The highest group in the classification system.

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163
Q

What is lactic acid?

A
  • One product of anaerobic respiration.
  • Builds up in the muscles with exercise.
  • Important in cheese and yoghurt production.
164
Q

What is light energy?

A

Energy in the form of light.

165
Q

What is a light microscope?

A

An instrument used to magnify specimens using lenses and light.

166
Q

What is a limiting factor?

A

A factor that limits the rate of a reaction.

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167
Q

What is lipase?

A

The enzyme which breaks down fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol.

168
Q

What is a lipid?

A

An oil or fat.

169
Q

What is the liver?

A

A large organ in the abdomen which carries out a wide range of functions in the body.

170
Q

Define malnourished.

A

The condition when the body does not get a balanced diet.

171
Q

What is meiosis?

A
  • The two stage process of cell division which reduces the chromosome number of the daughter cells.
  • It is involved in making the gametes for sexual reproduction.
172
Q

What is the menstrual cycle?

A

The reproductive cycle in women controlled by hormones.

173
Q

What is mesophyll tissue?

A

The tissue in a green plant where photosynthesis takes place.

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174
Q

What is the metabolic rate?

A

The rate at which the reactions of your body take place, particularly cellular respiration.

175
Q

What is methane?

A

A hydrocarbon gas which makes up the main flammable component of biogas.

176
Q

What is a mineral ion?

A

Chemical needed in small amounts as part of a balanced diet.

177
Q

What are mitochondria?

A

The site of aerobic cellular respiration.

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178
Q

What is mitosis?

A

Asexual cell division where two identical cells are formed.

179
Q

What is a motor neuron?

A

Neuron that carries impulses from the central nervous systems to the effector organ.

180
Q

What is MRSA?

A
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

- Antibiotic resistant bacteria.

181
Q

What is a multicellular organism?

A
  • An organism which is made up of many different cells which work together.
  • Some cells are specialised.

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182
Q

What is muscular tissue?

A
  • The tissue which makes up the muscles.

- It can contract and relax.

183
Q

What is mutation?

A

A change in the genetic material of an organism.

184
Q

What is mycoprotein?

A

A food based on the fungus fusarium that grows and reproduces rapidly.

185
Q

What is natural selection?

A
  • The process by which evolution takes place.
  • Organisms produce more offspring than the environment can support so only the best suited survive and pass on their characteristics.
186
Q

What is negative pressure?

A

A system when the external pressure is lower than the internal pressure.

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187
Q

What is a nerve?

A

Bundles of hundreds of neurons.

188
Q

What is a neuron?

A

Basic cell of the nervous system which carries minute electrical impulses.

189
Q

What is a nitrate?

A

Ion which is needed by plants to make proteins.

190
Q

What is a nucleus of a cell?

A

An organelle found in many living cells containing genetic information.

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191
Q

Define obese.

A
  • Very overweight.

- BMI of over 30.

192
Q

What is oestrogen?

A

-Female sex hormone which stimulates the lining of the womb to build up for pregnancy.

193
Q

What is the optic nerve?

A

The nerve carrying impulses from the retina of the eye to the brain.

194
Q

What is oral contraceptive?

A

Hormone contraceptive that is taken by mouth.

195
Q

What is an organ?

A

A group of organs working together to carry out a particular function.

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196
Q

What is osmosis?

A

The net movement of water from a dilute area to a concentrated solution.

197
Q

What are ova?

A

Female sex cells.

198
Q

What is an ovary?

A

Female sex organ which contains the eggs and produces hormones during the menstrual cycle.

199
Q

Define overweight.

A

BMI between 25 and 30.

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200
Q

What is an ovipositor?

A

A pointed tube found in many female insects which is used to lay eggs.

201
Q

What is ovulation?

A

The release of a mature egg from the ovary in the middle of the menstrual cycle.

202
Q

What is oxygen debt?

A

The extra oxygen that must be taken into the body after exercise has stopped to complete the aerobic respiration of lactic acid.

203
Q

What is oxyhaemoglobin?

A

The molecule formed when haemoglobin binds to oxygen molecules.

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204
Q

What is the pancreas?

A

An organ that produces the hormone insulin and digestive enzymes.

205
Q

What is a pandemic?

A

When more cases of a disease are recorded than normal in several countries.

206
Q

What is a parasite?

A

Organism which lives in or on other living organisms and gets some or all of its nourishment from the host organism.

207
Q

Define partially permeable.

A

Allowing only certain substances to pass through.

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208
Q

What is a pathogen?

A

A microbe that causes disease.

209
Q

What is a perfluorocarbon?

A

Chemical which can be used as artificial blood.

210
Q

What is a period?

A

The time in the menstrual cycle when the lining of the womb is lost.

211
Q

What is a permanent vacuole?

A

A space in the cytoplasm filled with cell sap which is there all the time.

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212
Q

What is phloem tissue?

A

The living transport tissue in plants which carries sugars around the plant.

213
Q

What is photosynthesis?

A

The process by which plants make food using carbon dioxide, water and light energy.

214
Q

What is phototropism?

A

The response of a plant to light controlled by auxin.

215
Q

What is a pigment?

A

A coloured molecule.

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216
Q

What is the pituitary gland?

A

Small gland in the brain which produces a range of hormones controlling body functions.

217
Q

What is a placebo?

A

A substance used in a clinical trial which doesn’t contain any drug at all.

218
Q

What is plasma?

A

The clear, yellow liquid part of the blood which carries dissolved substances and blood cells around the body.

219
Q

What is a plasmid?

A

An extra circle of DNA found in bacterial cytoplasm.

220
Q

What is a platelet?

A

Fragment of cell in the blood which is vital for the clotting mechanism to work.

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221
Q

What is polydactyly?

A

A genetic condition inherited through a dominant allele which results in extra fingers and toes.

222
Q

What is a poly tunnel?

A

Large greenhouse made of plastic.

223
Q

What is a positive pressure system?

A

A system where the external pressure is higher than the internal pressure.

224
Q

What is a predator?

A

An animal which preys on other animals for food.

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225
Q

What is progesterone?

A

Female sex hormone used in the contraceptive pill.

226
Q

What is protease?

A

An enzyme which breaks down proteins.

227
Q

What is protein synthesis?

A

The process by which proteins are made on the ribosomes based on information from the genes in the nucleus.

228
Q

What is puberty?

A

The stage of development when the sexual organs and the body become adult.

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229
Q

What is the pulmonary artery?

A

The large blood vessel taking deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs.

230
Q

What is the pulmonary vein?

A

The large blood vessel bringing blood into the left atrium of the heart from the lungs.

231
Q

What is a pyramid of biomass?

A

A model of the mass of biological material in the organisms at each level of a food chain.

232
Q

What is a quadrat?

A

A piece of apparatus for sampling organisms in the field.

233
Q

What is quantitative sampling?

A

Sampling which records the number of organisms rather than just the type.

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234
Q

What is a receptor?

A

Special sensory cell that detects changes in the environment.

235
Q

What is a recessive allele?

A

The characteristic that will only show in the offspring if both alleles are inherited.

236
Q

What is a red blood cell?

A
  • Blood cell which contains the red pigment haemoglobin.
  • Biconcave disc.

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237
Q

What is a reflex arc?

A

The sense organ, sensory neuron, relay neuron, motor neuron and effector organ which bring about a reflex action.

238
Q

What is a reflex?

A

A rapid automatic response of the nervous system that does not involve conscious thought.

239
Q

What is respiration?

A

The process by which food molecules are broken down to release energy for the cells.

240
Q

What is a ribosome?

A

The site of protein synthesis in a cell.

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241
Q

What is a root hair cell?

A

Cell on the root of a plant with microscopic hairs which increases the surface area for the absorption of water from the soil.

242
Q

What is a safe medicine?

A

A medicine that does not cause any unreasonable side effects while curing a disease.

243
Q

What is the salivary gland?

A

Gland in the mouth which produces saliva containing the enzyme amylase.

244
Q

Define secreting.

A

Releasing chemicals such as hormones or enzymes.

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245
Q

What is selective reabsorption?

A

The varying amount of water and dissolved mineral ions that are taken back into the blood in the kidney, depending what is needed in the body.

246
Q

What is a sense organ?

A

Collection of cells known as receptors which responds to changes in the surroundings.

247
Q

What is the sensory neuron?

A

Neuron which carries impulses from the sensory organs to the central nervous system.

248
Q

What is a sewage treatment plant?

A

A site where human waste is broken down using microorganisms.

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249
Q

What is a sex chromosome?

A

A chromosome which carries the information about the sex of an individual.

250
Q

What is sexual reproduction?

A

Reproduction which involves the fusion of male and female gametes producing genetic variety in the offspring.

251
Q

What is the small intestine?

A

The region of the digestive system where most of the digestion of the food takes place.

252
Q

What is a solute?

A

The solid which dissolves in a solvent to form a solution.

253
Q

What is a specialised cell?

A

Adapted for a particular function.

254
Q

What is speciation?

A

The formation of a new species.

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255
Q

What is a species?

A

A group of organisms with many features in common which can breed successfully producing fertile offspring.

256
Q

What is a stable medicine?

A

A medicine which does not break down under normal conditions.

257
Q

What is a statin?

A

A drug which lowers the blood cholesterol levels and improves the balance of HDLs to LDL.

258
Q

What is a stem cell?

A

Undifferentiated cell with the potential to form a wide variety of different cell types.

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259
Q

What is a stent?

A

A metal mesh placed in the artery which is used to open up the blood vessel by the inflation of a balloon.

260
Q

What is a steroid?

A

A drug that is used illegally by some athletes to build muscles and improve performance.

261
Q

What are stimuli?

A

A change in the environment that is detected by sensory receptors.

262
Q

What are stomata?

A
  • Openings in the leaves of plants which allow gases to enter and exit the leaf.
  • Opened and closed by the guard cells.

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263
Q

What is sustainable food production?

A

Methods of producing food which can be sustained over time without destroying the fertility of the land or ocean.

264
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A gap between neurons where the transmission of information is chemical rather than electrical.

265
Q

What is territory?

A

An area where an animal lives and feeds which it may mark out or defend.

266
Q

What is thalidomide?

A

A drug that caused deformities in the fetus when given to pregnant to prevent morning sickness.

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267
Q

What is therapeutic cloning?

A

Cloning by transferring the nucleus of an adult cell to an empty egg to produce tissues or organs which could be used in medicine.

268
Q

What is the thermoregulatory centre?

A

The area of the brain which is sensitive to the temperature of blood.

269
Q

What is the thorax?

A

The chest region of the body which includes the ribcage, heart and lungs.

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270
Q

What is tissue?

A

A group of specialised cells all carrying out the same function.

271
Q

What is tissue culture?

A

Using small groups of cells from a plant to make new plants.

272
Q

What is the trachea?

A

The main tube lined with cartilage rings which carries air from the nose and mouth down towards the lungs.

273
Q

What is a transect?

A

A measured line or area along which ecological measurements are made.

274
Q

What is a transfusion?

A

The transfer of blood from one person to another.

275
Q

What is transpiration?

A

The loss of water vapour from the leaves of plants through the stomata when they are opened to allow gas exchange for photosynthesis.

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276
Q

What is the transpiration stream?

A

The movement of water through a plant from the roots to the leaves as a result of the loss of water by evaporation from the surface of the leaves.

277
Q

What is a transport system?

A

A system for transporting substances around a multicellular living organism.

278
Q

What is a trial run?

A

Preliminary work that is often done to establish a suitable range or interval for the main investigation.

279
Q

What is a tuber?

A

Modified part of a plant which is used to store food in the form of starch.

280
Q

What is type 1 diabetes?

A
  • Diabetes which is caused when the pancreas cannot make insulin.
  • Usually occurs in children and young adults and can be treated with regular insulin injections.

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281
Q

What is urea?

A

The waste product formed by the breakdown of excess amino acids in the liver.

282
Q

What is urine?

A

The liquid produced by the kidneys containing metabolic waste product urea along with excess water and salts from the body.

283
Q

What is urobilin?

A

Yellow pigment that comes from the breakdown of haemoglobin in the liver.

284
Q

What is vaccination?

A

Introducing small quantities of dead or inactive pathogens into the body to stimulate the white blood cells to produce antibodies that destroy the pathogens.

285
Q

What is a vacuum?

A

An area with little or no gas pressure.

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286
Q

What is a valve?

A

Structure which prevents the backflow of liquid.

287
Q

Define variegated.

A

Having different colours.

288
Q

What is a vein?

A
  • Blood vessel which carries blood to the heart.

- Usually carries deoxygenated blood blood and has valves to prevent backflow.

289
Q

What is the vena cava?

A

The large vein going into the right atrium of the heart carrying deoxygenated blood from the body.

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290
Q

What are the ventricles?

A
  • The large chambers at the bottom of the heart.
  • The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs.
  • The left ventricle pumps blood around the body.
291
Q

What are villi?

A

The finger-like projections from the lining of the small intestine which increase the surface area for the absorption of digested food into the blood.

292
Q

What is a virus?

A

Microorganism which takes over body cells and reproduces rapidly causing disease.

293
Q

What is a white blood cell?

A
  • Blood cell which is involved in the immune system.
  • They engulf bacteria, make antibodies and antitoxins.

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294
Q

What is wilting?

A
  • The process by which plants droop when they are short of water or too hot.
  • This reduces further water loss and prevents cell damage.
295
Q

What is a withdrawal symptom?

A

The symptom experienced by a drug addict when they do not get the drug to which they are addicted.

296
Q

What is xenotransplantation?

A

Transplanting tissues or organs from one species to another.

297
Q

What is xylem tissue?

A

The non-living transport tissue in plants which transports water around the plant.

298
Q

Since you’ve been using these flashcards for free, please consider making a small donation for the hundreds of hours it took to make them.

A

http://bit.ly/21T6H3W

Thank you and good luck!

GCSE Biology (22 decks)

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