Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biology A Level > Key Words > Flashcards

Key Words Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Monomer

A

Small unit from which larger molecules are made

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Polymer

A

Molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Isomer

A

Molecules which have the same chemical formula but a different structure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Monosaccharide

A

The monomer from which larger carbohydrates are made

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Disaccharide

A

Molecules made from two monosaccharides joined by a condensation reaction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Polysaccharide

A

Molecules made from many monosaccharides joined together by condensation reactions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Saturated fatty acid

A

Only single bonds between the carbon atoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Unsaturated fatty acid

A

There are double bonds between two or more of the carbon atoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Dipeptide

A

Molecules made from two amino acids joined by a condensation reaction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Polypeptide

A

Molecules made from many amino acids joined together by condensation reactions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Primary structure

A

The sequence of amino acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Secondary structure

A

Formed by the regular folding or coiling of the primary structure, (held by hydrogen bonding)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Tertiary structure

A

The further folding of the secondary structure to make a specific shape, (held together by hydrogen, ionic and disulphide bonding between the variable groups)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Quaternary structure

A

More than one polypeptide chain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Induced fit model

A

The approach of the substrate causes a change in the shape of the enzyme – such that the active site and substrate become (fully) complementary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

DNA helicase

A

An enzyme which unwinds the coiled DNA and breaks the hydrogen bonds between bases so separating strands of DNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

DNA polymerase

A

An enzyme which catalyses the condensation reaction which forms a phosphodiester bond between adjacent DNA nucleotides together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Nucleus

A

Organelle which contains the cell’s chromosomes and nucleoli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Nucleolus

A

Where rRNA and ribosomes are made within the nucleus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Mitochondria

A

Site of aerobic respiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Chloroplasts

A

Absorb light and use it for photosynthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Golgi apparatus

A

modify, package, transport and store proteins (and lipids)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Lysosomes

A

Contain hydrolytic enzymes (called lysozymes)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Ribosomes

A

Site of protein synthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

RER

A

Ribosomes are attached on the surface and are the site of protein synthesis
Proteins are folded inside the RER and can be transported around the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

SER

A

A site of lipid (/phospholipid/cholesterol steroid) synthesis and storage. Also stores ions in the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Tissue

A

Formed of a group of cells which all perform a similar function

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Organ

A

Formed of a group of tissues which perform a variety of functions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Prokaryotic cell

A

Cells which lack membrane bound organelles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Capsid

A

A protein structure which holds the nucleic acids in a virus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Interphase

A

DNA replication occurs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Prophase

A
  • Spindle fibres migrate to opposite poles of the cell
  • Chromosomes coil and condense and become visible (each chromosome is made of two sister chromatids held together by a centromere)
  • The nuclear membrane breaks down
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Metaphase

A
  • spindle fibres are produced and attach to the centromeres of the chromosomes
  • chromosomes line up along the equator of the cell
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Anaphase

A

• Spindle fibres shorten and separate the sister chromatids which are pulled to opposite poles of the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Telophase

A
  • Nuclear envelopes reform

* Chromosomes decondense

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Cytokinesis

A

• Cytoplasm divides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Binary fission

A

The process by which prokaryotic cells divide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Carrier protein

A

A protein which undergoes a conformation change in shape in order to move substance(s) across a membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Channel protein

A

A protein which forms an aqueous pore across a membrane which when open, allows one or more specific substances to pas through by diffusion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Diffusion

A

The net movement of a substance from a higher concentration to a lower concentration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Facilitated diffusion

A

The net movement of a substance from a higher concentration to a lower concentration via specific channel or carrier protein

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Osmosis

A

The net movement of water from a higher water potential to a lower water potential through a partially permeable membrane. But to note that biological membranes are selectively permeable

43
Q

Active transport

A

The movement of a substance from a lower concentration to a higher concentration via/using a carrier protein using energy from ATP

44
Q

Pathogen

A

A disease causing agent.

45
Q

Toxin

A

A poison produced by a living organism

46
Q

Antigen

A

A foreign protein or glycoprotein which stimulates an immune response

47
Q

Clonal selection

A

Activation of a specific B cell that produces the antibody specific to an antigen. The B cell divides to produce a genetically identical clone of plasma cells, each producing large amounts of this specific antibody.

48
Q

Monoclonal antibody

A

Antibodies which are identical and come from plasma cells belonging to one/the same clone. They are all specific to only one antigen

49
Q

Antibody

A

A protein produced by B plasma cells which binds to a specific, complementary antigen

50
Q

Agglutination

A

The clumping together of antigen-bearing cells in the presence on their complementary antibody

51
Q

Vaccine

A

A vaccine contains an antigen, or several antigens from a pathogen that stimulate an immune response.

52
Q

Herd immunity

A

When enough individuals are immune to prevent the spread of a pathogen, because of the lack of susceptible hosts.

53
Q

Active immunity

A

Immunity which results from the production of antibodies by the immune system

54
Q

Passive immunity

A

Immunity which results from the introduction of antibodies from another person or animal. This provides short term immunity.

55
Q

Tracheoles

A

Network of tubes within an insect which transport air for gas exchange

56
Q

Spiracles

A

Pores on the surface of an insect which allow air in and out

57
Q

Xerophyte

A

A plant adapted to live in a very dry environment

58
Q

Diaphragm

A

Muscle which separates the abdomen and thorax

59
Q

Intercostal muscles

A

Muscles found between the ribs and are responsible for moving them during ventilation

60
Q

Digestion

A

When large molecule are hydrolysed to form smaller molecules

61
Q

Endopeptidase

A

An enzyme which hydrolyses any peptide bond apart from the terminal ones in a polypeptide chain.

62
Q

Exopeptidase

A

An enzyme which hydrolyses the terminal peptide bond in a polypeptide chain.

63
Q

Dipeptidase

A

An enzyme which hydrolyses dipeptides into amino acids

64
Q

Micelles

A

An aggregate of lipid molecules within an aqueous solution

65
Q

Mass transport

A

The bulk movement of substances over a large distance within an organism.

66
Q

The Bohr effect

A

Haemoglobin’s affinity to oxygen is inversely related to the concentration of CO2 and acidity.

67
Q

Xylem

A

Vascular tissue in plants which carries water and dissolved nutrients from the roots up the plant

68
Q

Cohesion tension theory

A
  • The water potential in the leaf cells decreases
  • This causes water to move out the xylem into surrounding tissues by osmosis
  • This creates tension on the water in the xylem
  • The water in the xylem is in a continuous column due to cohesion between water molecules due to H-bonds
  • The column doesn’t break due to adhesion (H-bonds between the water molecules and the walls of the xylem)
69
Q

Phloem

A

Vascular tissue in plants which carries sugars around the plant from sources to sinks – e.g. could be from leaves or it could be from underground storage tissues in spring

70
Q

Gene

A

a base sequence of DNA that codes for the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide or for a functional RNA

71
Q

Universal

A

The same three bases code for the same amino acid in all organisms

72
Q

Degenerate

A

There is more than one set of three bases that codes for each amino acid

73
Q

Non overlapping

A

Each base is only part of one ‘triplet’ (it is only ‘read’ once)

74
Q

Exon

A

A base sequence within a gene which codes for a sequence of amino acids

75
Q

Intron

A

A base sequence within a gene which is non-coding

76
Q

Genome

A

The complete set of genes in a cell

77
Q

Proteome

A

The full range of proteins that a cell is able to produce

78
Q

mRNA

A

A linear strand of RNA which is transcribed from a DNA template and has no H-bonds. Its length depends on the length of the gene.

79
Q

tRNA

A

A folded strand of RNA which is held in a clover shape due to H-bonds. Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid.

80
Q

rRNA

A

rRNA is a component of a ribosome.

81
Q

Transcription

A

The production of pre-mRNA from DNA - except in (most) prokaryotes, where there are no introns, so mRNA produced by transcription

82
Q

RNA polymerase

A

The enzyme which forms the phosphodiester bond between RNA nucleotides in the new strand of pre-mRNA

83
Q

Translation

A

The production of polypeptides at ribosomes, using information in the sequence of codons carried by mRNA

84
Q

Triplet

A

A sequence of the three bases on DNA which code for an amino acid

85
Q

Codon

A

A sequence of the three bases on mRNA which code for an amino acid

86
Q

Anticodon

A

A sequence of the three bases on tRNA which are complementary to a codon. The tRNA carries a specific amino acid

87
Q

Mutation

A

A change in the base sequence of a DNA

88
Q

Non disjunction

A

When homologous pairs of chromosomes do not separate during meiosis. This results in daughter cells which either have extra chromosomes or have chromosomes missing.

89
Q

Diploid cell

A

These cells contain two copies of each chromosome (one copy from each parent)

90
Q

Haploid cell

A

These cells contain one copy of each chromosome or gene

91
Q

Homologous chromosomes

A

Chromosomes that have the same genes at the same loci

92
Q

Independent segregation

A

Independent segregation occurs when the homologous pairs separate and go to opposite poles of the cell. It means that the combination of chromosomes that go into each gamete is random.

93
Q

Crossing over

A

Exchange of alleles between homologous chromosomes

94
Q

Genetic diversity

A

The number of different alleles of genes in a population

95
Q

Directional selection

A

Selection that may vary in one direction from the mean of the population. Extreme phenotypes have a selective advantage and this results in the characteristics of the population changing over time.

96
Q

Stabilising selection

A

Selection that favours average individuals. This preserves the characteristics of a population

97
Q

Species

A

A group of similar organisms which are able to interbreed to produce fertile offspring

98
Q

Courtship

A

Behaviours shown between male and female organisms which can lead to copulation/mating

99
Q

Hierarchy

A

Small groups are placed within larger groups, with no overlap between groups

100
Q

Tax on

A

Phylogenetic groups

101
Q

Biodiversity

A

The range of living organisms

102
Q

Species richness

A

A measure of the number of different species in a community

103
Q

Index f diversity

A

A measure of biodiversity which takes into account the number of species in a community and the number of individuals in each species

104
Q

Standard deviation

A

The spread of data around the mean

Biology A Level (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions