Life Sciences Booklet 1 Flashcards
What is characteristics of life?
All organisms share life processes. Scientist use seven life processes or characteristics to determine whether something is living or nonliving.
Name the seven characteristics of life
- Movement
- Respiration
- Sensitivity
- Growth
- Reproduction
- Excretion
- Nutrition
MRS GREN
What is movement?
All living things move in someway. Some are obvious like walking and some are less obvious such as plants that have parts that move to track the movement of the sun. It uses the internal systems
What is respiration?
A chemical reaction that happens with in cells to release energy from food. Digestion,sweating and breathing.
What is sensitivity?
The ability to detect changes in the surrounding environment, and to respond to those changes. It reacts to it environment. This includes light, temperature, water levels, pH. Senses and adaption
What is growth?
All living things grow. Growth involves using food to produce new cells.
What is reproduction?
The ability to reproduce and pass genetic information on to their offspring.
What is excretion?
Living things produce waste as a result of the chemical reactions occurring in their cells. Waste products need to be disposed of before they become toxic
What is nutrition?
The intake and use of nutrients from the surroundings that is used for growth and providing energy. Autotroph and heterotroph.
In order to be alive what do you have to have?
In order to be alive you have to carry out all of the seven characteristics
What are all living organisms made out of?
All living organisms are made up of cells. Cells are the smallest part of a living organism.
Why are there two main types of living organisms?
They are two main types of organisms based on the structure of their cells. A difference in the structure is the presence of a nucleus.
What is the name of a cell that contains a nucleus?
Cells that contain a nucleus of cat certified as Eukaryotic cells
What is the name of a cell that does not contain a nucleus?
Cells without a nucleus are called Prokaryotic cells
What do eukaryotic cells make up?
Eukaryotic cells make up organisms such as plants and animals.
What do prokaryotic cells make up of?
Prokaryotic cells make up bacteria
What are cells?
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of a living organism. Cannot see cells with the naked eye.
Why are cells considered microscopic?
Cells are microscopic because they can only be seen under a microscope.
What are cells specialized in?
Cells are specialized to perform a specific function. Some have different shapes or sizes or may have some components which other cells do not have.
What are some common structures in most cells?
Some of the common structures in most cells are the cell membrane, cytoplasm and (in most Eukaryotic cells) nucleus
Is the cell membrane?
A thin layer that encloses the cells contents and separates the cell from the environment. All cells have it. It is selectively permeable.
What has to happen in order for a cell to function?
Substance have to pass in an out for a cell to function
What does the cell membrane do?
The cell membrane controls which substances are allowed to enter and leave the cell. The cell membrane is selectively permeable
What is the cytoplasm?
The cytoplasm is a jelly like substance. It consists of water with a complex collection of structures and materials. Which is either dissolved or suspended in it
Where is the nucleus?
The nucleus is inside the cytoplasm
What does the nucleus do?
The nucleus controls all the processes and chemical reactions that take place inside the cell. The nucleus contains the cells genetic material which is organized into long DNA molecules
What is the difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
The difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells is that eukaryotic cells have a nucleus which contains the genetic material surrounded by a membrane. Prokaryotic DNA floats in the cytoplasm without a membrane
What is energy?
Life is not possible without energy
What is the sun and what does emit?
The sun is the source for energy. The sun emits in the form of heat and light which is also known as radiant energy.
What is something that can make food from radiant energy?
Only green plants and algae can use radiant energy to make food directly, this is in a process called photosynthesis
What is photosynthesis?
A series of chemical reactions in which green plants convert radiant energy into chemical potential energy in the form of glucose.
What is photosynthesis used for?
It is used to convert water, carbon dioxide and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds (glucose).
What does photo mean?
Light
What does synthesis mean?
To make
Is an important way that organisms react with each other?
An important way organisms react with each other is in their search for energy or for Food
Living organisms are interdependent, what does this mean?
This means that they rely on each other for survival.
What do animals consume when they eat?
When animals eat plants, they consume the energy majoring photosynthesis. They can use the chemical potential energy to carry out their life processes
What can plants convert the radiant energy to?
Plants are the only organisms that can convert radiant energy to chemical potential energy.
What the 5 resouces are needed in order to photosynthesise?
- Radiant energy: from the sun
- Chloroplasts: containing the green pigment chlorophyll
- Chlorophyll: A green pigment found in chloroplasts of a plant cell. Absorbs radiant energy
- Water (H20): Absorbed by the roots in the soil obtained from rainfall and ground water
- Carbon dioxide (CO2): Plants absorb from the atmosphere from factories emitting these gases and living organisms breathing the gas out through tiny pores in their leaves called stomata.
What is a purpose of photosynthesis that is not making food?
A purpose is to produce glucose for food, but oxygen is produced
What is a byproduct and give a byproduct of photosynthesis.
A byproduct is not the main product once it through a process. It is often referred to as a waste product. In photosynthesis a byproduct would be oxygen. Plants release this oxygen through their stomata
What are the reactants of photosynthesis?
- Radiant energy
- Chlorophyll
- Water
- Carbon dioxide
What products of photosynthesis?
- Glucose (simple sugar)
- Oxygen
What is the word equation of photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide + water chlorophyl over radiant energy in an arrow glucose + oxygen
Why is radiant energy and chlorophyll represented in an arrow?
Chlorophyll and radiant energy are written as an arrow because they are needed for the reaction to proceed, but they are not one of the reactants or products in the reaction
What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
CO2 + H2O chlorophyll over radiant energy C6 + H206 +O2
What factors affect the rate of photosynthesis?
- Light intensity
- Carbon dioxide concentration
- Temperature
What is light intensity?
Without energy light, plants can’t photosynthesise very quickly.
What is carbon dioxide concentration?
If the concentration is increased photosynthesis is increased, until a limiting factor becomes in short supply
What is temperature?
The chemical reactions are controlled by enzymes
What will happen if you increase the light intensity?
Increasing the light intensity increases the rate of photosynthesis. Until a limiting factor becomes and short in supply. Very high light intensity’s photosynthesis is slowed and then inhibited and this generally does not occur in nature
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts
What happens when they are low temperatures?
At low temperature the enzymes do not function optimally this means that the rate is limited.
What happens at high temperatures?
High temperature is the enzymes are destroyed. Photosynthesis cannot occur
What can plants do with a glucose they make?
Plants can use the glucose they make directly they can store it for later use
Is glucose soluble and what does it allow plants to do?
Glucose is soluble in water. This allows plants to easily transport glucose to where it is needed, because it is soluble it cannot be stored as glucose. It must be inverted into insoluble compounds.
Where is glucose stored?
Glucose is simple sugar. These are stored in the leaves to provide energy
What are examples of insoluble compounds?
Insoluble compounds are starch and cellulose
What is starch?
Starch is stored in the seeds and fruit of a plant as a food source. A chemical compound that plant mainly used to store energy. This may also be stored in leaves. For example potatoes, carrots, rice and grains. Excess sugars are stored in the roots.
What is the cellulose?
A compound that plants used to make their cell walls, which provide support and strength in the south. This is the reason why trees can grow so tall without falling over
What is cellular respiration?
A series of chemical reactions in which energy is released from glucose
Why do all organisms need to break down food?
Plants produce food during photosynthesis. All organisms need to break down food in order to release its chemical potential energy for life processes
Where does cellular respiration take place?
It takes place in all organisms. Plants do not need to eat food to respire as they make food during photosynthesis
What are the resources required in respiration?
Resources required is glucose and oxygen. Glucose is the energy
What is ATP?
It is a chemical that kickstart the change of energy. It changes from chemical energy into heat/thermal. energy
Where does respiration take place in cells?
It takes place in a small cell structure inside all living cells called the mitochondrion (plural: mitochondria)
What is the word equation for respiration?
Glucose + oxygen arrow energy + carbon dioixde + water
What is the chemical equation of respiration?
C6 H12 06 + O2 arrow ATP + CO2 + H2O
What are the byproducts of respiration?
Buy products are carbon dioxide and water
How does carbon dioxide need to be removed?
Corbin dioxide produced needs to be removed by breathing out carbon dioxide which air.
What keeps our cells healthy?
By taking the energy and using a keeps our cells healthy. Unhealthy sales won’t break down fat
Why is photosynthesis and respiration instinctly linked?
Animals take in oxygen produced by plants as a byproduct. They also take in glucose when eating grass. The animal breaks down glucose using oxygen and releases carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Plants take in this carbon dioxide.
How do we test for detecting carbon dioxide?
A taste for detecting carbon dioxide is using a lime water.
What is limewater?
A solution of calcium hydroxide and water
How do we do the limewater test?
We double the gas through the limewater. If the clear limewater turns milky, it contains carbon dioxide. It changes in the presence of carbon dioxide is the clear limewater turns milky then the gas contains carbon dioxide
What is brothymol?
It is an indicator. It indicates the presence or lack of something, pH level.
What is diversity of life?
That’s fascinated scientist for generations. They have attempted to understand life by categorising it according to a range of common characteristics. Over time classification have changed based on new evidence gathered
What is biodiversity?
It refers to the variety of living organisms on Earth, which includes species diversity, genetic diversity an ecosystem diversity
Define indigenous species
are species that occur naturally, not as accidental or deliberate intrpductions (by man) in an area. Originates
What is an endemic species?
Or species that exist only in one geographical region
Define invasive species
And alien species that causes harm to its new environment. It messes up biodiversity
What is an alien or exotic species?
One that is not indigenous to a specific area and has been artificially introduced to that area
What is the biodiversity numbers in South Africa?
Over 1.7 million of the worlds species of animals, plants and algae remain in South Africa
South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot. What does that mean?
South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot which means it is rich in biodiversity of species
What is the land surface in South Africa?
Land surface of 148,000 km². That is 1% of the earths total surface
Percentage of biodiversity does South Africa contain?
South Africa contains 10% of the worlds total known bird, fish and plant species. 6% of mammals and reptiles species
What’s ranking is South Africa in terms of biodiversity?
The third most diverse country
How do we measure biodiversity?
Measure = amount of animals - different in an area
Where are you most likely to find a new species?
You’re most likely to find a new species in your back yard because no one has access to it
What are the scientific terms for a living and nonliving?
Living is biotic. Nonliving is abiotic
What is taxonomy?
The practice of classifying organisms. It is a hierachical process
What Is the hierarchical process?
We take the general and broad differences and group them into more detailed criteria. Broad t to specific or group similarities. To simplify
How are species divided?
Classification system is known as a dichotomous branching diagram or tree
When you problems arise during the classification system?
Problems arise when something can be classified to greater detail or when an organism could belong to more than one category
What are artificial classification systems?
It is based on arbitrary groupings and have little meaning
What are biological classification systems?
Based on research in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, genetics and other branches of science. It is a scientific method of classification that groups organisms that share common features
What are organisms grouped into? How many groups?
Organisms are grouped into one of five groups of kingdoms. They are then subdivided into smaller groups called phyla (phylum). Then into smaller groups
What is the schematic taxanomy diagram?
It is an upsidedown triangle. The top is very general as it contains many organisms. The bottom is very specific as it contains closely related organisms
What are the titles in the schematic taxonomy diagram?
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
How do we identify organisms?
We identify organisms by a two-part scientific name.
What do the words represent in the scientific names?
The first word represents the genus. The second word represents the species. The genus name is always written in capital letter. Species names are written in lowercase. Scientific name must be either written and underlined or printed in italics
What is the five kingdoms system?
The most common way of grouping living things it is based on a simple distinctive characteristics. There are five major kingdoms
What are the five major kingdoms?
- Kingdom monera (bacteria)
- Kingdom protista
- Kingdom fungi
- Kingdom plantae
- Kingdom Animalia
What is kingdom monera?
Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms. Bacteria which is found everywhere and are the most numerous organisms on Earth. In 1 g of the soil there are 40 million bacteria cells. The human body contains 10 times as many bacteria cells as human cells
What is a unicellular organism?
A unicellular organism is an organism that consists of a single cell only
What is kingdom protista?
Eukaryotic and can be unicellular or simple multi cellular. Important examples of protists of plasmodium which causes malaria an amoeba
What is kingdom fungi?
Eukaryotic, multi cellular all you need to tell you that. Mushrooms are modes on multi cellular. Non-motile. They make their own food by photosynthesis meaning that they are autotrophic. They store their food as starch
What is kingdom Animalia?
Eukaryotic and multicellular. Mostly motile and heterotrophic. They must feed on other organisms. Further classified as vertebrates and invertebrates
What is a vertebrate?
They have a backbone which includes fish, amphibians, reptiles birds and mammals
What are invertebrates?
Do not have a backbone. They either have a soft body such as worms or a hard outer casing covering their body such as spiders and crabs
