Midterm Flashcards
Biology levels of organization
atoms molecules organelles cells tissues organ organ systems organisms populations communities ecosystems biosphere
Atom
a particle of matter
Molecule
A group of atoms bonded together- smallest unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction
CHONPS
Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen Phosphorus Sulfur
Organelle
specialized structures that perform various jobs inside cells
Cells
the smallest unit that can live on its own and that makes up all living organisms and the tissues of the body.
Tissues
group of cells that have similar structure and that function together as a unit
Organ
a group of tissues in a living organism that have been adapted to perform a specific function.
Organ System
a group of organs that work together in the body to perform a complex function, such as pumping blood or processing and utilizing nutrients.
Populations
one species
Community
an interacting group of various species in a common location.
Ecosystem
a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to form a bubble of life.
Atmosphere
During cellular respiration, the inorganic byproduct CO2 is produced and released into the atmosphere. Photosynthetic organisms, such as plants, acquire inorganic CO2 from the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, increase the overall temperature of the atmosphere by trapping and holding heat energy before releasing it into space. This is known as the greenhouse effect. Without it, the daily temperature would be much lower and nights would be unbearably cold.
Geosphere
the scientific name for the solid parts of a planet.
Ecology
the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment;
Lithosphere
the solid, outer part of Earth. The lithosphere includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the outermost layers of Earth’s structure.
Hydrosphere
the total amount of water on a planet
Biosphere
made up of the parts of Earth where life exists
Abiotic
Non living
Biotic
Living
Carbon Cycle
Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants. In the atmosphere, carbon is attached to oxygen in a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2). Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is pulled from the air to produce food made from carbon for plant growth.
Carbon moves from plants to animals. Through food chains, the carbon that is in plants moves to the animals that eat them. Animals that eat other animals get the carbon from their food too.
Carbon moves from plants and animals to soils. When plants and animals die, their bodies, wood and leaves decays bringing the carbon into the ground. Some is buried and will become fossil fuels in millions and millions of years.
Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere. Each time you exhale, you are releasing carbon dioxide gas (CO2) into the atmosphere. Animals and plants need to get rid of carbon dioxide gas through a process called respiration.
Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned. When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and trucks, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. Each year, five and a half billion tons of carbon is released by burning fossil fuels. Of this massive amount, 3.3 billion tons stays in the atmosphere. Most of the remainder becomes dissolved in seawater.
Carbon moves from the atmosphere to the oceans. The oceans, and other bodies of water, absorb some carbon from the atmosphere. The carbon is dissolved into the water.
Symbiosis
Any association between two species populations that live together is symbiotic, whether the species benefit, harm, or have no effect on one another.
Mutualism
an interaction between individuals of different species that results in positive (beneficial) effects on per capita reproduction and/or survival of the interacting populations.
commensalism
an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.
Parasitism
the practice of living as a parasite in or on another organism
Apex Predator
Top predator
Habitat
A habitat is a place where an organism makes its home. A habitat meets all the environmental conditions an organism needs to survive.
Producers vs. Consumers in terms of food chains
A producer is an organism which produces its own food through photosynthesis. 3. A consumer is an organism which does not make its own food but must get its energy from eating a plant or animal. 4.
Autotroph
gets energy from the sun
Heterotroph
an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients.
decomposers
organism that breaks down dead organic material
Food chain
Producers-plants
Primary consumers- herbivores
Secondary Consumers-carnivores
Tertiary consumers- herbivores
Apex Predators- eagle, lion
Trophic levels
Level 1: Plants (producers)
Level 2: Animals that eat plants or herbivores (primary consumers)
Level 3: Animals that eat herbivores (secondary consumers, carnivores)
Level 4: Animals that eat carnivores (tertiary consumers, carnivores)
Level 5: Animals at the top of the food chain are called apex predators. Nothing eats these animals.
Keystone Species
an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. ex. wolves and elephants
Trophic cascade
powerful indirect interactions that can control entire ecosystems. occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.
Logistic Population Growth
occurs when resources are limited, thereby setting a maximum number an environment can support.
Exponential Population Growth
when a population’s per capita growth rate stays the same, regardless of population size, making the population grow faster and faster as it gets larger.
Emmigration
the relocation or process of people leaving one country to reside in another
Immigration
process through which individuals become permanent residents or citizens of another country
Limiting factors
availability of food, water, shelter and space can change animal and plant populations. Other limiting factors, like competition for resources, predation and disease can also impact populations.
Density- dependent limiting factors
disease, competition, and predation. Density-dependant factors can have either a positive or a negative correlation to population size. With a positive relationship, these limiting factors increase with the size of the population and limit growth as population size increases.
Density-Independent limiting factors
Most density-independent factors are abiotic, or nonliving. A density-independent limiting factor includes natural disaster such as earthquakes. The effect of an earthquake has changed the human population in the affected area.
Primary Succession
happens when a new patch of land is created or exposed for the first time
An example of primary succession is the establishment of plant or animal communities in an area where no soil initially exists
Secondary Succession
when a climax community or intermediate community is impacted by a disturbance. Fire. Harvesting, Logging and Abandonment of Crop
Pioneering Species
Species that arrive first in a newly created environment (such as an island rising out of the sea) are called pioneer species, and they, through their interactions with one another, build a rather simple initial biological community.
climax community
An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment. Climax communities contain many species, including those with large body sizes.
Biodiversity
the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Invasive Species
Introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health.
Dehydration Synthesis
the creation of larger molecules from smaller monomers where a water molecule is released. Take away water come together
Hydrolysis
A chemical reaction in which water is used to break down a compound. Add water break apart
Metabolism
the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
Monomer
a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer.
Polymer
any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, which are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers.
Hydrophilic
having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water.
Hydrophobic
tending to repel or fail to mix with water.
Carbs
They’re the body’s primary source of energy and the brain’s preferred energy source- short energy
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
C:H:O
1:21
Monosacharrides
a simple sugar, like
glucose—a source of
energy for plants.
Polysaccharide
is many monosaccharides. Ex- Glycogen, starch, cellulose
Glucose
a simple sugar which is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates.
C6H12O6.
Starch
Starch is a type of carbohydrate. Its molecules are made up of large numbers of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Starch is a white solid at room temperature, and does not dissolve in cold water. Most plants, including rice, potatoes and wheat, store their energy as starch.
Cellulose
a molecule, consisting of hundreds – and sometimes even thousands – of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Cellulose is the main substance in the walls of plant cells, helping plants to remain stiff and upright. Humans cannot digest cellulose, but it is important in the diet as fibre.
Glycogen
short-term energy storage in animals
stored form of glucose is made up of many connected glucose molecules and is called glycogen.
Proteins
builds and repairs muscle, body movement, defend against germs or viruses, speeds up chemical reactions
are
molecules made from
carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and nitrogen.-They are complex
molecules made up of
amino acids.
Peptide Bond
Amino acids in proteins (or polypeptides) are joined together by peptide bonds.
Lipids
-long term energy storage stored as fat
-makes up cell membranes and endoplasmic reticulum
the main biological functions of lipids include storing energy
Glycerol
a sweet colorless syrupy alcohol usually obtained from fats and oils.
backbone of lipid molecules
Phospholipid
are major membrane lipids that consist of lipid bilayers. They are found in cell membranes
Saturated vs Unsaturated fats (structural and physical property differences)
Saturated fatty acids lack double bonds between the individual carbon atoms, while in unsaturated fatty acids there is at least one double bond in the fatty acid chain. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and from animal sources, while unsaturated fats are usually liquid and from plant sources.
Nucleic Acids
large biomolecules that play essential roles in all cells and viruses. A major function of nucleic acids involves the storage and expression of genomic information.
Nitrogenous base
adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T)
nucleotides
Monomers of DNA
Made up of a base, a sugar (deoxyribose) and a phosphate residue.
DNA
Deoxyribose
C G A T
contains the instructions needed for an organism to develop, survive and reproduce
DNA is double-stranded, forming a double helix shape,
RNA
ribose
C G A Uracil
RNA is single-stranded, and its chains are significantly shorter than DNA chain
create proteins via translation
What is the backbone for the double helix made out of
Sugar and Phosphate create a backbone for the helix
Importance of hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails
The hydrophilic heads attract water into the membrane and are then propelled away by the hydrophobic tails.
Atoms in Tryglycerides
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
glycerol and three fatty acids
triglycerides function
Used as energy storage molecules.
store unused calories and provide your body with energy
