Midterm 2021-2022 Term Definition Flashcards
1
Q
Abiotic Definition
A
Features that are nonliving. They are not considered in the community level.
Ex. Rocks or temperature of environment
2
Q
Activation Energy Definition
A
The minimum energy that is needed to make the chemical reaction happen.
It usually has the symbol Ea
3
Q
ATP Definition
A
Adenosine triphosphate is Energy
4
Q
Aerobic Respiration Definition
A
A chemical process in which oxygen is used to make energy from carbohydrates.
5
Q
Alcohol Fermentation Definition
A
Glucose → Ethyl alcohol + Carbon dioxide
6
Q
Amino acid Definition
A
Special organic molecule used by living organisms to make proteins. (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen)
- Bonded together into long chains which fold into a three-dimensional shape.
- Every amino acid is made up of a foundational molecule, which is the same for all amino acids.
- There are 20 different “R” groups, resulting in 20 different amino acids.
- Amino acids are joined in long chains called polypeptides before they fold into their complex, 3-dimensional, functional shape.
7
Q
Anaerobic Respiration Definition
A
A form of respiration which does not use oxygen.
8
Q
Atmosphere Definition
A
The whole mass of different gasses that surrounds the earth.
9
Q
Autotroph Definition
A
An organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals.
10
Q
Biogeochemical Cycles Definition
A
Chemical elements and water that are needed by organisms continuously recycle in ecosystems that pass through biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere.
11
Q
Biomass Definition
A
The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.
12
Q
Biotic Definition
A
Features that are living.
Ex. Humans or Birds
13
Q
Calvin Cycle Definition
A
The cycle of chemical reactions where the carbon from the carbon cycle is fixed into sugars.
- Occurs in the chloroplast.
14
Q
Carbohydrate Definition
A
- One of the most common organic macromolecules.
15
Q
Carbon Definition
A
Carbon is stored for varying lengths of time in the atmosphere, in living organisms, and as fossil fuel deposits.
16
Q
Carbon Cycle Definition
A
The process by which carbon travels between the atmosphere, land, the oceans and the sediments below ground.
17
Q
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Definition
A
A colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air (about 0.03 percent) and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.
18
Q
Catalyst Definition
A
A substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions than otherwise possible
Ex. Lower temperature
19
Q
Cellular Respiration Definition
A
The process by which organisms use oxygen to break down food molecules to create energy for cell functions.
20
Q
Chemical Bond Definition
A
A force of attraction between atoms or ions.
21
Q
Chemical Energy Definition
A
Energy stored in bonds of chemical compounds (like atoms and molecules)
- This is released when chemical reactions take place.
22
Q
Chlorophyll Definition
A
- Chemical / Pigment that turns parts of plants green.
2. Allows Producers to absorb light for photosynthesis.
23
Q
Chloroplast Definition
A
An organelle that conduct photosynthesis.
24
Q
Consumer Definition
A
An organism that cannot produce its own food and must feed on other organisms for energy.
Also Known as Heterotroph
Ex. Cow
25
Decomposer Definition
An organism similar to Consumer that feeds on other organisms and dead / decaying biological material and wastes to obtain energy.
Ex. Fungi
26
Dehydration Synthesis Definition
The creation of larger molecules from smaller monomers where a water molecule is released.
27
Ecosystem Definition
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
28
Electron Definition
A very small particle of matter that has a negative charge of electricity and travels around the nucleus of an atom.
29
Electron Transport Chain Definition
The last stage of cellular respiration.
- Produces 32 ATP.
- This stage requires inputs produced during the other two stages of the process.
- Uses oxygen.
- Water is produced as a waste product.
30
Energy Definition
Energy is the ability to do work. It is needed by all living things and every living cell to carry out life processes, such as breaking down and building up molecules, and transporting many molecules across cell membranes.
31
Energy Flow Definition
The flow of energy through living things within an ecosystem.
32
Energy Pyramid Definition
A graphical representation of the energy found within the trophic levels of an ecosystem. The bottom and largest level of the pyramid is the producers and contains the largest amount of energy.
Also known as a trophic or ecological pyramid
33
Enzyme Definition
A substance produced by a living organism which acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction.
Could be another name for a “biological catalyst”.
34
Flux Definition
The exchange of carbon between two reservoirs.
35
Fermentation Definition
Fermentation is the process of releasing energy from food molecules to produce energy (ATP), without oxygen present.
36
Food Chain Definition
A food chain is a succession of organisms that eat other organisms and may, in turn, be eaten themselves.
37
Food Web Definition
It consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem.
38
Fossil Fuel Definition
Hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. The term also includes hydrocarbon-containing natural resources that are not derived from animal or plant sources.
39
Glucose Definition
Glucose is a common carbohydrate found in plants that stores chemical energy in a concentrated and stable form.
It is the main product of photosynthesis and is shown by C6H12O6
40
Glycolysis Definition
A chemical pathway.
- At the end of glycolysis about 90% of chemical energy available in glucose is still unused.
- Glucose is converted into 2 pyruvate.
- Occurs in the cytoplasm and is anaerobic.
41
Greenhouse Effect Definition
The trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.
42
Greenhouse Gases Definition
The gases in the atmosphere that have an influence on the earth's energy balance.
- They cause the greenhouse effect.
- Best known greenhouse gases =
- carbon dioxide (CO₂)
- methane
- nitrous oxide
- Listed above gases can be found naturally in low concentrations in the atmosphere.
43
Heterotroph Definition
An organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients.
44
Heat Energy Definition
The transfer or flow due to the difference in temperature between the two objects.
- The result of m movement of atoms, molecules or ions in solids, liquids and gases.
- Energy is lost in the form of heat.
45
Homeostasis Definition
Maintaining a stable internal environment.
46
Hydrogen Definition
A colorless, odorless, highly flammable gas, the chemical element of atomic number 1.
- May make up over 90 percent of all the atoms in the universe.
- It is the only element that can exist without neutrons.
47
Hydrolysis Definition
The chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water.
48
Input Definition
Whatever you put into a system.
49
Krebs Cycle Definition
Occurs after Glycolysis and takes place in the Mitochondria.
- Pyruvate enters the mitochondria where energy is captured to produce two more molecules of ATP
- Carbon dioxide is also produced in this process.
50
Lactic Acid Fermentation Definition
Glucose → Lactic Acid
51
Law of Conservation of Energy Definition
Energy cannot be created or destroyed.
52
Law of Conservation of Matter Definition
Matter cannot be created or destroyed.
53
Light Energy Definition
A form of energy consisting of particle-like photons with wavelike properties, and in which affects the physiology of organism, e.g. through sense of sight, photosynthesis, etc.
54
Light Reactions Definition
The process of photosynthesis that converts energy from the sun into chemical energy in the form of ATP.
55
Lipid Definition
The main function of lipids is to store energy long term and regulate what can enter and leave the cell. (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)
- One of the most common organic macromolecules.
Ex. Fats, oils, and waxes
- Lipids do not dissolve in water = Allows lipids to serve as barriers in cell membrane,
- Triglyceride is a fat when it is solid and an oil when it is liquid.
- made of fatty acids and glycerol
- Phospholipid is responsible for structure and function of the cell membrane.
56
Macromolecule Definition
A larger molecule created by the bonding together of small molecules
- Most common organic macromolecules = carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
57
Matter Definition
Anything that occupies space and has mass.
58
Metabolism Definition
The chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy.
59
Mitochondria Definition
Any of various round or long cellular organelles of most eukaryotes that are found outside the nucleus, produce energy for the cell through cellular respiration, and are rich in fats, proteins, and enzymes.
60
Molecular Formula Definition
A chemical formula that gives the total number of atoms of each element in each molecule of a substance.
61
Molecular Structure Definition
The location of the atoms, groups or ions relative to one another in a molecule.
62
Monomer Definition
A molecule that is a building block for larger molecules (polymers)
63
Monosaccharide Definition
The simplest form of carbohydrates.
- Monosaccharides often taste sweet and dissolve in water.
Ex. Glucose or Fructose
64
Negative Feedback Definition
A reaction that causes a decrease in function.
Ex. Sweating
65
Mechanism Definition
A system of causally interacting parts and processes that produce one or more effects.
66
Neutron Definition
An uncharged elementary particle that has a mass nearly equal to that of the proton located in the nucleus.
67
Nitrogen Definition
A naturally occurring element that is essential for growth and reproduction in both plants and animals.
- Found in amino acids, in nucleic acids, and in many other organic and inorganic compounds.
68
Nucleic acid Definition
A Complex macromolecules that store and pass on genetic information. (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)
- Only 4 nucleotide monomers.
- Two types of nucleic acids are found in living things DNA and RNA
DNA stores instructions for organisms to grow, reproduce, and adapt.
RNA uses the information stored in DNA to make proteins.
- One of the most common organic macromolecules.
69
Nucleotide Definition
The building blocks of the nucleic acids RNA and DNA.
A nucleotide is composed of a nucleobase (nitrogenous base), a five-carbon sugar (either ribose or 2-deoxyribose), and one phosphate group.
70
Organic Definition
Any substance containing carbon-based compounds, especially produced by or derived from living organisms.
71
Output Definition
Whatever comes out of the system.
72
Oxygen Definition
"A colorless, odorless reactive gas, the chemical element of atomic number 8 and the life-supporting component of the air."
(Definitions from Oxford Languages)
73
Photosynthesis Definition
The process by which plants create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
74
Primary Producer Definition
An organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals.
75
Primary Consumer Definition
Primary consumers make up the second trophic level and eat primary producers.
Also called herbivores.
76
Polymer Definition
A large molecule made of repeating subunits (monomers)
77
Polysaccharide Definition
A carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides.
78
Population Definition
A group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area.
79
Product Definition
A product is a substance that is formed as the result of a chemical reaction.
80
Protein Definition
One of the most common organic macromolecules made up of chains of monomers called amino acids.
(carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)
- Made of 20 amino acids
- Theoretically, an infinite number of proteins can be made based on different combinations of all 20 amino acids.
- Weak bonds help the protein maintain its shape.
- Proteins are involved in nearly every function of your body.
Ex. Muscles, skin, hair
Cells contain about 10,000 different proteins with different jobs.
- Provide structural support
- Transport substances inside the cell and between cells
- Communicate signals within the cell and between cells
- Speed up chemical reactions
- Control cell growth.
81
Proton Definition
A proton is a positively charged particle that resides in the nucleus of an atom and has a mass of 1 and a charge of +1.
82
Pyruvate Definition
End product of glycolysis.
83
Reactant Definition
A substance that enters into and is altered in the course of a chemical reaction.
84
Reservoir Definition
A storage site
85
Response Definition
Any behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus.
86
Stimulus Definition
Anything that produces a response in an organism or in a cell or tissue of an organism. Such stimuli can be internal or external.
87
Structural Formula Definition
The formula which shows the arrangement of atoms in the molecule of a compound.
88
Substrate Definition
The surface or material from which an organism grows or obtains its nourishment.
89
Temperature Definition
The measure of hotness or coldness expressed in terms of any of several scales.
90
Thermoregulation Definition
A mechanism by which mammals maintain body temperature with tightly controlled self-regulation independent of external temperatures.
