Midterm Bio 112 Flashcards
Biology
The study of living organisms
Cell
The basic unit of life
Cell Membrane
The outer layer of a cell, a barrier that controls what enters and exits a cell
Ecosystem
A community of organisms and their environment.
Metabolism
All the chemical reactions in an organism
Nucleus
The control center of a eukaryotic cell.
Unicellular
An organism made of a single cell
Multicellular
An organism made of multiple cells
Natural Selection
Process where organisms better suited to their environment survive and reproduce.
Hypothesis
A testable scientific explanation
Theory
A well-supported explanation of natural events
Law
A statement that describes a consistent natural occurrence
Atom
The smallest unit of matter
Proton
A positively charged particle in an atom
Neutron
A particle with no charge in an atom
Electron
A negatively charged particle in an atom
Molecule
Two or more atoms bonded together
pH Scale
Measures how acidic or basic a substance is
Solute
The substance dissolved in a solution
Solvent
The substance that dissolves the solute
Ionic Bond
A bond where electrons are transferred between atoms
Covalent Bond
A bond where atoms share electrons
Hydrogen Bond
A weak bond between molecules, important in water
Amino Acid
The building blocks of proteins
Monosaccharide
A simple sugar, like glucose
Disaccharide
Two sugars bonded together
Polysaccharide
A long chain of sugars
Protein
A molecule made of amino acids that performs various functions in cells.
Lipid
A fat molecule, used for energy storage
Nucleotide
The building blocks of DNA and RNA
DNA
The molecule that stores genetic information
RNA
Helps in protein production.
Peptide Bond
A bond that links amino acids together
Prokaryote
A simple cell without a nucleus
Eukaryote
A complex cell with a nucleus
Cell Wall
A rigid structure found in plant and bacterial cells
Chloroplast
The organelle where photosynthesis happens
Mitochondria
The powerhouse of the cell that produces energy
Ribosome
The site of protein synthesis
Cytoplasm
The jelly-like substance inside a cell
Golgi Apparatus
Packages and transports proteins
Lysosome
Breaks down waste in the cell
Endosymbiotic Theory
Suggests mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from bacteria.
Phospholipid Bilayer
Two layers of phospholipids that make up the membrane.
Diffusion
Movement of molecules from high to low concentration
Osmosis
The movement of water across a membrane
Active Transport
Transport that requires energy to move substances
Passive Transport
Movement of substances without using energy
Endocytosis
Process where the cell takes in material
Exocytosis
Process where the cell releases material
Glycoprotein
A protein with a carbohydrate attached is important for cell recognition.
Buffer
A substance that balances pH
Hypotonic
A solution with less solute (more water) than the cell. Water moves into the cell, causing it to swell or burst.
Isotonic
A solution with the same amount of solute as the cell. Water moves equally in and out, so the cell stays the same size.
Hypertonic
A solution with more solute (less water) than the cell. Water moves out of the cell, causing it to shrink.
