Must know terms

Question 1

Anabolic reaction

Answer 1

An anabolic reaction is a process that builds larger molecules from smaller ones, using energy

Question 2

Allele

Answer 2

An allele is a different version of the same gene that can have different effects on a trait.

Question 3

Atom

Answer 3

An atom is a very tiny piece of matter that makes up everything in the universe.

Question 4

Autotroph

Answer 4

An autotroph is a living thing that can make its own food from simple substances, such as sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

Question 5

Catabolic reaction

Answer 5

A catabolic reaction is a process that breaks down large molecules into smaller ones and releases energy

Question 6

Cell

Answer 6

A cell is a tiny living thing that can do many different jobs, like making food, moving around, or copying itself

Question 7

Chromatin

Answer 7

Chromatin is a substance in the cell nucleus that contains DNA and proteins and forms the chromosomes when the cell divides

Question 8

Chromosome

Answer 8

A chromosome is a long string of DNA that has the instructions for making a living thing.

Question 9

Codominance

Answer 9

Codominance is when two different versions of a gene are both shown in an organism, such as a cow with black and white spots

Question 10

Diploid

Answer 10

Diploid means having two sets of chromosomes in each cell, one from each parent. For example, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, so they are diploid

Question 11

Dominant

Answer 11

A dominant gene is a version of a gene that can show its effect even if there is only one copy of it in a person’s cells

Question 12

Element

Answer 12

An element is a kind of matter that is made of only one type of atom and cannot be changed into a simpler substance by chemical reactions

Question 13

Enzyme

Answer 13

Enzymes are special proteins that help make chemical reactions in living things happen faster

Question 14

Eukaryote

Answer 14

A eukaryote is a living thing that has a cell or cells with a nucleus and other parts inside a membrane

Question 15

Gamete

Answer 15

A gamete is a special kind of cell that can join with another gamete to make a new living thing

Question 16

Genome

Answer 16

A genome is the complete set of DNA instructions that tells a living thing how to grow and function

Question 17

Gene

Answer 17

A gene is a part of your DNA that tells your body how to make certain things, like your eye color or your blood type

Question 18

Genotype

Answer 18

A genotype is the set of genes that you have in your DNA, which can affect how you look or function

Question 19

Haploid

Answer 19

Haploid means having only one set of chromosomes in a cell, instead of two sets like most cells in the body

Question 20

Heterptroph

Answer 20

A heterotroph is an organism that cannot make its own food and has to eat other organisms for energy and nutrients

Question 21

Heterozygous

Answer 21

Heterozygous means that you have two different versions of a gene, one from your mom and one from your dad.

Question 22

Homologous chromosomes

Answer 22

Homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes that have the same genes, but may have different versions of those genes. One chromosome in each pair comes from your mother, and the other comes from your father

Question 23

Homozygous

Answer 23

Homozygous means that you have two copies of the same gene from your parents. For example, if both of your parents have blue eyes, you will also have blue eyes because you are homozygous for the blue eye gene

Question 24

Incomplete dominance

Answer 24

Incomplete dominance is when two different versions of a gene (alleles) are both partly shown in the appearance of an organism, making it look like a mix of the two

Question 25

Phenotype

Answer 25

A phenotype is a word that describes how an organism looks or behaves, based on the combination of its genes and its environment. For example, your phenotype includes your eye color, your height, and whether you can roll your tongue or not

Question 26

Prokaryote

Answer 26

A prokaryote is a very simple kind of cell that does not have a nucleus or other parts that are surrounded by membranes. Prokaryotes include bacteria and archaea, which are two of the three domains of life

Question 27

Recessive

Answer 27

Recessive is a word that describes a gene or a trait that is hidden or not visible when another gene or trait is stronger or more noticeable

Question 28

Sex-linked trait

Answer 28

A sex-linked trait is a characteristic that is influenced by a gene on one of the sex chromosomes, usually the X chromosome