SAT Subject Test - Biology E-M Flashcards
abiotic factors
nonliving factors in an ecosystem (temperature, water, sunlight, wind, rocks, soil, etc.)
active transport
movement of particles against a gradient, from low concentration to high concentration (always requires the expenditure of energy)
alcohol fermentation
the process by which certain cells convert pyruvic acid or pyruvate from glycolysis into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide in the absence of oxygen
allantois
extra embryonic membrane in bird’s egg (exchanges respiratory gases to and from the embryo)
alleles
alternate forms of a gene (there are two alleles for height in pea plants, tall and dwarf)
alveolus (alveoli)
microscopic air sacs in the lung where diffusion of the respiratory gases, oxygen, and carbon dioxide occurs
analogous structures
structures that have the same function but not the same underlying structure (not evidence of a common origin or common ancestry)
antibodies
immunoglobins, part of the third line of defense, the specific immune response
antigens
anything that triggers an antibody response
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
special high-energy molecule that stores energy for immediate use in the cell
base-pair substitution
a mutation where one nucleotide is substituted for a correct one in the DNA strand
binomial nomenclature
system of taxonomy that we use today (Homo sapiens)
biosphere
the global ecosystem
budding
splitting off of new individuals from existing ones (hydra)
Calvin Cycle
cyclical process that produces sugar, occurs during the light-independent reactions
carbon fixation
incorporation of carbon dioxide into a sugar, occurs during the Calvin Cycle
centrioles
organelle responsible for division of the cytoplasm in plant cells (not present in animal cells)
cleavage
rapid mitotic cell division of the zygote that begins immediately after fertilization
codon
the three-nucleotide sequence associated with mRNA
coenzymes
vitamins that assist in the normal functioning of enzymes
crossing-over
a normal process in which homologous chromatids exchange genetic material, increases variation in the gametes
cytokinesis
division of the cytoplasm
cytoplasm
the entire region between the nucleus and plasma membrane in a cell
decomposer
organisms that play a vital role in the ecosystem and that recycle dead organic matter (bacteria, fungi)
dehydration synthesis (synthesis)
process by which molecules are bonded together to form a larger molecule with the removal of water
deletion
a mutation where a piece of a gene or chromosome is lost
diffusion
the flow of molecules from a higher concentration to a lower concentration (simple and facilitated)
digestion
enzymatic breakdown, hydrolysis, of food so it is small enough to be assimilated into the body
dipeptide
a molecule consisting of two amino acids
ecosystem
includes all the organisms in a given area as well as the abiotic (nonliving) factors with which they interact