Vocab 1-21 Flashcards
Cell
the basic unit of life; it is the smallest unit of an organism that can be considered alive
Sexual Reproduction
type of reproduction in which from 2 parents unite to form the first cell of a new organism
Asexual Reproduction
process of reproduction involving a single parent; offspring are identical to the parent
DNA
genetic material that organisms inherit from their parents
Metabolism
the combination of chemical reactions that occur as an organism carries out its life processes
Stimulus
any change in an organism’s internal or external environment that causes the organism to react
Homeostasis
relatively constant internal physical and chemical conditions that organisms maintain
Evolve
change over time
Hypothesis
possible explanation that can be tested by further observation or by experimentation
Inference
a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience
Controlled Experiment
experiment in which only one variable is changed
Independent Variable
the one factor that is changed in an experiment
Dependent Variable
the factor being observed and/or measured in an experiment and changes in response to the independent variable
Control Group
the group exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable; used for comparison
Compound Light Microscope
allows light to pass through the specimen and uses two lenses to form an image
Quantitative Data
numbers obtained by counting or measuring
Qualitative Data
descriptions of what our senses detect; involve characteristics that can not be measured
Theory
well-tested explanation that unites a broad range of observations and hypotheses, enabling scientists to make accurate predictions about new situations
Bias
a personal point of view for, or against, something
Magnification
how much the image is enlarged
Resolution
the ability of a microscope to distinguish detail
