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Open system
A system in which energy and matter can enter and leave.
Closed system
A system in which energy can enter and leave, but matter cannot.
Earth is a closed system
The Earth does not lose matter from the biosphere.
Atom
The smallest unit of a chemical element.
Molecule
A group of atoms bonded together.
Organelle
A specialized structure within a cell.
Cell
The basic unit of life.
Tissue
A group of cells that perform a specific function.
Organ
A structure composed of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.
Organ system
A group of organs that work together to perform a specific function.
Individual
A single organism.
Population
A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.
Community
All the populations of different species living in the same area.
Ecosystem
A community of organisms and their physical environment.
Biomes
Large-scale ecosystems characterized by specific climate and vegetation.
Biosphere
The part of the Earth where life exists.
Ecosphere
The interactions between living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors in an ecosystem.
Ecology
The study of the interactions between living and non-living factors in an ecosystem.
Biosphere productivity
The efficient use of incoming energy in the biosphere.
Productivity of biomass
The amount of harvested and dried plants in an ecosystem.
Lithosphere
The solid, rocky part of the Earth's surface.
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants convert sunlight into carbohydrates and oxygen.
Cellular respiration
The process by which organisms use carbohydrates and oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide, and water.
Chemosynthesis
The process by which organisms produce food from inorganic matter without light.
Reducing atmosphere
An atmosphere that lacks oxygen and is largely hydro-based.
Cyanobacteria
Bacteria that are essential for photosynthesis and produce oxygen.
Oxidizing atmosphere
The current atmosphere that contains oxygen.
Producers
Organisms that convert inorganic matter into organic matter using light.
Chemosynthesizers
Organisms that convert inorganic matter into other forms of inorganic matter to extract energy from chemical bonds.
Consumers
Organisms that consume either autotrophs or other heterotrophs for energy.
Primary consumers
Organisms that consume plants.
Secondary consumers
Organisms that consume herbivores.
Tertiary consumers
Organisms that consume secondary consumers.
Quaternary consumers
Organisms that consume tertiary consumers.
Top carnivores
The final consumer in a food chain.
Decomposers
Organisms that obtain nutrition from breaking down dead organic matter.
Energy transfer in ecosystems
The movement of energy through a chain, web, or pyramid.
Trophic level
The feeding level in an ecosystem.
Rule of 10
Only 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next.
Laws of Thermodynamics
Principles that explain energy transfer in ecosystems.
Food chains
Linear depictions of energy transfer in an ecosystem.
Food webs
Interactions of several food chains in an ecosystem.
Food pyramids
Depictions of energy transfer and energy loss in trophic levels.
Pyramid of numbers
Depicts the number of organisms at each trophic level.
Pyramid of biomass
Depicts the mass of organisms at each trophic level.
Pyramid of energy
Depicts the energy of biomass at each trophic level.
Biological amplification/bioaccumulation
The buildup of toxic chemicals in organisms as they move up the food chain.
Biogeochemical cycles
The flow of an element through living tissue and the physical environment of an ecosystem.
Nutrient reservoir
A component of the biosphere where nutrients temporarily accumulate.
Water cycle
The movement of water through the biosphere.
Transpiration
The loss of water through plant leaves.
Acid deposition
When rain, snow, or sleet becomes acidified due to pollutants in the atmosphere.
Carbon cycle
The movement of carbon through living and non-living components of the biosphere.
Oxygen cycle
The movement of oxygen through living and non-living components of the biosphere.
Rapid cycling
The quick movement of nutrients through nutrient reservoirs.
Slow cycling
When nutrients stay in nutrient reservoirs for long periods of time.
Unique properties of water
Universal solvent, high boiling and freezing points, liquid water more dense than solid water, hydrogen bonding, high
Carbon Cycle
The process by which carbon is cycled through the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms.
Carbon Sinks
Natural reservoirs that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as forests and oceans.
Greenhouse Effect
The trapping of heat in the Earth's atmosphere due to the presence of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.
Global Warming
The increase in the Earth's average temperature due to the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human activities.
Sulfur Cycle
The process by which sulfur is cycled through the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms.
Nitrogen Cycle
The process by which nitrogen is converted into various forms and cycled through the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms.
Phosphorus Cycle
The process by which phosphorus is cycled through the Earth's crust, soil, and living organisms.
Algae Blooms
The excessive growth of algae in water bodies due to the addition of extra nutrients, leading to harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems.
Eutrophication
The accumulation of nutrients in lakes or other bodies of water, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen.
Cellular Respiration
The process by which cells convert food into energy through the oxidation of glucose and the production of ATP.
ATP
Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and provides energy for cellular activities.
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
Pigments
Substances that are carried at different rates due to differences in solubility and are used to identify pigments in plants.
Light Dependent Reactions
Reactions that occur within thylakoid disks, require light energy and chlorophyll pigments, and convert light energy into chemical potential energy.
Photolysis
The splitting of water molecules during photosynthesis to provide electrons for the light dependent reactions and release oxygen into the atmosphere.
Photosystems
Clusters of chlorophyll molecules and carotenoids arranged on thylakoid membranes that absorb light and excite electrons.
Electron Transport Chain
A series of molecules through which excited electrons from photosystems are passed, generating ATP and NADPH.
ATP Synthase
A specialized protein molecule in the thylakoid membrane that allows protons to rush down a concentration gradient, producing ATP through chemiosmosis.
Light Independent Reactions / Calvin Benson Cycle
Reactions that occur in the stroma of chloroplasts, do not require direct light energy, and use ATP and NADPH from the light dependent reactions to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.
Carbon Fixation
The process of adding carbon dioxide to a 5-carbon compound with the help of the enzyme Rubisco to form an unstable 6-carbon compound that immediately splits into two molecules of a 3-carbon compound.
Glycolysis
A series of reactions that breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvic acid, occurs in the cytoplasm, and is the starting point for both aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration.
Fermentation
A process that occurs under anaerobic conditions, regenerates NAD+ needed for glycolysis, and can result in the production of alcohol or lactic acid depending on the organism.
Aerobic Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration that occurs in the presence of oxygen, involves glycolysis, the Kreb's cycle, and the electron transport chain, and produces a net gain of 36-38 ATP molecules from the oxidation of glucose.
Mitochondria
Double-membrane organelles found in plant and animal cells that are required for aerobic respiration, contain cristae for electron transport, and have a matrix where the Kreb's cycle occurs.
Kreb's Cycle
A complex sequence of chemical reactions that occurs in the matrix of mitochondria, involves the oxidation of acetyl-CoA, the production of NADH and FADH2, and generates ATP through chemiosmosis.
Biosphere
The Earth, which includes all areas inhabited and/or supporting life, and is the largest level of biological organization.
Environment
Everything that affects an organism throughout its life and everything that an organism has an effect on, including biotic and abiotic factors.
Biotic Factors
Living factors in the environment, such as insects, bacteria, animals, and plants.
Abiotic Factors
Non-living factors in the environment, such as water supply, light, soil quality, and climate.
Organism
A living being, such as an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
Species
Organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.
Ecologists
Scientists who study individual organisms and investigate how the abiotic environment affects their behavior or physical features.
Individual organism
A single organism that interacts with the abiotic elements of its environment, affecting its physical features and behavior.
Population
All individuals of the same type of organism living in the same area at the same time, with information obtained by studying individual characteristics such as lifespan, food preferences, and reproductive cycle.
Community
All populations interacting with each other in the same area at the same time, consisting of living organisms only.
Ecosystem
A community of organisms interacting with each other and their abiotic factors, including both living and non-living components.
Biosphere
The collection of all ecosystems in the world and their interactions, including the living organisms and abiotic components.
Taxonomy
The language used to classify living things, which has evolved from simplistic early classification systems to a modern system that shows evolutionary relationships.
Binomial Nomenclature
The two-part system used to name all organisms, including the genus and species, with the genus and species names italicized and the genus capitalized.
Dichotomous Key
A branched or stepped process used to identify organisms based on observable traits and physical features, using a series of questions to guide the identification process.
Climate
The long-term weather conditions prevailing in an area, which affects the distribution of living things based on factors such as temperature, precipitation, and latitude.
Biomes
Distinct biological communities that have formed in response to a shared physical climate, identified based on mean annual temperatures and precipitation levels.
Habitat
A specific area where an organism grows and thrives, determined by the combination of biotic and abiotic factors that meet its needs.
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