Life, Kingdoms, and Basic Biology – Vocabulary Flashcards

50 vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, organisms, and terms from the lecture notes on life, kingdoms, and basic biology.

Science

A systematic enterprise based on observations to understand the natural world.

Observation

Data collected through senses or instruments to learn about phenomena.

Regularities

Patterns scientists search for across observations to form theories.

Taxonomy

The science of classifying and naming living things.

Kingdom

A high-level category in taxonomy used to group related organisms.

Linnaeus

18th-century scientist who popularized the three-kingdom idea and taxonomy framework.

Six kingdoms

A user-friendly framework: Bacteria, Archaea, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia.

Archaea (Archaebacteria)

Ancient prokaryotes often living in extreme environments; distinct from bacteria.

Eubacteria (Bacteria)

The “true” bacteria; unicellular prokaryotes with peptidoglycan cell walls.

Protista

A diverse catchall kingdom for simple eukaryotes, including algae and protozoa.

Fungi

Mushrooms, molds, yeasts; heterotrophs that decompose matter; can be pathogenic or toxin-producing.

Plantae

Plants; perform photosynthesis and produce oxygen; can contain toxic species like oleander.

Animalia

Animals; multicellular organisms including insects, mammals, reptiles, etc.

Virus

Noncellular infectious agents that replicate only inside host cells; often considered non-living.

Prion

Infectious protein causing neurodegenerative diseases without nucleic acid.

Extremophiles

Organisms that live in extreme conditions (temperature, salinity, acidity).

Thermophiles

Extremophiles that thrive at high temperatures.

Halophiles

Extremophiles that thrive in high-salt environments.

Prokaryote

Organisms without a true nucleus; bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryote

Organisms with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Mitochondria

Cellular organelles, the powerhouse of the cell, site of respiration.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the main energy currency of cells.

Cell theory

All living things are made of cells; cells are the basic unit of life.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of a stable internal environment in living systems.

Metabolism

All chemical processes that convert food to energy and build or break down molecules.

Catabolism

Metabolic pathways that break down molecules to release energy.

Anabolism

Metabolic pathways that build larger molecules from smaller ones.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts (usually proteins) that accelerate chemical reactions; many end in -ase.

Photosynthesis

Process by which plants and certain organisms convert light energy to chemical energy (glucose) and release oxygen.

Respiration

Process of extracting energy from glucose; can be aerobic or anaerobic.

Anaerobic respiration

Respiration without oxygen; produces less energy (ATP) than aerobic respiration.

Aerobic respiration

Respiration with oxygen; yields more energy (about 36 ATP per glucose in many cells).

Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus)

Common bacterium; can cause pimples, boils, and serious infections; part of normal flora.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; antibiotic-resistant Staph infections found in hospitals and communities.

VRSA

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; increasingly concerning antibiotic resistance.

Streptococcus mutans

Bacteria associated with dental cavities (tooth decay).

Streptococcus pyogenes

Bacteria causing strep throat and other infections; can lead to fever and rheumatic illness.

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Common gut bacterium; most strains harmless; some pathogenic; used in biotechnology.

Helicobacter pylori

Bacteria that colonize the stomach; associated with ulcers and gastritis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Cause of tuberculosis; primarily respiratory infection; can be drug-resistant.

Mycobacterium leprae

Cause of leprosy (Hansen’s disease).

Mycobacterium abscessus

Nontuberculous mycobacteria; causes lung and tissue infections, especially in compromised hosts.

Clostridium botulinum

Anaerobic bacterium producing botulinum toxin; can cause life-threatening botulism.

Clostridium tetani

Bacterium that causes tetanus; produces toxins affecting nervous system.

Clostridium perfringens

Bacterium linked to gas gangrene and food poisoning.

Entamoeba histolytica

Protozoan parasite causing amoebic dysentery; transmitted via contaminated water/food.

Leishmania

Protozoan parasite transmitted by sandflies; causes leishmaniasis (cutaneous/visceral).

Trypanosoma

Protozoan parasite; transmitted by insects; causes sleeping sickness or related diseases.

Amoeba

Simple, single-celled protozoa (e.g., amoebae) with flexible membranes and pseudopods.

Amanita phalloides (death cap)

Highly poisonous mushroom; amatoxins can cause fatal liver failure.