Plants and People Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to plants, their role in human necessities, characteristics of different plant types, the fundamental properties of life, and the composition and functions of biomolecules.

What are the four human necessities that involve plants?

Food, clothing, shelter, and fuel.

What is the role of photosynthesis in the food chain?

Photosynthesis allows plants to convert solar energy into sugars, making them producers of food.

What are the two types of consumers in the food chain that rely on plants?

Primary consumers (like people) and secondary consumers (like chickens that eat plants).

What is produced as a by-product of photosynthesis?

Oxygen.

What are angiosperms?

Angiosperms are flowering plants that are the most abundant, diverse, and economically important types of plants.

List some products that angiosperms provide to society.

Wheat, rice, corn, fiber, fabrics, lumber, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics.

What are the four whorls of parts in a flower?

Sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels.

What distinguishes monocots from dicots?

Monocots and dicots are two groups of angiosperms differentiated by structural and anatomical differences.

Which organisms are considered non-flowering plants?

Green algae, mosses, ferns, and gymnosperms.

What is a key ecological role of fungi?

Fungi are important in decomposition.

What are the fundamental properties of life?

Growth and reproduction, ability to respond, ability to evolve and adapt, metabolism, organized structure, and organic composition.

What is the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction?

Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of sperm and egg, while asexual reproduction produces clones of a single parent.

Define metabolism. What are the two important metabolic reactions?

Metabolism is the sum total of all chemical reactions in living organisms, including cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

What are the two main types of cells?

Prokaryotic (bacteria) and eukaryotic (plants, animals, fungi).

What are carbohydrates composed of?

Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

What are the functions of proteins?

Proteins serve as enzymes, structural molecules, regulatory molecules, transport molecules, and storage molecules.

What is a triglyceride?

Triglycerides are fats and oils formed from glycerol and three fatty acids, serving as food reserves and energy sources.

What nucleotides are composed of in nucleic acids?

Nucleotides consist of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.