Biology first semester final review

Homeostasis

relatively constant internal physical and chemical conditions that organisms maintain

feedback mechanism

the process of sensing, processing, and responding to external conditions

Reproduction

Ability to generate offspring to continue a species

aerobic respiration

cellular respiration that requires oxygen and creates a large amount of ATP

Lipid

macromolecule used for long-term energy storage and insulation

fatty acids

Building Blocks of Lipids

Monomer

small chemical unit that makes up a polymer

Polymer

molecules composed of many monomers; makes up macromolecules

carbon cycle

the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back

Diffusion

Movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Abiotic

Non-living things, like water or rocks or oxygen gas

Biotic

Describes living factors in the environment.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

Photosynthesis

Conversion of light energy from the sun into glucose, a form of chemical energy.

Glucose

a simple sugar carbohydrate

Prokaryote

unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus, like bacteria

Eukaryote

organism whose cells contain a nucleus; plants, animals, protists, fungus

digestive system

body system the breaks down food and absorbs nutrients

circulatory system

Transports oxygen, waste, nutrients, hormones, heat, etc... around the body

respiratory system

system responsible for taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide using the lungs

limiting factor

An environmental factor that prevents a population from increasing

Population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

Ecosystem

A community of organisms and their abiotic environment

selectively permeable

some substances can pass across them and others cannot

Carbohydrates

polymer made of monosaccharides

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules, like glucose

amino acid

The subunit of a protein

Cell

smallest unit of life

Mitochondria

Organelle that is the site of ATP (energy) production, Powerhouse of the cell

anaerobic respiration

Cellular respiration that does not require oxygen and produces only 2 ATP

Enzymes

Proteins that speed up chemical reactions

energy pyramid (10% rule)

only 10% flows from one level up to the next; the other 90% is lost as waste heat

nutrient cycle

the cyclic movement of a nutrient between organisms and the physical environment

energy flow

The one directional passage of energy through the components of an ecosystem

Biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Producer

An organism that can make its own food (photosynthesize)

Consumer

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms

Trophic Levels of a Food chain

producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer

independent variable

variable that is manipulated by scientist

dependent variable

The measurable effect, outcome, or response in which the research is interested.

Constants

the factors in an experiment that remain the same

control group

the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

experimental group

the group in an experiment that receives the independent variable