Nurse Cheung TEAS 7 Science Study Guide Vocabulary Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical terminology, organ systems, biological hierarchy, genetics, chemistry, and scientific reasoning based on the TEAS 7 Science Study Guide.

Anatomical Position

Standardized position where the body is upright, feet forward, arms at the sides with palms facing forward, and the head facing forward.

Cephalic

Pertaining to the head.

Axillary

Pertaining to the armpit.

Antebrachial

Pertaining to the forearm.

Patella

Pertaining to the front of the knee.

Sternal

Pertaining to the breastbone.

Anterior

The front or forward-facing side of the body.

Posterior

The back or rear side of the body.

Medial

Structures closer to the midline of the body.

Lateral

Structures farther from the midline of the body or towards the sides.

Superior

A position above or higher than another part of the body.

Inferior

A position below or lower than another part of the body.

Proximal

Closer to the point of attachment of a limb to the body.

Distal

Farther away from the point of attachment of a limb to the body.

Ventilation

The movement of air in and out of the lungs (breathing).

Perfusion

Delivering blood to the body's tissues, organs, and cells.

Surfactant

Fluid in the alveoli that reduces surface tension to prevent collapse.

Epiglottis

A flap that covers the trachea to prevent food from entering the airway.

Trachea

The windpipe; an air passage between the larynx and bronchi.

Alveoli

The small sacs where $O_2$ and $CO_2$ gas exchange occurs.

Diaphragm

The main dome-shaped muscle for respiration; its contraction causes inhalation.

Tricuspid Valve

The atrioventricular valve located on the right side of the heart.

Mitral Valve

Also known as the bicuspid valve; the atrioventricular valve on the left side of the heart.

Systole

The phase of the heart cycle corresponding to the heart's contraction and the "Lub" sound.

Diastole

The phase of the heart cycle corresponding to relaxation and the "Dub" sound.

Sinoatrial (SA) Node

The primary pacemaker of the heart, located in the right atrium with a rate of $60-100\,bpm$.

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells that carry oxygen using hemoglobin.

Mastication

The mechanical process of chewing food in the mouth.

Chyme

The semi-liquid mass of partially digested food that exits the stomach.

Peristalsis

Muscle contractions that move a bolus or food through the digestive tract.

Bile

A fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that emulsifies fats.

Peyer’s Patches

Lymphoid tissue in the small intestine that monitors bacteria.

Frontal Lobe

Part of the brain controlling voluntary movement, reasoning, and emotions.

Medulla Oblongata

Part of the brainstem controlling vital autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate.

Dendrites

The part of a neuron that receives incoming signals.

Myelin Sheath

An insulating layer around an axon that speeds up impulse conduction.

Afferent Neurons

Sensory neurons that carry input signals toward the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Efferent Neurons

Motor neurons that carry output signals away from the CNS to muscles or glands.

Somatic Nervous System

The division of the nervous system that controls voluntary actions.

Autonomic Nervous System

The division of the nervous system that controls involuntary actions like digestion and heart rate.

Sarcomere

The basic contractile unit of a muscle fiber.

Isotonic Contraction

A contraction where the muscle changes length while generating force.

Isometric Contraction

A contraction where the muscle generates force but does not change length.

Oogenesis

The process by which ovaries produce eggs (ova).

Endometrium

The uterine lining that thickens every cycle and sheds during menstruation.

Spermatogenesis

The production of sperm within the seminiferous tubules of the testes.

Epididymis

The structure where sperm are stored and matured.

Totipotent

A stem cell that can develop into any cell, tissue, or a complete organism.

Pluripotent

A stem cell that can develop into several different types of cells, but not a complete organism.

Stratum Basale

The deepest layer of the epidermis containing actively dividing stem cells and melanocytes.

Keratinocytes

The most abundant skin cells that produce keratin for waterproofing.

Hormone

A chemical messenger secreted by endocrine glands directly into the bloodstream.

Insulin

A hormone from the pancreas beta cells that lowers blood glucose.

Glucagon

A hormone from the pancreas alpha cells that raises blood glucose.

Aldosterone

A hormone from the adrenal cortex that promotes sodium and water reabsorption.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney responsible for filtering blood and producing urine.

Innate Immune System

The non-specific immune defense present at birth providing immediate protection.

Adaptive Immune System

The specific immune defense acquired through exposure, involving antibodies and memory cells.

Osteoblasts

Bone cells responsible for building new bone matrix.

Osteoclasts

Bone cells responsible for breaking down and resorbing bone tissue.

Ligaments

Connective tissue that links bone to bone.

Tendons

Connective tissue that links muscle to bone.

Prokaryote

A simple cell type, like bacteria, that typically has a single circular chromosome and no nucleus.

Eukaryote

A complex cell with multiple linear chromosomes stored in a nuclear membrane.

Mitochondria

The "Powerhouse of the cell" where ATP is produced via aerobic respiration.

Ribosomes

The site of protein synthesis within the cell.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration occurring in the cytoplasm that does not require oxygen.

Transcription

The process in the nucleus where a DNA sequence is copied into mRNA.

Translation

The process at the ribosome where mRNA is used as a template to build a protein.

Genotype

The internal genetic makeup of an organism.

Phenotype

The observable physical traits of an organism.

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical reaction that builds a larger molecule by removing a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks down a large molecule into smaller ones by adding a water molecule.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons.

Ionic Bond

A bond formed when electrons are transferred from a metal to a nonmetal.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when nonmetal atoms share electrons.

Triple Point

The specific temperature and pressure where solid, liquid, and gas coexist in equilibrium.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy.

Independent Variable

The condition or factor that is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The outcome or effect that is measured in an experiment and depends on the independent variable.