Topic 1 Characteristics of Life Regents Review

Flashcards for Biology Regents Review Vocabulary

Biology

The study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment.

Diversity/Biodiversity

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

Biology

The study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment.

Diversity/Biodiversity

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

Unicellular

Made of one single cell (e.g., bacteria).

Multicellular

Made of more than one cell (e.g., plants, animals).

Reproduction

The process by which living organisms produce offspring.

Sexual Reproduction

Involves two parents and produces genetically different offspring.

Asexual Reproduction

Involves one parent and produces genetically identical offspring.

Species

A group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring.

Growth

An increase in size or number of cells in an organism.

Environment

Everything that surrounds and affects an organism.

Stimulus/Response

A stimulus is a change in the environment; a response is how an organism reacts.

Homeostasis

Maintaining a stable internal environment.

Dynamic Equilibrium

A balanced state created by constant small changes that help maintain homeostasis.

Adaptation

A trait that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Evolution

The gradual change in a species over time.

Nutrition

The process of taking in and using food.

Ingestion

Taking in food.

Digestion

Breaking down food into smaller molecules.

Egestion

Removal of undigested food (solid waste).

Respiration

Releasing energy from food.

Aerobic Respiration

Requires oxygen.

Anaerobic Respiration

Does not require oxygen.

Transport

The movement of materials within an organism.

Excretion

Removal of metabolic (cellular) wastes.

Synthesis

Making complex substances from simpler ones.

Regulation

Control and coordination of life processes.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to problem-solving used in science.

Hypothesis

An educated guess or prediction that can be tested.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment; used for comparison.

Placebo

A substance with no active ingredient used as a control in testing new drugs.

Experimental Group

The group that receives the variable being tested.

Independent Variable

The factor that is changed by the experimenter.

Dependent Variable

The factor that is measured or observed.

Constants

Factors that remain the same throughout the experiment.

Conclusion

A summary of the experiment's results and how they support or contradict the hypothesis.

Valid

An experiment is valid if it tests what it is supposed to test.

Reliable

An experiment is reliable if the results can be repeated and are consistent.

Stereoscope

A microscope used for viewing large, 3D specimens at low magnification.

Compound Light Microscope

A microscope that uses light and lenses to magnify small specimens.

Electron Microscope

A microscope that uses electrons instead of light to view very small details.

Field of View

The area visible through the microscope.

Ocular (Eyepiece)

The lens you look through; usually 10x magnification.

Objectives

The lenses closest to the specimen; provide different magnifications (e.g., 4x, 10x, 40x).

Diaphragm

Adjusts the amount of light reaching the specimen.

Coarse Adjustment

Moves the stage up/down quickly to focus under low power.

Fine Adjustment

Sharpens the image; used under high power.

Centrifuge

A machine that spins samples to separate substances based on density.

Chromatography

A technique used to separate and analyze mixtures (e.g., pigments).

Electrophoresis

A method used to separate DNA or proteins based on size and charge using electricity.