Biology

photosynthesis

Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.

products of photosynthesis are glucose and oxygen

photosynthesis equation(very important)

6CO2 + 6H2O --> light energy --> C6H12O6 + 6O2

chloroplasts

A structure in the cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and uses it to produce food.

glucose

another name for sugar C6H12O6

sunlight

main source of energy

cellular respiration

C6H1206->CO2 + H20+ ENERGY (released)

goal is to create ATP

occurs in all living things

cell

mitochondria

An organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur.

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

the energy is stored in ATP until it is released by the reactions remove a phosphate from ATP

a simple way of remembering it is just that it's just energy

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use the energy of sunlight and simple chemicals to produce their own food.

Asexual reproduction

Reproduction accomplished by a single organism.

Sexual reproduction

Reproduction that requires two organisms

Inheritance

The process by which physical and biological characteristics are transmitted from the parent (or parents) to the offspring.

Mutation

An abrupt and marked change in the DNA of an organism compared to that of its parents

Hypothesis

An educated guess that attempts to explain an observation or answer a question.

Theory

A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data.

Scientific law

A theory that has been tested by and is consistent with generations of data.

Prokaryotic cell

A cell that has no distinct, membrane-bounded organelles.

Eukaryotic cell

A cell with distinct, membrane-bounded organelles.

Species

A unit of one or more populations of individuals that can reproduce under normal conditions, produce fertile offspring, and are reproductively isolated from other such units.

Taxonomy

The science of classifying organisms.

Binomial nomenclature

Naming an organism with its genus and species name.

Aerobic organism

An organism that requires oxygen.

Anaerobic organism

An organism that does not require oxygen.

Exponential growth

Population growth that is unhindered because of the abundance of resources for an ever-increasing population.

Logistic growth

Population growth that is controlled by limited resources.

Plasmid

A small, circular section of extra DNA that confers one or more traits to a bacterium and can be reproduced separately from the main bacterial genetic code.

Nucleus

The region of a eukaryotic cell that contains the cell's main DNA.

Vacuole

A membrane-bounded "sac" within a cell.

Chloroplast

An organelle containing chlorophyll for photosynthesis.

Chlorophyll

A pigment necessary for photosynthesis.

Cilia

Hairlike projections that extend from the plasma membrane and are used for locomotion.

Cellulose

A substance (made of sugars) that is common in the cell walls of many organisms.

Chitin

A chemical that provides both toughness and flexibility.

Membrane

A thin covering of tissue.

Fermentation

The anaerobic breakdown of sugars into smaller molecules.

Zygote

The result of sexual reproduction when each parent contributes half of the DNA necessary for the offspring.

Antibiotic

A chemical secreted by a living organism that kills or reduces the reproduction rate of other organisms.

Atoms

The basic building blocks of matter.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Model

An explanation or representation of something that cannot be seen.

Molecules

Chemicals that result from atoms linking together.

Diffusion

The random motion of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Concentration

A measurement of how much solute exists within a certain volume of solvent.

Semipermeable membrane

A membrane that allows some molecules to pass through but does not allow other molecules to pass through.

Osmosis

The tendency of a solvent to travel across a semipermeable membrane into areas of higher solute concentration.

Catalyst

A substance that alters the speed of a chemical reaction but is not used up in the process.

Organic Molecule

A molecule that contains only carbon and any of the following: hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and/or phosphorous.

Monosaccharides

Simple carbohydrates that contain 3 to 10 carbon atoms.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

Dehydration reaction

A chemical reaction in which molecules combine by removing water.

Hydrolysis

Breaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of water.

Hydrophobic

Lacking any affinity to water.

Saturated fat

A lipid made from fatty acids that have no double bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated fat

A lipid made from fatty acids that have at least one double bond between carbon atoms.

Peptide bond

A bond that links amino acids together in a protein.

Hydrogen bond

A strong attraction between hydrogen atoms and certain other atoms (usually oxygen or nitrogen) in specific molecules.

Respiration

The breakdown of food molecules with a release of energy.

Homeostasis

Maintaining the status quo.

Reproduction

Producing more cells.

Cell Wall

A rigid structure on the outside of certain cells, usually plant and bacteria cells.

Plasma membrane

The semipermeable membrane between the contents and either the cell wall or the cell's surroundings.

Cytoplasm

A jellylike fluid inside the cell in which the organelles are suspended.

Mitochondria

The organelles in which nutrients are converted to energy.

Lysosome

The organelle in animal cells responsible for hydrolysis reactions that break down proteins, polysaccharides, disaccharides, and some lipids.

Ribosomes

Non-membrane-bounded organelles responsible fore protein synthesis.

Endoplasmic reticulum

An organelle composed of an extensive network of folded membranes that performs several tasks within a cell.

Rough ER

ER that is dotted with ribosomes.

Smooth ER

ER that has no ribosomes.

Central vacuole

A large vacuole that rests at the center of most plant cells and is filled with a solution that contains a high concentration of solutes.

Golgi bodies

The organelles where proteins and lipids are stored and then modified to suit the needs of the cell.

Microtubules

Spiral strands of protein molecules that form a tubelike structure.

Nuclear membrane

A highly-porous membrane that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm.

Chromatin

Clusters of DNA, RNA, and proteins in the nucleus of a cell.

Cytoskeleton

A network of fibers that holds the cell together, helps the cell to keep its shape, and aids in movement.

Phospholipid

A lipid in which one of the fatty acid molecules has been replaced by a molecule that contains a phosphate group.

Passive transport

Movement of molecules through the plasma membrane according to the dictates of osmosis or diffusion.

Active transport

Movement of molecules through the plasma membrane (typically opposite the dictates of osmosis or diffusion) aided by a process that requires energy.

Isotonic solution

A solution in which the concentration of solutes is essentially equal to that of the cell which resides in a solution.

Hypertonic solution

A solution in which the concentration of solutes is greater than that of the cell that resides in the solution.

Hypotonic solution

A solution in which the concentration of solutes is less than that of the cell that resides in the solution.

Activation energy

Energy necessary to get a chemical reaction going.

Genetics

The science that studies how characteristics get passed from parent to offspring.

Genetic factors

The general guideline of traits determined by a person's DNA.

Environmental factors

Those "nonbiological" factors that are involved in a person's surroundings such as the nature of the person's parents, the person's friends, and the person's behavioral choices.

Gene

A section of DNA that codes for the production of a protein of a portion of protein, thereby causing a trait.

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

The RNA that performs transcription.

Anticodon

A three-nucleotide base sequence on tRNA.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotide bases on mRNA that refers to a specific amino acid.

Chromosome

DNA coiled around and supported by proteins, found in the nucleus of the cell.

Mitosis

A process of asexual reproduction in eukaryotic cells.

Interphase

The time interval between cellular reproduction.

Mother cell

A cell ready to begin reproduction, containing duplicated DNA and centrioles.

Centromere

The region that joins two sister chromatids.

Diploid cell

A cell with chromosomes that come in homologous pairs.

Haploid cell

A cell that has only one representative of each chromosome pair.

Diploid number (2n)

The total number of chromosomes in a diploid cell.

Haploid number (n)

the number of homologous pairs in a diploid cell.

Meiosis

The process by which a diploid (2n) cell forms gametes (n).