Life Processes Flashcards

Flashcards on Life Processes based on provided lecture notes.

Life Processes

The maintenance functions of living organisms that must occur even when they are not actively engaged in specific activities.

Nutrition

The process to transfer a source of energy from outside the body of the organism, which we call food, to the inside.

Respiration

The process of acquiring oxygen from outside the body and using it in the breakdown of food sources for cellular needs.

Excretion

The process by which waste by-products are removed from the body and discarded outside.

Autotrophs

Organisms that use simple food material obtained from inorganic sources in the form of carbon dioxide and water.

Photosynthesis

The process by which autotrophs take in substances from the outside and convert them into stored forms of energy using carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and chlorophyll to create carbohydrates.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that utilize complex substances that need to be broken down into simpler ones before they can be used for upkeep and growth; their survival depends directly or indirectly on autotrophs.

Enzymes

Bio-catalysts used by heterotrophs to break down complex substances into simpler ones.

Stomata

Tiny pores present on the surface of the leaves that facilitate massive amounts of gaseous exchange for photosynthesis.

Guard cells

Cells that regulate the opening and closing of stomatal pores based on water flow.

Parasitic Nutrition

A nutritive strategy where organisms derive nutrition from plants or animals without killing them.

Alimentary canal

A long tube extending from the mouth to the anus, specialized into different regions with specific functions for processing food.

Saliva

A fluid secreted by the salivary glands that contains salivary amylase to break down starch into simple sugars.

Salivary amylase

An enzyme in saliva that breaks down starch molecules into simple sugars.

Peristaltic movements

Rhythmic contractions of the muscles lining the digestive canal to push food forward.

Gastric glands

Glands present in the wall of the stomach that release hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and mucus for digestion.

Pepsin

A protein-digesting enzyme released by gastric glands that functions in an acidic medium.

Sphincter muscle

A muscle that regulates the exit of food from the stomach into the small intestine.

Bile juice

A juice from the liver that makes the food coming from the stomach alkaline and acts on fats by breaking them down into smaller globules.

Pancreatic juice

A juice secreted by the pancreas containing enzymes like trypsin and lipase for digesting proteins and emulsified fats.

Trypsin

An enzyme in pancreatic juice that digests proteins.

Lipase

An enzyme in pancreatic juice that breaks down emulsified fats.

Villi

Finger-like projections in the inner lining of the small intestine that increase the surface area for absorption of digested food.

Glycolysis

The breakdown of glucose, a six-carbon molecule, into a three-carbon molecule called pyruvate, which occurs in the cytoplasm.

Fermentation

The process where pyruvate is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide in the absence of oxygen.

Anaerobic respiration

Respiration that takes place in the absence of air/oxygen.

Aerobic respiration

Respiration that occurs in the presence of air/oxygen; releases a lot more energy than anaerobic.

ATP

A molecule synthesized using the energy released during cellular respiration, used to fuel activities in the cell.

Alveoli

Balloon-like structures where the exchange of gases can take place in the lungs.

Haemoglobin

The respiratory pigment in human beings that has a very high affinity for oxygen and is present in red blood corpuscles.

Plasma

The fluid medium of the blood that transports food, carbon dioxide, and nitrogenous wastes in dissolved form.

Blood pressure

The force that blood exerts against the wall of a vessel.

Systolic pressure

The pressure of blood inside the artery during ventricular systole (contraction).

Diastolic pressure

Pressure in the artery during ventricular diastole (relaxation).

Arteries

The vessels that carry blood away from the heart to various organs of the body.

Veins

Vessels that collect the blood from different organs and bring it back to the heart.

Capillaries

The smallest vessels with walls that are one-cell thick, facilitating the exchange of material between the blood and surrounding cells.

Platelets

Cells that circulate around the body and plug leaks by helping to clot the blood at points of injury.

Lymph

Fluid that is similar to the plasma of blood but colorless and contains less protein; it drains into lymphatic capillaries and carries digested and absorbed fat from the intestine.

Xylem

Tissue that moves water and minerals obtained from the soil in plants.

Phloem

Tissue that transports products of photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the plant.

Transpiration

The loss of water in the form of vapor from the aerial parts of the plant.

Translocation

The transport of soluble products of photosynthesis in plants, occurring in the phloem.

Excretion

The removal of harmful metabolic wastes from the body.

Nephron

Filtration unit in the kidneys.