Classifications and characteristics of living organisms

Cell

The basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms

Organism

Any living thing that can carry out life processes independently

Multicellular

Organisms made of many cells working together

Unicellular

Organisms made of a single cell

Prokaryotic

Cells without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles

Eukaryotic

Cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own food via photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

Heterotroph

An organism that obtains food from other organisms

Nutrition

The process by which organisms obtain and use food

Respiration

The chemical process that releases energy from food

Movement

The ability of an organism to change position or move parts of its body

Response

The ability of an organism to react to changes in the environment

Excretion

The removal of metabolic waste from the body

Growth

The permanent increase in size and dry mass of an organism

Reproduction

The biological process that produces new organisms

Sensitivity

The ability to detect and respond to stimuli

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment

Adaptation

A feature that increases an organism’s chance of survival

Kingdom

The highest taxonomic group in classification of organisms

Phylum

A major taxonomic group below kingdom

Class

A taxonomic group below phylum

Order

A taxonomic group below class

Family

A taxonomic group below order

Genus

A taxonomic group below family

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Binomial nomenclature

The system of naming species using two Latin names (genus and species)

Monera

Kingdom of prokaryotic organisms including bacteria

Protista

Kingdom of mostly unicellular eukaryotes like amoeba and algae

Fungi

Kingdom of organisms that absorb nutrients from decaying matter

Plantae

Kingdom of multicellular

Animalia

Kingdom of multicellular

Archaea

Primitive prokaryotes often living in extreme environments

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms without a nucleus

Algae

Photosynthetic protists that can be unicellular or multicellular

Protozoa

Heterotrophic

Virus

A non-cellular particle that requires a host to reproduce

Cell wall

A rigid layer that supports plant

Chloroplast

Organelle where photosynthesis occurs in plant cells

Nucleus

Organelle containing genetic material (DNA)

Mitochondria

Organelle where aerobic respiration occurs

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like substance where cell organelles are suspended

Plasma membrane

Semi-permeable membrane that controls substance movement in/out of cells

Eukarya

Domain of organisms with eukaryotic cells

Animal cell

Eukaryotic cell lacking a cell wall and chloroplasts

Plant cell

Eukaryotic cell with a cell wall

Fungi cell

Eukaryotic cell with a cell wall but no chloroplasts

Saprotroph

Organism that feeds on dead or decaying matter

Parasitism

Relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit

Commensalism

Symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

Classification

The process of grouping organisms based on similarities and differences

Taxonomy

The science of naming

Extremophile

Organisms that live in extreme conditions

Binary fission

A method of asexual reproduction in bacteria

Budding

A method of asexual reproduction in yeast

Spore formation

A method of asexual reproduction in fungi

Flagella

Tail-like structures used for movement in some unicellular organisms

Cilia

Hair-like structures used for movement or feeding in some protists

Pseudopodia

Temporary cytoplasm extensions used for movement in amoeba

Chitin

A carbohydrate that makes up fungal cell walls

Peptidoglycan

A polymer in bacterial cell walls

Photosynthesis

Process of converting light energy into chemical energy

Aerobic respiration

Respiration using oxygen to release energy from glucose

Anaerobic respiration

Respiration without oxygen to release energy

Coccus

Spherical-shaped bacterium

Bacillus

Rod-shaped bacterium

Spirillum

Spiral-shaped bacterium

Yeast

A unicellular fungus used in baking and brewing

Mushroom

Multicellular fungus with spore-producing structures

Moss

Non-vascular plant reproducing via spores

Fern

Vascular plant reproducing via spores

Flowering plant

Plant that reproduces using seeds in flowers

Mammal

Animal that has hair and produces milk for young

Bird

Animal with feathers and lays eggs

Fish

Aquatic animal with gills and scales

Reptile

Cold-blooded animal with scaly skin and lays eggs

Amphibian

Cold-blooded animal living both in water and on land

Insect

Arthropod with three body segments and six legs

Arachnid

Arthropod with two body segments and eight legs

Crustacean

Aquatic arthropod with multiple legs and a hard shell

Annelid

Segmented worm

Mollusc

Soft-bodied animal

Echinoderm

Marine animal with spiny skin

Cnidarian

Aquatic animal with stinging cells

Porifera

Aquatic animal with porous body

Chordate

Animal with a notochord at some stage of life

Vertebrate

Animal with a backbone

Invertebrate

Animal without a backbone

Endoskeleton

Internal skeleton of vertebrates

Exoskeleton

External skeleton of arthropods

Heterotrophic plant

Plant that obtains nutrients from other organisms

Parasitic plant

Plant that feeds off another plant