Unifying Themes of Life and Biological Systems

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering cellular biology, metabolic processes, plant and animal structures, physiology, ecosystems, and climate change.

Cell

The basic structure of life that can replicate independently.

Determinate group

A group in which growth and development stop.

Indeterminate group

A group in which growth and development continue.

Autotrophic

Refers to organisms that can produce ATP independently.

Heterotrophic

Refers to organisms that cannot produce energy on their own.

Anabolism

A metabolic process where small molecules turn into big ones, requiring energy.

Catabolism

A metabolic process where large molecules are broken down to small ones, releasing energy.

Homeostasis

The process of keeping the body in balance.

Evolution

A change in characteristics of organisms over time.

Analogous

Refers to features that are unrelated in evolutionary origin.

Vestigial

Refers to structures sharing the same traits with our ancestors.

Energy

The capacity to do work.

Autotrophs

Organisms that make their own food by utilizing sunlight or photosynthesis; also called producers.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that require energy by consuming other organisms; also called consumers.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

Known as the energy charge of the cell.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The chemical process of turning ADP to ATP.

Photosynthesis

A chemical process involving the conversion of inorganic matter into organic matter through energy provided by sunlight.

Microalgae

Photosynthetic organisms that function as primary producers.

Plants

Photosynthetic organisms that act as primary terrestrial organisms.

Chlorophyll

The pigment of leaves that helps with photosynthesis.

Hydrolysis

A process that breaks the water.

Enzymes

Biological molecules that fasten the reaction but do not participate.

Light independent reaction

Photosynthetic reaction that utilizes carbon dioxide.

Oxidation

The loss of electrons.

Reduction

The gain of electrons.

Calvin cycle

A repetitive cycle in photosynthesis where $3$ cycles yield $1\text{ G3P}$.

Light dependent process

Photosynthetic process in which thylakoid membranes serve as the starting point.

Aerobic cellular respiration

Cellular respiration process that involves oxygen.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration happening in the cytoplasm that breaks down glucose and yields $2\text{ ATP}$.

Krebs cycle

Stage of cellular respiration happening in the mitochondria that only occurs when oxygen is present.

Anaerobic cellular respiration

Cellular respiration process that does not require oxygen.

Cell membrane

Structure that surrounds the cell and acts as a selective barrier between the interior and exterior.

Active transport

Cellular movement requiring energy (ATP) that moves substances from low to high concentration.

Passive transport

Cellular movement that does not require energy, moving substances from high to low concentration.

Endocytosis

Process of substances entering the intracellular space from the extracellular environment.

Exocytosis

Process of substances exiting to the extracellular space.

Pinocytosis

A form of endocytosis referred to as cell drinking.

Osmosis

Process where water moves to where there is a higher solute concentration.

Hypotonic

Solution condition where water moves into the cell toward higher internal solute concentration.

Cell lysis

The bursting of red blood cells (rbc).

Isotonic

Solution condition where solute concentrations inside and outside the cell are equal.

Hypertonic

Solution condition where there are more solutes outside of the cell.

Crenation

The shrinking of the cell.

Protein synthesis

The cellular process of building and repairing cellular structures.

Ribosome

Organelles essential for cellular functioning and survival that build proteins.

Transcription

Process where split DNA forms mRNA, which then travels to the cytoplasm and ribosome.

Translation

Process where mRNA codon sequences are decoded into amino acids to produce proteins.