Kingdoms and Domains

These flashcards cover the key vocabulary and concepts related to the classification of life into kingdoms and domains, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that do not have a true nucleus or membrane-bound organelles; examples include bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; examples include plant, animal, and fungus cells.

Autotrophic

Organisms that produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis.

Heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain food by consuming other organisms or organic matter.

Dichotomous Key

A method for identifying organisms based on a series of choices that lead to the correct name.

Cell Wall Material

The composition of the cell wall; varies among kingdoms, such as peptidoglycan in bacteria and chitin in fungi.

Peptidoglycan

A polymer consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a structural component of the bacterial cell wall.

Plasma Membrane

The flexible boundary that surrounds the cell, controlling the movement of substances in and out.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant cells that conducts photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy.

Mitochondria

The organelles that generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.

Cytoplasm

The jelly-like substance within the cell that holds organelles and is the site of many metabolic activities.

Eukarya

One of the three domains of life, consisting of all organisms with eukaryotic cells.

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms that have cell walls made of peptidoglycan.

Archaea

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms that have distinct biochemistry and genetics from bacteria.

Fungi

A kingdom of mostly multicellular eukaryotic organisms that absorb nutrients from organic material.

Plantae

The kingdom consisting of multicellular eukaryotic organisms that perform photosynthesis.

Animalia

The kingdom of multicellular eukaryotic organisms that generally consume organic material for energy.