Biology Revision Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering membrane transport, enzymes, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, meiosis, and nucleic acids.

Diffusion

The movement of substances across a membrane typically from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration.

Semi-permeable (selective permeable)

A property of the cell membrane that allows only certain substances to pass through, which helps the cell maintain homeostasis.

Passive Transport

The movement of substances across the cell membrane without the expenditure of cellular energy.

Active Transport

The movement of substances across the cell membrane that requires the use of energy.

Osmosis

The specific diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

Hydrophilic

The polar, water-attracting part of the cell membrane components.

Hydrophobic

The non-polar, water-repelling part of the cell membrane components.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up biochemical reactions; they are not used up during the process.

Cellular Respiration

The biochemical process by which cells break down nutrients (such as glucose) to release energy, occurring primarily in the mitochondria.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert light energy, water, and carbon dioxide into chemical energy (glucose) and oxygen.

Photosynthesis Chemical Reaction

$$6CO_2 + 6H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$$

Photosynthesis Products

The two compounds produced during photosynthesis are glucose ($C_6H_{12}O_6$) and oxygen ($O_2$).

Diploid

Cells that contain two complete sets of chromosomes ($2n$).

Haploid

Cells that contain a single set of unpaired chromosomes ($n$), produced through the process of meiosis.

Meiosis

A type of cell division resulting in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell, involving two rounds of cell division.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

A double-stranded molecule that serves as the primary genetic material for organisms.

RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

A typically single-stranded molecule involved in various biological roles, including the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.