Exam 1 for Bio Class

Order

The arrangement of cells and organization that constitutes life.

Energy Processing

The transformation of energy for sustaining life functions and processes.

Evolutionary Adaptations

Changes that occur in a species over time in response to environmental challenges.

Growth and Development

The increase in size and complexity of organisms over time.

Response to the Environment

The ability of organisms to react to their surroundings, such as putting on a jacket in cold weather.

Regulation

The mechanisms that maintain internal balance and homeostasis in an organism.

Reproduction

The biological process through which new individuals are produced, ensuring the continuation of a species.

Emergent Properties

Characteristics that arise when components interact in a system, leading to functional complexity.

Inductive Reasoning

Drawing general conclusions based on specific observations in a scientific context.

Deductive Reasoning

Making a specific prediction or hypothesis based on general principles or theories.

Atom

The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of a chemical element.

Element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Compound

A substance formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio.

Atomic Number

The number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell that determine an atom's chemical behavior.

Octet Rule

The principle that atoms are most stable when they have eight electrons in their valence shell.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when two nonmetal atoms share electrons.

Ionic Bond

A bond formed through the attraction between positive and negative ions.

Hydrophilic

Substances that have an affinity for water, typically polar in nature.

Hydrophobic

Substances that repel water, typically nonpolar in nature.

Monomer

A small molecule that can join together with other small molecules to form a polymer.

Polymerization

The process by which monomers combine to form polymers.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made of sugar molecules, serving as a primary energy source.

Lipids

Diverse groups of hydrophobic molecules including fats, oils, and hormones.

Proteins

Large biomolecules made of amino acids that perform various functions within cells.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules including DNA and RNA that store and transmit genetic information.

Buffer

A solution that resists changes in pH when an acid or base is added.

Acid

A substance that releases hydrogen ions in solution.

Base

A substance that reduces the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

pH Scale

A logarithmic scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution.

Effector molecules

Molecules that can influence enzyme activity and regulation.

Competitive Inhibitor

A molecule that competes with the substrate for binding to the active site of an enzyme.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an enzyme, changing its shape and inhibiting substrate binding.

Rosalind Franklin

A scientist whose work with X-ray diffraction was crucial in understanding the molecular structure of DNA.

Chargaff's Rules

Guidelines regarding base pairing in DNA, stating that the amounts of purines and pyrimidines are complementary.