TeXes Exam Science 7-12

Homologous structures

Structures in different species that share a similar anatomical design and evolutionary origin

Analogous structures

Structures in different species that perform a similar function and look somewhat alike, but do not share a common evolutionary origin

Vestigial structures

Anatomical features that have lost most or all of their original function over the course of evolution

Embryological Structures

anatomical features that appear briefly during early embryonic development in related species

Molecular / Genetic Structures

"molecular homology"—comparing conserved biological molecules across species

What are the climate & characteristics of a Coniferous Forest (Taiga / Boreal)?

Long, cold, snowy winters and short, cool-to-warm summers; moderate precipitation

What are the climate & characteristics of aTropical Rainforest?

Warm and humid year-round with high rainfall (>200 cm/yr) and maximum biodiversity.

What are the climate & characteristics of a Temperate Deciduous Forest?

Four distinct seasons, moderate rainfall, freezing winters, and warm summers.

What are the climate & characteristics of a Tundra?

Extremely cold, dry (polar desert), with a permanently frozen soil layer (permafrost).

What are the climate & characteristics of a Desert?

Extremely arid (<25 cm annual rainfall) with extreme daily temperature swings.

What are the climate & characteristics of a Savanna (Tropical Grassland)?

Warm year-round with distinct wet and dry seasons; frequent fires and seasonal droughts.

What are the climate & characteristics of a Temperate Grassland (Prairie/Steppes)?

Hot summers, cold winters, moderate rainfall, rich nutrient-dense topsoil.

What are the climate & characteristics of a Chaparral (Mediterranean / Scrubland)?

Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters; frequent natural wildfires.

What law do you use to determine change in internal energy

First law of thermodynamics

What is Newton’s First Law?

Law of Inertia - An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a net external force.

What is Newton’s Second Law?

Law of Force and Acceleration - he acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

What is Newton’s Third Law?

Law of Action and Reaction- For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Ionic Bond

formed when a metal transfers electrons to a nonmetal, creating oppositely charged ions ($+$ and $-$) that stick together.

Covalent Bond

formed when two nonmetals share electrons to fill their outer shells.

Metallic Bond

formed by positive metal ions held together in a shared "sea" of floating electrons.

Intramolecular bonds

Holds 1 molecule together.

Intermolecular bonds

Pulls separate molecules toward each other.

what are energy pyramids

show how energy flows through the different feeding levels (called trophic levels) of a food chain within an ecosystem.

Transistor

A tiny semiconductor device (usually made of silicon) that acts as an electronic switch or amplifier.

Resistor

A component designed to impede or limit the flow of electric current in a circuit, converting electrical energy into heat

Capacitor

A device made of two conducting plates separated by an insulator that stores electrical charge and potential energy.

Transformer

A device that increases or decreases alternating current (AC) voltage using magnetic induction

Deletion (chromosomal rearrangement)

A section of the chromosome breaks off and is completely lost.

Duplication (chromosomal rearrangement)

A segment of a chromosome is repeated, producing extra copies of genetic material.

Inversion (chromosomal rearrangement)

A segment of a chromosome breaks out, flips $180^\circ$ upside down, and reattaches in reverse order.

Translocation (chromosomal rearrangement)

A piece of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to a completely different (non-homologous) chromosome.

Solute

The substance that gets dissolved in a mixture.

Solvent

The substance that does the dissolving.

Solution

The resulting homogeneous mixture formed when a solute completely dissolves inside a solvent

What makes magnetized iron different from unmagnetized iron?

Unmagnetized iron becomes magnetic when its magnetic domains are aligned. Domains are small, magnetic, grains of iron that make up an iron sample.

Divergent Boundaries and geologic features (tectonic plates)

Plates Moving Apart - Mid-ocean ridges and Continental rift valleys

Convergent Boundaries and geologic features (tectonic plates)

Plates Colliding - Deep-sea ocean trenches, continental volcanic mountain arcs, folded mountain ranges, and volcanic island arcs

Transform Boundaries and geologic features (tectonic plates)

Plates Sliding Past Each Other - Fault lines, linear valleys, offset stream channels, and frequent, shallow earthquakes

Subduction (plates)

the process where one tectonic plate collides with another and is forced downward into the hot mantle beneath at convergent plate boundaries

Rifting (plates)

the process where tectonic plates pull apart from each other, causing the crust to stretch, thin, and split open at divergent plate boundaries

Law of Conservation of Mass

states that in any closed system undergoing a physical or chemical change, matter cannot be created or destroyed.

Eutrophication

the process where a body of water becomes overly enriched with nutrients

Mutualism

A symbiotic interaction where both species benefit (+/+)

Commensalism

A symbiotic interaction where one species benefits while the other is unaffected (+/0)

Parasitism

A symbiotic interaction where one species (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another (the host) (+/-)

Predation

A non-symbiotic interaction where one organism (the predator) hunts, kills, and consumes another organism (the prey) (+/-) for energy.

Competition

An interaction where both organisms are harmed or hindered (-/-) as they fight for the exact same limited environmental resources

Amensalism

An interaction where one species is unintentionally harmed or inhibited while the other remains completely unaffected (-/0)