Laboratory Exercises in General Biology - Chapter 2

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from Chapter 2, including trophic and cellular organization, biological domains and kingdoms, bacterial cell morphology, and plant classifications.

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own organic nutrients (food) using an external energy source, typically through photosynthesis.

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot synthesize its own food and must obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms or organic matter.

Prokaryotic Organism

A single-celled organism that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic Organism

An organism whose cells contain a distinct nucleus enclosed within a nuclear membrane, along with other specialized membrane-bound organelles.

Domain Bacteria

A domain of prokaryotic organisms characterized by peptidoglycan cell walls, simple cellular organization, and diverse metabolic pathways.

Domain Eukarya

A domain consisting of all organisms made up of eukaryotic cells (including protists, fungi, plants, and animals).

Kingdom Protista

A diverse kingdom within Domain Eukarya primarily made up of simple, mostly unicellular or simple multicellular eukaryotic organisms that do not fit into the plant, animal, or fungal kingdoms.

Kingdom Fungi

A kingdom of eukaryotic, mostly multicellular heterotrophs that absorb nutrients from their environment and typically have cell walls made of chitin.

Kingdom Plantae

A kingdom of multicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms characterized by cellulose cell walls.

Kingdom Animalia

A kingdom of multicellular, heterotrophic eukaryotic organisms that lack cell walls and typically exhibit motility.

Bacillus

A rod-shaped bacterial cell.

Coccus

A spherical or round bacterial cell.

Spirillum

A spiral or helical-shaped bacterial cell.

Nonvascular Plants (Bryophytes)

Plants that lack specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients, limiting their size and growth environment.

Vascular Plants (Tracheophytes)

Plants containing specialized conducting tissues (xylem and phloem) to transport water, minerals, and nutrients throughout the plant body.

Non-Seeded Plants

Vascular or nonvascular plants that reproduce via spores rather than seeds (e.g., ferns, mosses).

Seeded Plants

Plants that reproduce by producing seeds containing an embryo and stored food reserve.

Gymnosperm

A vascular seed plant whose seeds are exposed ("naked"), typically developed on the surface of scales or cones (e.g., conifers).

Angiosperm

A flowering vascular seed plant whose seeds are enclosed within a protective ovary (fruit).