Biology Quiz 1 Chemistry Review

Potential Energy

Stored energy in an object due to its position or configuration. It can be converted to kinetic energy when the object moves.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion, proportional to mass and the square of velocity. It is the energy an object possesses due to its movement.

Neutron

A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, carrying no electric charge and having a mass slightly greater than that of a proton.

Proton

A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, carrying a positive electric charge and having a mass slightly less than that of a neutron.

Electron

A subatomic particle found in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus of an atom, carrying a negative electric charge and having a very small mass compared to protons and neutrons.

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity and its position on the periodic table.

Atomic weight/mass

The weighted average mass of an element's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu). It reflects both the mass and the relative abundance of each isotope.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with differing numbers of neutrons, resulting in different mass numbers. Isotopes exhibit similar chemical properties but may differ in stability and radioactivity.

Valence shell

The outermost electron shell of an atom that determines its chemical properties and reactivity by influencing how it bonds with other atoms.

Covalent bond

A type of chemical bond formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, resulting in a stable balance of attractive and repulsive forces between the atoms.

Polar

covalent bond formed between atoms with differing electronegativities, resulting in unequal sharing of electrons.

Nonpolar

A type of molecule where the distribution of electron density is even, resulting in no permanent dipole moment. Nonpolar molecules do not exhibit significant attraction to polar solvents.

Cations

Positively charged ions formed when atoms lose one or more electrons. Cations are typically formed by metals.

Anions

Negatively charged ions formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Hydrogen bond

A weak intermolecular force that occurs between a hydrogen atom, which is covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom, and another electronegative atom.

Biology

The scientific study of life, encompassing various fields such as genetics, ecology, and physiology.

Biologist

A scientist who studies living organisms, their structure, function, growth, and evolution.

Organism

A living entity that can function independently

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, sharing common characteristics and genetic heritage.

Natural Selection

The process through which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. This mechanism is a key mechanism of evolution.

Energy

The ability to do work or produce change

DNA

A molecule that carries genetic information essential for the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.

Biological System

A complex network of biological components interacting to maintain life functions, including cells, tissues, organs, and their systems.

Biotic

Relating to living things

Abiotic

Referring to factors in the environment that affect ecosystems

Scientific Inquiry

The systematic process of asking questions, making observations, and conducting experiments to understand the natural world.

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

Eukaryote

An organism whose cells contain a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, which can be unicellular or multicellular.

Cell

The basic structural, functional, and biological unit of all living organisms.

Aerobic Metabolism

The process of producing cellular energy in the presence of oxygen, typically resulting in the conversion of glucose to ATP.

Anaerobic Metabolism

The process of producing cellular energy without oxygen, often resulting in products such as lactic acid or ethanol.

Genome

The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

Endosymbiosis

A symbiotic relationship where one organism resides within another, leading to the evolution of complex cells, such as the origin of eukaryotic cells.

Phylogenetic Trees (Tree of Life)

A diagram that represents evolutionary relationships

Tissue

A group of similar cells that perform a specific function or set of functions within an organism.

Organs

Structures composed of different types of tissues working together to perform specific functions in an organism.

Organ Systems

Groups of organs that work together to perform complex functions necessary for the survival of the organism.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, functioning as a system.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, representing the zone of life on Earth.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building proteins and is responsible for hereditary traits.

Evolution

The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Adaptations

Characteristics or traits that improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Theory

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of evidence.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, which can be tested through experimentation.

Null Hypothesis

A type of hypothesis that asserts no statistical significance exists in a set of given observations.

Controlled Experiment

An experiment where all variables are kept constant except for one independent variable.

Control

The standard comparison in an experiment that helps to demonstrate the effects of the independent variable.

Test Group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment being tested.

Experimental Group

A group in an experiment that is exposed to the variable being tested to observe its effects.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated or changed in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured or observed in an experiment, affected by the independent variable.

Negative Control Group

A group in an experiment that is not exposed to any treatment or the treatment being tested, used to validate the results.

Positive Control Group

A group in an experiment that receives a treatment known to produce a positive effect, used as a benchmark.

Alternative Hypothesis

A hypothesis that proposes a potential outcome that is different from the null hypothesis.

Comparative Experiment

An experiment that compares two or more groups to determine the effect of varying conditions.

Variable

Any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types within an experiment.

Falsifiable

A property of a hypothesis or theory that allows it to be proven false through observation or experimentation.

8 Characteristics of Living Organisms

The eight characteristics shared among living organisms are: 1) Cellular organization: All living things are composed of one or more cells. 2) Metabolism: The sum of all chemical reactions that occur within a living organism to maintain life. 3) Homeostasis: The ability to maintain stable internal conditions (e.g., temperature, pH) despite external changes. 4) Growth and development: Living organisms grow and develop following specific instructions coded for by their genes. 5) Reproduction: The ability to produce new individuals, either sexually or asexually. 6) Response to stimuli: Living organisms can respond to environmental changes, which can include adaptations to stimuli. 7) Heredity: Genetic information is passed from one generation to the next. 8) Adaptation through evolution: Populations of living organisms evolve over time through the process of natural selection.

Positive Feedback

A process in biological systems where the output of a system enhances or amplifies the original stimulus, leading to an increase in the product or occurrence of an event. For example, during childbirth, the release of oxytocin increases contraction, which in turn causes more oxytocin to be released, intensifying the contractions until delivery is achieved.

Negative Feedback

A regulatory mechanism in biological systems where a change in a variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, thus restoring balance. An example is the regulation of body temperature: when the body temperature rises, mechanisms such as sweating are activated to cool down the body, whereas if the body temperature drops, shivering generates heat to raise the temperature back to normal.

Quantification

In scientific research, quantification refers to the process of measuring or expressing a physical quantity in numerical terms.