Ambivalence – A state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. Antipathy – A deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion. Benevolent – Well-meaning and kindly; showing goodwill or charity. Brusque – Abrupt or curt in manner, often to the point of being blunt or rude. Cacophony – A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. Camaraderie – Mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together. Capricious – Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior. Didactic – Intended to teach or instruct, often in a patronizing or overly moralizing way. Divergent – Tending to be different or develop in different directions; moving away from a common point. Empathy – The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Emulate – To strive to equal or excel, often by imitating someone or something. Enervating – Causing one to feel drained of energy or vitality; exhausting. Enhance – To improve or increase the quality, value, or extent of something. Inconsequential – Not important or significant; trivial. Inevitable – Certain to happen; unavoidable. Insidious – Proceeding in a subtle way but with harmful effects; stealthily harmful. Integrity – The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; the state of being whole and undivided. Intrepid – Fearless; adventurous and courageous. Lugubrious – Looking or sounding sad, dismal, or mournful, often in an exaggerated way. Precocious – Having developed certain abilities or qualities at an unusually early age. Pretentious – Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or talent than is actually possessed. Procrastinate – To delay or postpone action or tasks, often due to avoidance or avoidance of discomfort. Prosaic – Lacking in imagination or creativity; dull and straightforward; mundane. Prosperity – The state of being successful, especially in terms of wealth or well-being. Suppress – To put an end to something by force or authority; to hold back or restrain. Surreptitious – Done in a secret or stealthy way, often to avoid detection. Tactful – Showing sensitivity and skill in dealing with others or with difficult situations. Tenacious – Holding firm to a position or belief; persistent and determined. Transient – Lasting only for a short time; temporary or fleeting. Spurious – Not genuine, authentic, or true; false or counterfeit.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Mitosis

The process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions despite changes in the external environment.

Mutations

Changes in the DNA sequence that can lead to variations in traits among organisms.

Trophic Levels

The different levels in a food chain, representing the flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Cell Theory

The theory that all living things are composed of cells, which are the basic units of life.

Chlorophyll

A green pigment found in plants that is essential for photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis Equation

The chemical reaction in photosynthesis can be summarized as: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2.

Carbon Cycle

The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment.

Food Web

A complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem, showing how various food chains intersect.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building a protein, influencing traits in organisms.

Symbiosis

A close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species.

Adaptation

A characteristic or trait that enhances the survival and reproductive success of an organism in its environment.

Niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including habitat and resource use.

Decomposer

An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Ecological Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, through stages of species replacement.