bio 150 exam 2

prokaryote

single-celled microorganism lacking a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

eukaryote

organism that has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles

chromosomal DNA

long, double stranded molecule containing an organism’s hereditary information

plastid

double-membrane organelles found in plants and algae, essential for manufacturing and storing food, synthesizing metabolites, and conducting photosynthesis

monophyletic group

an evolutionary unit that includes an ancestral population and all of its descendants

paraphyletic group

a group that includes an ancestral population and some of its descendants

phototroph

an organism that is able to synthesize its own food using energy from sunlight or inorganic chemicals

chemotroph

an organism that derives its energy directly from organic molecules

autotroph

an organism produces its own food

heterotroph

an organism that does not make its own food

bioremediation

process where microorganisms remove contaminants form the environment

biofuels

fuels produced from living organisms

oxidation reduction reaction

involves the transfer of electrons between species, where one substance is oxidized and another is reduced

aerobic cellular respiration

the metabolic process in which cells use oxygen to break down glucose

anaerobic cellular respiration

a metabolic process that breaks down glucose to produce energy (ATP) without oxygen

oxygenic photosynthesis

the biological process in which plants, algae, and cyanobacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and carbohydrates