Form One Biology Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive practice vocabulary flashcards covering the Form One Biology curriculum including introductory biology, classification, cell biology, physiology, and nutrition.

Biology

Derived from Greek words BIOS meaning LIFE and LOGOS meaning STUDY or KNOWLEDGE; it is the study of living things/organisms.

Botany

The study of plants.

Zoology

The study of animals.

Morphology

The study of the external structure of organisms.

Anatomy

The study of the internal structure of organisms.

Physiology

The study of the functioning or working of the cells or body.

Cytology

The study of cells.

Taxonomy

The sorting out of organisms into groups; the study of the characteristics of organisms for the purpose of classifying them.

Growth

An irreversible change in size.

Development

An irreversible change in complexity.

Irritability

The ability of organisms to detect and respond to changes in the environment.

Sessile

Organisms that are fixed to the substratum.

Magnification formula

$$\text{Magnification} = \frac{\text{length of the drawing}}{\text{length of the specimen}}$$

Species

The smallest unit of classification; members resemble each other, have the same number of chromosomes, and interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

Kingdom Monera (Prokaryota)

Unicellular organisms that lack a nuclear membrane and do not have any bound membrane organelles, mainly bacteria like $Vibrio\,cholerae$.

Kingdom Protoctista

Unicellular eukaryotic organisms whose nucleus and organelles are surrounded by membranes; includes algae, slime moulds, and protozoa.

Binomial nomenclature

A scientific system of naming organisms using two names: the first is the genus (generic name) starting with a capital letter, and the second is the species (specific name) starting with a small letter.

Diaphragm (Microscope)

Regulates the amount of light passing through the object.

Condenser (Microscope)

Concentrates light onto the object.

Cytoplasm

A jelly-like substance in which chemical processes are carried out and organelles are scattered.

Mitochondria

Rod-shaped organelles with a smooth outer membrane and folded inner membrane (cristae); they are the sites of cellular respiration where energy is produced.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)

A network of pathways encrusted with ribosomes that functions in the transport of proteins.

Lysosomes

Vesicles containing hydrolytic enzymes involved in the breakdown of micro-organisms and damaged organelles.

Meristematic Tissue

Small thin-walled plant cells with a lot of cytoplasm found at the tips of shoots and roots that undergo division to cause growth.

Xylem

Vascular tissue made of tubular vessels and tracheids joined end to end for the transport of water and mineral salts.

Phloem

Vascular tissue with sieve elements for the transport of manufactured organic food materials.

Cell physiology

The process through which substances move across the cell membrane.

Diffusion

The movement of molecules or ions from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration aided by a concentration gradient.

Osmosis

The movement of water molecules from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.

Hypertonic solution

A solution whose solute concentration is more than that of the cell sap.

Turgor pressure

The hydrostatic pressure developed inside a plant cell when it is stretched to the maximum by water entry.

Plasmolysis

The process where a plant cell loses water in a hypertonic medium, causing the vacuole to decrease and the cytoplasm to shrink away from the cell wall.

Haemolysis

The bursting of the cell membrane of red blood cells, releasing haemoglobin, when placed in distilled water or a hypotonic solution.

Active transport

The movement of solutes from an area of low concentration to high concentration against a gradient, requiring energy from respiration and specific carrier proteins.

Photolysis

The light-dependent process of splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using light energy: $2H_2O \rightarrow 4H^+ + O_2$.

Monosaccharides

Simple reducing sugars with the general formula $(CH_2O)_n$ where $n=6$; examples include glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Hydrolysis

A chemical process involving the addition of water to break down complex molecules into simpler units.

Triglyceride

A lipid formed by the condensation of three fatty acid molecules with one glycerol molecule.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts, protein in nature, that increase the rate of chemical reactions in the body while remaining unchanged.

Heterodont

A condition in mammals where they possess different kinds of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars, molars) to perform specific roles.

Carnassial Teeth

The last premolars on the upper jaw and first molars on the lower jaw in carnivores, enlarged for cutting flesh and crushing bones.

Pulp Cavity

The part of the tooth containing blood vessels for nutrients and nerve endings to detect heat, cold, and pain.

Amylase

An enzyme found in saliva and pancreatic juice that acts on starch, changing it to maltose.

Peristalsis

The process by which boluses of food move down the alimentary canal through the contraction and relaxation of circular and longitudinal muscles.

Villi

Finger-like projections in the ileum epithelium that increase the surface area for the absorption of digested food.

Lacteal

Vessels in the villi for the absorption of fatty acids and glycerol and the transport of lipids.

Marasmus

A deficiency disease caused by a lack of enough food, resulting in thin limbs, severe fluid loss, and general body wasting.

Kwashiorkor

A deficiency disease caused by a lack of protein in children's diets, characterized by a swollen abdomen, red thin hair, and scaly skin.