GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy Key Vocabulary

Key vocabulary terms from the GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) Specification

Cell

The basic unit of all forms of life.

Eukaryotic cells

Plant and animal cells that have a cell membrane, cytoplasm, and genetic material enclosed in a nucleus.

Prokaryotic cells

Bacterial cells that are much smaller, have cytoplasm and a cell membrane surrounded by a cell wall, and the genetic material is not enclosed in a nucleus.

Chromosomes

Found in the nucleus of a cell, made of DNA molecules; each carries a large number of genes.

Mitosis

Cellular division where one set of chromosomes is pulled to each end of the cell and the nucleus divides, followed by the division of cytoplasm and cell membranes to form two identical cells.

Stem cell

An undifferentiated cell of an organism capable of giving rise to many more cells of the same type, and from which certain other cells can arise from differentiation.

Diffusion

The spreading out of the particles of any substance in solution, or particles of a gas, resulting in a net movement from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water from a dilute solution to a concentrated solution through a partially permeable membrane.

Active transport

Moves substances from a more dilute solution to a more concentrated solution (against a concentration gradient) using energy from respiration.

Tissues

A group of cells with a similar structure and function.

Organs

Aggregations of tissues performing specific functions.

Organ systems

Organs are organized into organ systems, which work together to form organisms.

Enzymes

Catalyze specific reactions in living organisms due to the shape of their active site.

Heart

An organ that pumps blood around the body in a double circulatory system.

Blood

A tissue consisting of plasma, in which the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are suspended.

Health

The state of physical and mental well-being.

Risk factors of disease

Linked to an increased rate of a disease. They can be aspects of a person’s lifestyle or substances in the person’s body or environment.

Cancer

The result of changes in cells that lead to uncontrolled growth and division.

Plant tissues

Include epidermal tissues, palisade mesophyll, spongy mesophyll, xylem and phloem, meristem tissue at the growing tips.

Transpiration

A process involving the roots, stem and leaves of a plant organ system for transport of substances around the plant.

Pathogens

Microorganisms that cause infectious disease; may be viruses, bacteria, protists or fungi.

Antibiotics

Medicines that help to cure bacterial diseases by killing infective bacteria inside the body.

Photosynthesis

The process represented by the equation: carbon dioxide + water --(light)--> glucose + oxygen

Respiration

An exothermic reaction which is continuously occurring in living cells, either aerobically or anaerobically, where the energy transferred supplies all the energy needed for living processes.

Metabolism

The sum of all the reactions in a cell or the body.

Homeostasis

The regulation of the internal conditions of a cell or organism to maintain optimum conditions for function in response to internal and external changes.

Hormones

Chemicals secreted directly into the bloodstream by glands, which carry the hormone to a target organ where it produces an effect.

Sexual reproduction

Involves the joining (fusion) of male and female gametes, leading to variety in the offspring.

Asexual reproduction

Involves only one parent and no fusion of gametes, leading to genetically identical offspring (clones).

Variation

Differences in the characteristics of individuals in a population and may be due to genetic, environmental or a combination of genes and the environment factors.

Evolution

A change in the inherited characteristics of a population over time through a process of natural selection which may result in the formation of a new species.

Selective breeding

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed plants and animals for particular genetic characteristics.

Genetic engineering

A process which involves modifying the genome of an organism by introducing a gene from another organism to give a desired characteristic.

Ecosystem

The interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem.

GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy Key Vocabulary

Key vocabulary terms from GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy