Marine Biology - Principles of Marine Science

These terms are the majority of the necessary and essential vocabulary for the first section of a Marine Biology class, Principles of Marine Science.

Adhesion

Water molecules stick to other substances; one of the six properties of water.

Cohesion

Water molecules stick to each other through hydrogen bonding; one of the six properties of water.

Universal Solvent

Water is able to dissolve many other molecules, especially polar molecules and ionic compounds; one of the six properties of water. This property is more significant in water compared to other liquids.

High Specific Heat Capacity

Water is able to absorb a significant amount of heat before increasing its temperature, meaning it is hard to increase the temperature of water; one of the six properties of water. This property is more significant in water compared to other liquids.

Cooling Evaporation

When water evaporates, the hotter sections of water, where the water molecules are moving the fastest, are the most likely to experience a change in state to a gaseous form. This leads to the hottest sections of water to evaporate, cooling down the organism that is sweating. One of the six properties of water.

Density as a Liquid/Solid

Water is less dense as a solid when it is frozen than when it is a liquid; one of the six properties of water.

Organization of Cells

All living things are made of cells; one of the seven characteristics of life. Some organisms may be unicellular, while others may be multicellular. Multicellular organism have.

The cell is the smallest living unit in all organisms.

All living things are made of cells.

All cells come from other pre-existing cells.

Cells make up tissues, which make up organs, which make up organ systems, an hierarchy that are referred to as biological levels of organization.

Homeostasis

Refers to the process of a living organism maintaining a regulated balance to allow biological processes to occur; one of the seven characteristics of life.

This could mean maintaining a certain temperature or a certain level of water concentration.

Organisms have feedback systems in order to maintain homeostasis.

Metabolism

Refers to chemical reactions in organisms that capture energy and use such energy for processes, in order to maintain life and allow the organism to function, such as homeostasis; one of the seven characteristics of life.

Reproduction

Refers to ability for any sort of organism to reproduce; one of the seven characteristics of life.

Growth & Development

Living organisms have genetic material, i.e. genetic instructions, which code for its development and growth; one of the seven characteristics of life.

Response to Stimuli

Refers to the ability of a living organism to respond to any sort of internal or external stimuli; one of the seven characteristics of life.

Evolution

While individual organisms may be able to evolve, evolution is only seen in populations, and so it may be considered that evolution only acts on populations; one of the seven characteristics of life.

Life could possibly be described as a self-sustaining system capable of Darwinian evolution.

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are organisms that can be bacteria or archaea.

They are unicellular.

Both contain D.N.A., ribosomes, cytoplasm, a cell membrane, and usually cell walls.

They are less complex and smaller than eukaryotic cells.

Unlike eukaryotic cells, they have no nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles.

Prokaryote refers to the organism itself, while prokaryotic refers to a cell of such prokaryote.

“Pro” rhymes with “no”.

Eukaryotic Cells

Eukaryotes are organisms that can be considered eukarya.

They can be protists, plants, animals, or fungi.

They can be unicellular or multicellular.

They are more complex and larger than prokaryotic cells.

Unlike prokaryotic cells, they have a nucleus, and membrane-bound organelles.

Both contain D.N.A., ribosomes, cytoplasm, a cell membrane, an cell walls.

Eukaryote refers to the organism itself, while eukaryotic refers to a cell of such eukaryote.

“Eu” rhymes with “do".