Science Final

Organelle

Small structure inside a cell that has a specific job

Cell Wall

Rigid outer layer that supports and protects plant cells

Cell Membrane

Controls what enters and leaves the cell

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like material inside the cell where organelles float

Nucleus

Control center of the cell that contains DNA

Mitochondria

Produces energy for the cell (powerhouse)

Chloroplast

Helps plant cells make food using sunlight

Vacuole

Storage space for water, food, and waste

What happens if the cell wall malfunctions?

The cell becomes weak, loses shape, and the plant may wilt or collapse.

What happens if the cell membrane malfunctions?

Harmful substances may enter the cell or important materials may leak out.

What happens if the cytoplasm malfunctions?

Cell processes slow down because organelles can’t move properly.

What happens if the nucleus malfunctions?

The cell loses control and DNA instructions are not followed correctly.

What happens if the mitochondria malfunction?

The cell does not get enough energy and becomes weak.

What happens if the chloroplast malfunctions?

The plant can’t make food using sunlight and may weaken or die.

What happens if the vacuole malfunctions?

The cell can’t store water, food, or waste, and the plant may wilt.

What is Variation?

Differences in traits among individuals in a population (example: some rabbits are fast, some are slow).

What is Overproduction?

Organisms produce more offspring than can survive (example: fish lay thousands of eggs, but only a few survive).

What is Competition?

Organisms compete for limited resources like food, water, and space (example: animals competing for food)

What is an Adaptation?

A trait that helps an organism survive in its environment (example: brown fur helps rabbits blend in).

What is Survival and Reproduction?

Organisms with helpful traits survive longer and have more offspring (example: brown rabbits survive and reproduce more).

What is Domain Eukaryota?

Organisms with cells that contain a nucleus

What is Kingdom Animalia?

Multicellular organisms that eat other organisms for energy

What is Phylum Chordata?

Animals with a backbone (vertebrates)

What are invertebrates?

Animals without a backbone; they make up most animal species

What is Phylum Arthropoda?

The largest phylum; includes insects, spiders, and crabs with exoskeletons

What are endotherms?

Animals that regulate their own body temperature (warm-blooded)

What are ectotherms?

Animals whose body temperature depends on the environment

How do animals adapt for movement?

Body shape, muscles, and limbs help determine how fast they move

What is companion planting?

Different kinds of plants grown together because they help each other grow better.

What is allelopathy?

When plants release chemicals into the soil that affect the growth of nearby plants (can help or harm).

What is the neighboring effect?

The influence one plant has on the growth of another nearby plant.

What are abiotic factors?

Non-living parts of an environment like sunlight, water, temperature, soil, and humidity

What are biotic factors?

Living or once-living parts of an environment like plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.

What is a controlled variable?

A factor kept the same in an experiment so the test is fair (a constant).

What is a dependent variable?

What you measure or observe in an experiment (the results/data).

What is an independent variable?

What you change in an experiment (the factor being tested).

What is an autotroph?

An organism that makes its own food using sunlight or chemicals (like plants).

What is a heterotroph?

An organism that gets energy by eating other organisms.

What are bacteria?

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms that can live in many environments.

What is a eukaryote (eukaryotic cell)?

A cell or organism with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

What is a prokaryote (prokaryotic cell)?

A cell that does not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles (like bacteria).

What are fungi?

Organisms that absorb nutrients from other materials; includes mushrooms and mold.

What are hyphae?

Thin, thread-like structures that make up fungi.

What is mycelium?

A network of hyphae that forms the main body of a fungus.

What are spores?

Tiny reproductive cells that can grow into new organisms (like fungi or some bacteria).

What is a protist?

A diverse group of mostly single-celled eukaryotic organisms (like amoeba or algae).

What is a parasite?

An organism that lives on or inside another organism and harms it to get food or shelter.

What is a vaccine?

A substance that helps the immune system recognize and fight a disease.

What is a virus?

A tiny infectious particle that must live inside a host cell to reproduce.