Biology Regents Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from the Biology Regents Review notes.

Homeostasis

A balanced state in an organism’s body.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical processes that occur in a living organism.

Cellular Respiration

The process of converting energy in food into usable form (ATP).

Nutrient

Substances that organisms use for growth, synthesis, repair, and energy.

Organic Compounds

Large, complex molecules that always contain the elements carbon and hydrogen.

Carbohydrates

Polymers made of simple sugars, providing energy and storing energy in plants.

Proteins

Polymers made of amino acids with various functions; they must have specific shapes to function.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers composed of nucleotides; DNA and RNA are examples.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells without a nucleus; DNA floats in the cytoplasm.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells with a nucleus and several organelles.

Diffusion

Movement of substances from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Photosynthesis

The process in which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Natural Selection

The mechanism by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Speciation

The process of forming a new species from an existing species through evolution.

Vaccine

An injection that stimulates the body's immune response against a specific disease.

Antibody

Proteins produced by white blood cells that specifically target and neutralize pathogens.

Genes

Segments of DNA that code for proteins and determine traits.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in proteins and traits.