Bio Regents Prep

Practice for the Regents

Cells

Smallest living thing that makes up organisms

Mitochondria

Organelles known as the powerhouse of the cell, where energy (ATP) is made

Organization Order

Cell → Tissue → Organ → System →

Organism

System made up of interacting organ systems that can maintain homeostasis and carry out life processes

Negative Feedback

A response that returns the body to normal conditions.

Example: High blood sugar → pancreas releases

insulin → blood sugar decreases.

Abiotic

Non-living

Circulatory

Transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste via blood

(heart, blood vessels)

Excretory

Removes wastes like urea and CO2; maintains water

and salt balance (kidneys, lungs, skin).

Nervous

Sends electrical signals to detect and respond to stimuli (brain, spinal cord,

nerves).

Respiratory

Exchanges gases—brings in O2 and releases CO2

(lungs, trachea).

Immune

Protects against pathogens using white blood cells,

antibodies, lymph nodes.

Reproductive

Produces gametes; allows fertilization and

development of offspring.

Proteins

Proteins are folded chains of amino acids that

perform many roles

Enzymes

Speed up chemical reactions

Antibodies

Antibodies recognize and help destroy

pathogens

Receptors

Receptors receive signals (e.g., hormones,

neurotransmitters).

Structural proteins

Structural proteins (e.g., collagen, keratin)

provide support.

Transport proteins

Transport proteins move substances

across membranes.

osmosis

Water diffusion across membrane

diffusion

Diffusion Particles move from high → low concentration

Nucleus

stores DNA

Ribosome

builds proteins

Chloroplast

makes glucose using light

Cell membrane

controls entry/exit, site of

diffusion/osmosis

Mitosis

Makes identical body cells (for growth and repair)

Photosynthesis (Plants only – in chloroplasts)

Stores energy in glucose.

Cellular Respiration (All living things – in mitochondria)

Releases energy for cells to use.

Energy Flow

Only 10% of energy is passed to the next level; most is lost as heat.

Eutrophication

● Runoff adds extra nitrogen/phosphorus →

algae bloom → oxygen drops → fish die.

● Demonstrates how changes in nutrient

cycles disrupt ecosystems

Carrying Capacity

● Max population size the environment can support

long-term.

● Affected by biotic and abiotic factors

Meiosis

Makes gametes with half the chromosomes (egg/sperm).

 Mutations

Change in DNA sequence

Evolution Evidence

Fossils, DNA/embryo similarities, homologous structures.

Carbon Cycle

● Photosynthesis removes CO2

● Respiration, decomposition, and

burning fossil fuels return CO2

Engineering Design

define → brainstorm → prototype → test → improve → explain

Acidic

Acidic generally means having the properties of an acid, specifically possessing a sour taste or a low pH level.

Acid Rain

any form of precipitation

Active transport

low to high concentration

Adaption Value

The significance of a trait or characteristic that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Aids

disease caused which attacks the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Allergy

an immune response over a harmless substance

Amino Acids

organisms that combine into proteins

Antibiotic

medicine used to treat a virus

Asexual reproduction

a single parent produces offspring

ATP

energy made by photosynthesis

Autotroph

An autotroph is an organism that creates its own food by converting inorganic materials into organic nutrients (producer)

Bacterium

single celled living organism

Base

starting point

Bias

closed minded

Biochemical process

the application of biological and engineering principles to scale up biochemical reactions

Biome

a large, naturally occurring community of flora and fauna adapted to a specific set of environmental conditions

Biosphere

the global ecological system encompassing all living beings and the environments they inhabit

Biotech

a multidisciplinary field that harnesses living cells, organisms, and biological systems to develop technologies and products.

Biotic

Living organism

Body cells

building blocks of all living things

Carnivore

an organism that meets its nutritional and energy needs primarily or exclusively by consuming animal tissues

Catalyst

broadly defined as a substance that accelerates a chemical reaction

Chlorophyll

the green pigment found in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that absorbs sunlight to drive photosynthesis

Chromotography

one way to see who is most closely related

Chromosome

a thread-like structure made of nucleic acids and proteins found in the nucleus of most living cells

Climax Community

the final, stable stage of ecological succession

Community

all the interacting populations of different species living in the same geographic area at the same time