biology regents terms

observation

any information that is collected with any of the senses.

interference

an unproven conclusion that is made from an observation.

hypothesis

a statement that predicts a relationship between cause and effect in a way that can be used.

data

the recorded results of specific trials or tests.

reproduction

the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced from their parents. It can occur through sexual or asexual means

sexual reproduction

the process where two parents contribute genetic material to produce offspring, involving the fusion of male and female gametes.

asexual reproduction.

the process of producing offspring from a single parent without the fusion of gametes.

binary fission

aform of asexual reproduction in which a bacterium divides into two identical offspring.

stimulus, stimuli ( plural)

any change in the environment that causes you to react.

homeostasis

the ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

evolution.

the process by which species (not individuals) have changed over a long period of time.

enzymes

biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms. synthesized in the ribosomes and operate in specific temperature and ph ranges. most important thing about them is their shape.

ecology

the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.

species

a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. they also share certain characteristics.

population

composed of one species in a specific area.

ecosystem

all of the living ( biotic) and non-living ( abiotic) things that interact in a specific area.

nutrition

the supply of materials that organisms and cells require to live.

autotrophic nutrition

the process of organisms making their own food.

heterotrophic nutrition

the process of organisms obtaining food ( energy ) from their environment ( other organisms)

autotroph

a producer (organism) that makes its own food from light energy ( sunlight) and inorganic materials( carbon dioxide and water)

heterotroph

an organism that cannot make own food ; a consumer

decomposer

a heterotrophic organism, generally a bacteria or fungus that consumes dead organisms and organic waste.

scavenger

an animal that feeds on dead organisms. Note that they do not convert organic into inorganic.

food chain

an energy model that identifies the specific feeding relationships among organisms ( one path). it begins with a producer/autotroph and ends with a decomposer.

food web

a model (drawing) of many interconnected food chains that shows the feeding relationships among producers, consumers and decomposers.

energy pyramid

a graphical representation, showing the flow of energy at each tropic level in an ecosystem.

10% rule

only 10% of the energy goes up each tropic level.

producer

an organism (autotroph) that makes its own food from light energy and inorganic materials

consumers

an organism that cannot make its own food; a heterotroph

herbivores

primary consumers

carnivores

organisms that only eat meat; can be secondary or tertiary consumers.

omnivores

organisms that eat meat and plants; can be secondary or tertiary consumers .

abiotic

nonliving parts of the environment

biotic

the living parts of the environment

abiotic factors

the nonliving parts of the environment that can often have a major influence on living organisms

predator

an animal that naturally hunts the other animals as food

prey

an animal that naturally gets hunted ( as food ) by predators

symbiosis

the interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association

mutualism

interdependent relationship that is beneficial to both organisms involved

parasite

an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species( host)

host

an animal or plant on or in which a parasite lives

habitat

the place where a plant or animal lives

niche

the specific role played by an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem

carrying capacity

the maximum number of organisms that an ecosystem can hold

limiting factor

any factor in the environment that limits the size of the population

cell

the basic unit of life and makes up of all living things

cell theory

cells are the smallest unit of life, all living things come from cells, and all cells come from other cells

eukaryotic cells

the presence of a membrane-bound nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

prokaryotic cells

single-celled organisms lacking a defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

plasmids

a small circular dna strand in the cytoplasm of a bacterium or protozoan

phagocytosis

the process by which a cell engulfs a particle and digests it.

pinocytosis

the process by which small particles outside the cell are brought into the cell by starching the cell membrane into a path into the cell.

nucleus

a large structure within the cell that controls the cells metabolism and stores genetic or hereditary information. contains the nucleolus

chromosomes

think threadlike structure made up of highly wound dna that is found within the nucleus

somatic cells

All of the body cells which aren’t sperm and eggs cells also are diploid cells

gametes

sperm cells egg cells

ribosomes

site of protein synthesis, created in the nucleus

vacuole

small storage sacs within the cytoplasm of a cell that may contain either wastes or useful materials such as water or food

large vacuoles

storage sacs within the cytoplasm of a cell, they are much larger than in the animal cell

cloloroplasts

site of photosynthesis found only in plant cells and in algae

photosynthesis

the process in which green plants use sunlight to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water.

chlorophyll

a green pigment present in the chloroplasts of all green plants and in cyanobacteria

cell wall

An organelle found in plant cells and bacteria outside of the cell membrane

stomates

tiny pores on the surface of a leaf which serves as the site for gas exchange

guard cells

a pair of curved cells that surround a stoma and regulates gases exchange

mitochondria

powerhouse of the cell site of cellular respiration found in eukaryotes but not in prokaryotes

cellular respiration

occurs in the mitochondria, converts oxygen into glucose into ATP

lactic acid

a substance synthezied during anaerobic cellular respiration

lysosomes

an organelle found in animal cells not plant cells, breaks down wastes and damages organelle with the help of digestive enzymes inside it.

cell membrane

a phospholipid bi-layer that protects the cell from its environment and its made up of proteins and lipids responsible of the transport of specific materials in and out of the cell.

receptors

a specialized protein molecule that is attached to the cell membrane and interact with hormones and a neurotransmitter as a means of communication.

diffusion

the movement of molecules from high concentration to Low concentration. also is the movement of molecules from a crowded environment to a less crowded environment .does not use ATP

active transport

the movement of molecules from high concentration to Low concentration. Also is the movement of molecules from a less- crowded environment to a more crowded environment .does use ATP

acid rain

it contains sulfur and nitrogen acid and it caused by factory emissions.

human population growth

caused by medical advances in the last 60-70 years, and is the cause of all environmental problems

osmosis

the movement of water molecules from high concentration to low concentration and the movement of water molecules from a crowded environment to a less crowded environment .

equilibrium

the state of balance

ATP

a form of energy/cellular energy, used only in active transport, synthesized in the mitochondria and is a product of cellular respiration.

tissue

a group of specialized cells that perform a specific function together.

organ

structure made up of different kinds of tissues that perform a specific function.

inorganic substances

substances which are necessary for life but do not contain these three elements together: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (cho)

organic substances

make up living things, eating by living things contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

monomers

building blocks of biomolecules( carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids)

polymers

a substance that has a molecular structure consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together.

carbohydrates (cho)

carbohydrates along with lipids/ fats that give us energy, and is a quicker source of energy than lipids/ fats when the body's carbohydrate supply is depleted.

monosaccharides

the building blocks of disaccharide (such as sucrose and lactose) and polysaccharides ( such as cellulose and starch)

polysaccharides

a carbohydrate whose molecules consist of a number of sugar molecules bonded together.

pasta loading

when athletes eat pasta (starch) in anticipation of rigorous activity the next day. based on the fact that the starch will digest over time releasing glucose for energy.

indicators

substances used to show visually ( as by a change in color) the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of a particular material.

glucose

a simple sugar, a monosaccharide that is synthesized by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide using energy from sunlight.

insulin

a protein hormone which regulates or normalizes blood sugar or glucose levels

pancreas

an organ responsible for the synthesis ( creation) of insulin, part of the endocrine system.

glycogen

( animal starch) made up of excess glucose stored as a future energy source.

diabetes

A disease that occurs when your blood glucose also called blood sugar Is to high

lipids

stored long term energy, the energy is stored in the chemical bonds where the monomers for it are glycerol and fatty acids.

proteins

polypeptides, made up of amino acids ( monomers, building blocks) and is synthesized in the ribosome.

amino acids

( monomers) building blocks of protein polymer which are held together by peptide bonds to make proteins

translation

building amino acids into proteins, occurs in the ribosomes aka protein synthesis

nucleic acids

genetic, hereditary materials synthesized in the nucleus

nucleotides

the monomers of nucleic acids