bio test one

Reductionism

Reducing complex systems to simpler components that are easier to study.

Emergent Properties

Properties that arise from the interactions and organization of simpler components.

Natural Selection

The process through which traits that enhance survival and reproduction are passed on to future generations.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize proteins.

Energy Flow

The movement of energy through a biological system, including how energy is obtained, used, and lost.

Species Interaction

The ways in which organisms interact with each other, other species, and their environment.

Descent with Modification

The concept that species change over time, giving rise to new species while retaining traits from their ancestors.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that represents the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on ancestry.

Monophyletic

A group of organisms that consists of an ancestor and all its descendants.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.

Polypeptide

A polymer of amino acids joined by peptide bonds.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically with a 2:1 hydrogen to oxygen ratio.

Nucleotides

The monomers of nucleic acids, consisting of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and at least one phosphate group.

Denaturation

The process in which proteins lose their three-dimensional structure due to external stress, such as changes in pH or temperature.

Amino Acids

Organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins.

Hydrophobic

Repellent to water; nonpolar substances that do not mix with water.

Hydrophilic

Attracted to water; polar substances that mix with water.

Trace Elements

Elements required by an organism in minute quantities.

CHNOPS

The six most important elements for life: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains instructions for building a protein.

Taxonomy

The science of classifying organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction that involves the loss of a water molecule from the reacting molecules.

Hydrolysis

A chemical process that splits a molecule by adding water.