Regents Living Environment

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in living things

Qualitative

Describes qualities or characteristics (like color, shape

Cellular respiration

How cells break down sugar to get energy

Photosynthesis

How plants make their own food using sunlight.

autotroph

Organisms that make their own food (like plants)

Heterotroph

An organism that consumes its food

Meiosis

Cell division that makes sex cells (sperm and egg)

Gametes

Sex cells (sperm and egg)

Diploid

Cells with two sets of chromosomes.

Haploid

A cell or organism with one set of chromosomes

Restriction enzyme

Proteins that cut DNA at specific spots.

Cell differentiation

Process where cells become specialized in function.

coding DNA

DNA that has instructions for making proteins.

non coding DNA

DNA that doesn’t have instructions for making proteins.

Gene recombination

Mixing of genes during reproduction.

Trophic levels

Levels in a food chain (like producer, consumer)

Examples of trophic levels

consumers,producers,decomposers

Carbon cycle

Movement of carbon through the environment.

Aerobic respiration

Generating energy with oxygen

Anaerobic respiration

Generating energy without oxygen

water cycle

Movement of water through the environment (evaporation, condensation, precipitation).

Natural Selection

the process where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce

Natural selection leads to

Evolution

Symbiosis

Long term relationship between species where at least one benefits

Competition

When organisms fight for the same resources.

Prrdation

When one organism hunts and eats another.

Prophase

Starts to make chromosomes

Metaphase

Chromosomes line up in middle

Anaphase

Chromosomes move away to poles

Telophase

Chromosomes begin to split

Why are proteins important for living oragnisms

They act as biological catalysts and provide support to cell tissues

Homeostasis

Maintaining a stable internal environment

Negative feedback loop

A process that counteracts a change to maintain balance.

Positive feedback loop

A process that amplifies a change.

Gene expression

Appearance of genes in physical traits ex. Hair color

Phenotype

Observable trait ex eye color👀

Genotype

complete set of genes in an organism

Primary succession

Life starts from scratch — no soil!