Grade 11 Life Sciences Examination Guidelines (CAPS)

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key terms, physiological concepts, assessment levels, and ecological definitions from the Grade 11 Life Sciences Examination Guidelines (CAPS 2024).

Specific Aim 1

Relates to the knowing of the subject content in Life Sciences.

Specific Aim 2

Relates to doing science or practical work and scientific investigations.

Specific Aim 3

Relates to understanding the applications of Life Sciences in everyday life, the history of scientific discoveries, and the relationship between indigenous knowledge and science.

Level 7 learners

Extremely high-achieving learners who are discriminated from other high ability/proficiency learners by very difficult examination questions (constituting 5% of the paper).

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism that lacks a distinct, membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryote

An organism composed of cells that contain a membrane-bound nucleus and organized membrane-bound organelles.

Viruses

Acellular, non-living parasitic microscopic entities that require a host cell in order to reproduce.

Binary fission

A form of asexual reproduction typical in bacteria in which a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

Natural immunity

Innate resistance or inherited defense mechanisms against infection that an organism possesses from birth without prior medical intervention.

Acquired immunity

Protection against specific pathogens that an organism develops over its lifetime, either through prior infection or vaccination.

Phylogenetic tree

A branching diagram or cladogram that illustrates evolutionary relationships and major structural changes across groups of organisms over geological time.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from an anther to a receptive stigma of a flower.

Cephalisation

The evolutionary concentration of sensory organs, nervous tissue, and the brain at the anterior (head) end of an animal's body.

Coelom

A fluid-filled internal body cavity lined entirely with mesoderm tissue that separates the alimentary canal from the outer body wall.

Light-dependent phase

The phase of photosynthesis occurring in the grana of chloroplasts where chlorophyll absorbs radiant energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and produce ATP.

Light-independent phase

The dark phase of photosynthesis occurring in the stroma of chloroplasts where atmospheric carbon dioxide combines with energized hydrogen atoms using ATP to form carbohydrates.

Glycolysis

The initial step of aerobic cellular respiration occurring in the cytosol where glucose is broken down into pyruvic acid, releasing energized hydrogen atoms and ATP.

Krebs Cycle

A cyclic series of reactions in the mitochondrion occurring in the presence of oxygen where pyruvic acid is broken down to release energized hydrogen atoms and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$).

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The stage of cellular respiration occurring in the mitochondrion where energized hydrogen atoms form ATP and ultimately combine with oxygen to produce water.

Dentition

The development, arrangement, and specialized forms of teeth in an animal adapted to its specific diet (herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore).

Peristalsis

Rhythmic, wave-like contractions and relaxations of involuntary muscles along the alimentary canal that propel food through the digestive tract.

Assimilation

The uptake and incorporation of absorbed nutrients from the bloodstream into the cells and tissues of the body for growth, repair, and metabolism.

Deamination

The chemical process in the liver involving the removal of the amino group from excess amino acids to form urea.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a constant, stable internal physiological environment in an organism within narrow limits despite external changes.

Negative feedback mechanism

A self-regulating control system in which a corrective mechanism is activated to reverse a detected deviation from the normal set point.

Osmoregulation

The homeostatic regulation of the water balance and salt concentrations in bodily fluids, coordinated in humans by hormones such as ADH and aldosterone.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size of a biological species that a given environment can sustainably support without degrading the habitat.

Competitive exclusion

An ecological principle stating that two species competing for the exact same limiting resources cannot coexist at stable population levels, leading to one outcompeting or eliminating the other.

Resource partitioning

The evolutionary process by which competing species utilize different resources or niches to coexist and reduce competition.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

The intensified retention of infrared radiation in the atmosphere caused by elevated human-induced concentrations of greenhouse gases, leading to global warming.

Carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (predominantly carbon dioxide and methane) produced directly or indirectly by a person, organization, or activity.

Eutrophication

The excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, causing rapid algal bloom and subsequent oxygen depletion in the aquatic ecosystem.

Food security

Access for all people at all times to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.

Monoculture

The agricultural practice of cultivating a single crop species repeatedly over a large land area, leading to reduced biodiversity and soil degradation.