Grade 10 Life Science: The Chemistry of Life, Cells, and Tissues

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering Grade 10 Life Science notes on biochemistry, cell structures, cell division, and plant/animal tissues.

Molecule

Formed when two or more atoms combine together.

Organic Compound

Chemical substances that always contain carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), making up over 90% of all known compounds.

Monosaccharides

Single sugars, such as glucose, which are the basic units of carbohydrates.

Benedict’s solution

A reagent used to test for the presence of glucose; it turns red-brown when heated if glucose is present.

Disaccharides

Double sugars formed when two single sugars join together, such as sucrose.

Polysaccharides

Large carbohydrate molecules, such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose, made of many sugar units.

Glycogen

A form of starch found in animal cells, stored mainly in the liver and muscles.

Cellulose

The main component of plant cell walls, made of glucose molecules joined in a specific way.

Lipids

Fats and oils made of three fatty acids joined to a glycerol molecule, containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids found mainly in plants that are liquid at room temperature and generally healthier for human consumption.

Saturated fatty acids

Fats found in animals that are solid at room temperature.

Proteins

Large molecules made of amino acids containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Biuret test

A chemical test used to identify the presence of proteins.

Catalyst

A substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction without being changed itself.

Enzymes

Specific biological catalysts made of protein that are sensitive to temperature and pH.

Active site

A region on an enzyme with a specific shape that matches and binds to a substrate molecule.

De-natured

The state of an enzyme when its active site shape changes permanently due to heat or other factors, rendering it non-functional.

Nucleotides

The building blocks of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.

Water

The most important inorganic molecule for living organisms, with the chemical formula $H_2O$.

Macro-elements

Minerals that are needed in relatively large quantities by plants and animals.

Micro-elements

Minerals that are needed in relatively small quantities by plants and animals, such as Iron ($Fe$) and Iodine ($I$).

Leaching

The removal of mineral salts from the soil by the movement of water through the soil.

Eutrophication

The process where high levels of nutrients stimulate aquatic plant growth, which uses up dissolved oxygen and blocks light during decomposition.

Cell Theory

A theory stating all living things consist of cells, cells are the smallest living things, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Cytoplasm

A fluid-like substance made mainly of water that fills the cell and stores/circulates materials.

Mitochondria

Organelles with smooth outer and folded inner membranes where cellular respiration takes place to release energy.

Ribosomes

Small granules consisting of two sub-units that help to make new proteins.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Double membranes that fold into channels; the rough type has ribosomes and manufactures proteins.

Golgi Bodies

A stack of membranes that process, pack, and distribute proteins and lipids into vesicles.

Lysosomes

Tiny sacs containing enzymes that break down lipids, proteins, foreign material, and dead cells.

Tonoplast

The membrane surrounding the large fluid-filled vacuole in a plant cell.

Chloroplast

A plastid containing the green pigment chlorophyll used for photosynthesis.

Diffusion

The movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Osmosis

The movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from a high to a low water concentration.

Active Transport

The movement of molecules across a membrane against a concentration gradient using energy and carrier proteins.

Interphase

The stage of the cell cycle where the cell grows, replicates DNA, and prepares for division.

Chromatids

Two identical strands of a copied chromosome joined together by a centromere.

Mitosis

Nuclear division consisting of four phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Cytokinesis

The division of the cytoplasm to form two separate daughter cells.

Malignant

A term for a cancerous tumor that spreads to other parts of the body via the blood.

Tissue

A group of specialized cells that have the same structure and carry out a certain function.

Cuticle

A waxy, waterproof layer produced by the epidermis of stems and leaves to prevent water loss.

Xylem

Plant tissue consisting of tracheids and vessels that transport water and mineral salts from the roots.

Phloem

Plant tissue consisting of sieve tubes and companion cells that transport food from the leaves.

Meristematic tissue

Plant tissue found at the tips of roots and stems responsible for growth through continuous cell division.