Biology 1 Honors End-of-Year Review Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key concepts from Biology 1 Honors End-of-Year Review notes.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated or changed on purpose by the scientist (MIX - Manipulated, Independent, X-axis).

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured and changes in response to the independent variable (DRY - Dependent, Responding, Y-axis).

Control Group

A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, used as a baseline to compare results against.

Biotic

Living or once-living (dead) organisms.

Abiotic

Non-living components of an ecosystem (rocks, weather, climate, water, sun, ice, etc.).

Limiting Factors

Factors that limit population growth/size.

Density-dependent factors

Factors that become more intense as population size increases such as space, competing for food and diseases.

Density-independent factors

Factors that affect a population regardless of its size, such as natural disasters or space debris.

Exponential growth

Rapid population growth without limitations.

Logistic growth

Rapid population growth that levels off at carrying capacity.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can support without environmental degradation.

Predator/Prey

An interaction where one organism (predator) eats another organism (prey).

Mutualism

An interaction where both organisms benefit from the relationship.

Commensalism

An interaction where one organism benefits while the other is unaffected.

Parasitism

An interaction where one organism benefits while the other is harmed.

Primary Succession

Ecological succession that occurs in an environment where no life existed before (e.g., rock being broken down by lichens).

Secondary Succession

Ecological succession that occurs in an environment where life previously existed (e.g., after a fire or flood).

Greenhouse Effect

The process by which CO2, methane, and other gases trap heat on Earth and control its temperature.

Organic Macromolecules

Large organic molecules essential for life, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Carbon Cycle

The biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth.

Photosynthesis

Process by which plants absorb CO2 to produce oxygen and glucose.

Cellular Respiration

Process by which cells release CO2 when things decompose.

ATP

Adenosine Triphosphate: main energy source that cells use for most of their work

ADP

Adenosine Diphosphate: molecule that results from ATP when a phosphate group is removed and releases energy

Mitosis

Cell division that results in two identical daughter cells

Meiosis

Cell division that results in four daughter cells with half the number of chromosomes

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle in which the cell spends the majority of its time and prepares for division with G1, S, and G2 phases.

Cell Wall (Plant)

Plants form a cell plate which becomes the cell wall between the 2 cells

Cleavage Furrow

Animals form a cleavage furrow which separates the two cells

Prophase

First stage of mitosis during which chromosomes become visible

Metaphase

Second stage of mitosis during which chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell

Anaphase

Third stage of mitosis during which chromosomes are pulled apart to opposite sides of the cell

Telophase

Fourth and final stage of mitosis during which a nuclear envelope forms around the separated chromosomes and the cell divides into two

Checkpoints

Pauses in the cell cycle where cells are checked for DNA damage or cell issues

Tumor

Lump or mass of tissue caused by cells growing out of control

Malignant tumors

Aggressive and likely to metastasize (spread), may become cancerous.

Benign tumors

Less aggressive and not likely to spread.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death

Stem Cells

Cells that can differentiate to form cells with specialized functions

Differentiation

Occurs when a cell becomes specialized to perform a certain function

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid - double-stranded molecule that carries genetic information.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid - single stranded molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

Genes

Segments of DNA that code for specific proteins.

Chromosomes

Tightly wrapped DNA.

mRNA

Messenger RNA; carries DNA code to ribosomes

tRNA

Transfer RNA; carries amino acid specified to ribosome

rRNA

Ribosomal RNA; type of RNA that makes up part of the ribosome

Nucleus

Contains DNA which is the code for making proteins

Ribosomes

Site of protein synthesis

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

Contains ribosomes which are the sites of protein synthesis

Golgi Apparatus

Modifies and packages proteins into vesicles

Vesicles

Transport proteins around or out of the cell

Random Fertilization

A unique combination of genes from two unrelated parents

Crossing Over

Two homologous chromosomes (one from mom and one from dad) line up and parts of the chromosomes can be switched.

Independent Assortment

Alleles of different genes separate independently during meiosis, creating new combinations of genes in gametes.

Mutation

Any change in DNA causes genetic variation

Incomplete Dominance

The two dominant phenotypes blend/mix together (red flower + white flower = pink flower)

Codominance

The two dominant phenotypes both show up in offspring (black chicken + white rooster = black & white speckled chicken)

Multiple Alleles

Three or more alleles for a single trait (blood type = A, B, O, AB)

Sex-Linked

Traits that are carried on the sex (X) chromosome (color blindness is carried on the X chromosome so males are 8x more likely to be colorblind)

Natural Selection Prerequisites

Overproduction of offspring, variation, adaptation, descent with modification

Survival of the Fittest

Organisms with beneficial traits will survive and therefore reproduce more than those without the traits

Divergent Evolution

Organisms diverged (split off) from a common ancestor

Convergent Evolution

Organisms share a common trait because they live in a similar environment

Coevolution

Populations evolve in response to one another

Anatomy

Similarities in structures can indicate a common recent ancestor (homologous structures)

Embryology

Anatomical similarities can be seen in embryos that may not be visible in fully developed organisms

Biochemistry

Similarities in DNA suggest common ancestry

Paleontology

Similarities in fossils can indicate common ancestry and determine a time of divergence

Homologous structures

Similar structures found in organisms that share a common ancestor

Analogous structures

Similar structures found in organisms that are not closely related but live in a similar environment