Untitled Flashcard Set

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down into smaller substances by chemical means.

Essential Elements of Life

Four elements (Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen) that make up 96% of the mass of all living things.

Proton

Positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

Subatomic particle with no charge, found in the nucleus alongside protons.

Electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom.

Isotope

Same element with different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different masses.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in charged ions.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when two atoms share electrons.

Hydrophilic

Substances that are attracted to water and can dissolve in it.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not dissolve in water.

Polarity of Water

Water has a partial positive charge on hydrogen atoms and a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom.

Cohesion

The tendency of water molecules to stick to one another due to hydrogen bonding.

Adhesion

The tendency of water molecules to stick to other substances.

pH Scale

A logarithmic scale used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, ranging from 1 to 14.

Monomer

The individual building block of a polymer.

Polymer

A large molecule made up of repeating subunits or monomers.

Glycosidic Linkage

A covalent bond formed between monosaccharides in carbohydrates.

Peptide Bond

The bond formed between two amino acids during protein synthesis.

Nucleotide

The monomer of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Chloroplast

The organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

A network of membranes involved in protein and lipid synthesis.

Mitochondria

Organelles known as the powerhouse of the cell, responsible for energy production.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal conditions in an organism.

Gene

A segment of DNA that codes for a protein and determines a trait.

Allele

Different forms of a gene that can exist at a given locus.

Homozygous

An organism that has two identical alleles for a given trait.

Heterozygous

An organism that has two different alleles for a given trait.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Genetic Drift

A change in allele frequency caused by random sampling of organisms.

Biotic Factor

A living component of an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factor

A nonliving component of an ecosystem.

Symbiosis

A close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits at the expense of the other.