Biology - Characteristics of Life Assessment Study Guide

Biology

The study of living things

Cell

The simplest organism that can do all 8 characteristics of life

Prokaryote

Have no nucleus, all bacteria, all unicellular

Eukaryote

Have a nucleus, anything but bacteria, unicellular or multicellular

Nucleus

An organelle in most eukaryote cells, containing genetic material

Nucleoid

DNA containing area of a prokaryote cell

Bacteria

Single celled prokaryotic organism

Cell Differentiation

The process by which a stem cell, matures into specialized cells with specific structured and functions

Population

Organisms of the same species in the same place at the same time

Community

Group of organisms from varying species in the same place at the same time

Ecosystem

Environment with both biotic and abiotic features

Biosphere

The part of the planet and atmosphere that contains life

Abiotic

Non-living, environment

Biotic

Living, organisms

Ecology

The study of how organisms (biotic) relate to/interact with each other and their environment (abiotic)

Autotroph

Organisms capable of synthesizing their own food from inorganic substances using light and/or chemical energy (Organisms that can make their own food)

Heterotroph

Organisms that cannot make their own food and must get their glucose from other organisms

Photosynthesis

The process that autotrophs use to create “food” (glucose) using light energy (Light, to make)

Chemosynthesis

A process by which some organisms, like bacteria, use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates (Chemical, to make)

Cellular respiration

The process of cells breaking down organic substances (food) to get the energy out of it

Herbivore

Organism whose primary food source is plants and other plant-based materials

Carnivore

Organism that primarily consumes other animals as a food source

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain its internal conditions despite changes in the external environment

Ectotherm

Can acclimate to a large temp. range in their environment, therefore spending less energy, Cold blooded

Endotherm

Spend more energy maintaining a small body temp. range, Warm blooded

Grow (growth)

To get bigger in size

Develop (development)

Change in form

Metamorphosis

Quick and drastic physical change and differentiation

Species

Organisms that are able to reproduce and create fertile offspring

Hybrid

The offspring of two different species

Sterile

Unable to reproduce

Fertile

Able to reproduce

Grafting

When parts of two different plants are joined so they will grow as a single plant

Gametes

Sex cells, made through meiosis

Somatic cells

Cells other than sex cells, made through mitosis

Meiosis

Inside the sex organs, how you were formed (sperm + egg)

Mitosis

Cell division, body cells splitting

Hermaphrodite

Any organism that contains both male and female sex organs

Anther

Male sex organ, contains sex cell on a plant

Ovary

Female sex organ, contains sex cell (on a plant)

Pollen

Plant sperm (in anther), gamete

Egg

Female reproductive cell (in ovary), gamete

Pollination

Allows gametes (pollen + egg) to combine and create a zygote inside the ovary

Fertilization

Gametes (sex cells) combine and create a zygote

Seed

Where embryos develop

Fruit

The seed-bearing structure formed from the ovary after flowering

Acclimate

Adjusting to your environment that occur within the lifetime of the individual organism

Adaptation

An inherited genetic mutation allowing an organism to survive and reproduce, over multiple generations adaptations can cause a population to evolve

Mutation

A change in DNA

Artificial Selection

Humans decide who lives/dies & who reproduces with who