Science, Technology, and Society Review - FTRC Handout

Comprehensive review flashcards covering General Science: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, and Philippine Science and Technology Laws.

Biology (Etymology)

Derived from two Greek words: "bios" (meaning life) and "logos" (meaning study).

Biology

Literally means the "study of life".

Hierarchy of Life: Atom

The most fundamental chemical building block at the base of the hierarchy of life.

Hierarchy of Life: Molecule

A chemical structure composed of two or more atoms bound together.

Hierarchy of Life: Organelle

A functional, specialized sub-component or structure located within a cell.

Hierarchy of Life: Cell

The fundamental unit of structure and function in all living organisms.

Hierarchy of Life: Tissue

A group of similar cells working together to perform a specific function.

Hierarchy of Life: Organ

A specialized body structure composed of several different types of tissues working together.

Hierarchy of Life: System

A coordinated team of organs that work together to perform complex bodily functions.

Hierarchy of Life: Organism

An individual living entity composed of multiple organ systems.

Cytology

The scientific study of cells.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that do not contain a nucleus, with their DNA located in a nucleoid; found in Bacteria and Archaebacteria.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that contain a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; includes Protists, Fungi, Plants, and Animals.

Robert Hooke

Discovered the cell in 1665 from cork made from the bark of an oak tree and coined the term cell ("cellulae", meaning small room).

Robert Brown

Discovered the cell's nucleus.

Virus

Not living, inert chemicals consisting of genetic material surrounded by a protein shell.

Capsid

A protein shell that encloses and protects the viral genetic material ($DNA$ or $RNA$).

Passive Transport

A diffusion of a substance across a membrane with no energy investment, moving down a concentration gradient from high to low concentration.

Diffusion

The tendency for molecules of any substance to spread out evenly into the available space.

Facilitated Diffusion

A type of passive transport aided by transport proteins that speed the movement of molecules across the plasma membrane.

Transport Proteins

Membrane proteins that speed the movement of molecules across the plasma membrane during facilitated diffusion.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane (diffusion of water).

Tonicity

The concentration gradient of dissolved substances in a solution that affects the movement of water across a membrane.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than inside; water enters the cell causing it to swell, become turgid, burst, or lyse.

Turgor Pressure

The pressure exerted on the plasma membrane against the cell wall when water moves into a plant cell in a hypotonic solution.

Isotonic Solution

A solution where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is the same as inside; results in no net movement of water.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is greater than inside; water leaves the cell causing plasmolysis, shrinking, shriveling, or dehydration.

Plasmolysis

The shrinking of a cell's protoplasm away from its cell wall as water exits into a hypertonic solution.

Active Transport

The movement of solutes against their concentration gradients requiring energy, usually in the form of ATP (e.g., ion pumps, cotransport, bulk transport).

Taxonomy

The biological science of classification and naming of organisms.

Levels of Taxonomic Classification

The 8 hierarchical ranks: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species (mnemonic: "Dear King Philip, Come Over For Good Spaghetti").

Carolus Linnaeus

The Father of modern Taxonomy who proposed the system of binomial nomenclature.

Binomial Nomenclature

The scientific system of naming species using a two-part Latin name, proposed by Carolus Linnaeus.

Kingdom Archaebacteria

Archaea organisms that live in various places, some even in the most severe environments; examples include Methanogens, Halophiles, and Thermophiles.

Kingdom Eubacteria (Monera)

Referred to as the true bacteria and usually called the "bacteria" group; example includes Streptococcus.

Kingdom Protista

A kingdom of eukaryotes including diatoms, algae (green, golden, brown, red algae), Entamoeba histolytica (causes amoebiasis), and Plasmodium (causes malaria).

Kingdom Fungi

A kingdom of eukaryotic heterotrophs; examples include molds, mushrooms, yeasts, and microsporidia.

Kingdom Animalia

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotic heterotrophs comprising invertebrates and vertebrates.

Cnidaria

An invertebrate phylum characterized by having stinging cells (nematocysts); examples include jellyfish and coral.

Nematocyst

A specialized stinging organelle or cell found in cnidarians used for prey capture and defense.

Arthropoda

An animal phylum characterized by jointed legs and segmented bodies; includes insects, crustaceans, arachnids, centipedes, and millipedes.

Molting (Ecdysis)

The process where insects shed off their old cuticle to grow in size.

Nematoda

Roundworms that are unsegmented; examples include pinworm, Ascaris, hookworm, and filarial worm.

Platyhelminthes

Flatworms with soft tissues that are unsegmented; examples include flukes, tapeworms, and planaria.

Annelida

A phylum of segmented worms; examples include leeches and earthworms.

Hermaphroditic (Earthworms)

The condition in earthworms where both male and female reproductive organs are found in the same worm.

Anticoagulation (Leeches)

The medical or physiological property promoted by leeches that prevents blood from clotting during feeding.

Mollusca

An animal phylum of organisms with soft bodies, usually protected by shells; examples include squids, clams, snails, and octopi.

Echinodermata

A marine animal phylum characterized by a spiny body; examples include sea star, sea urchin, sand dollars, sea cucumber, and brittle star.

Chordata

An animal phylum characterized by bilateral symmetry and an internal skeletal axis, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Fish (Pisces)

Chordates characterized by scales, gills, and fins; examples include sharks and lampreys.

Amphibians (Amphibia)

Chordates whose name literally means "two lives"; examples include frogs and salamanders.

Reptiles (Reptilia)

Chordates with eggs and scaly bodies whose name literally means "creeping"; examples include crocodiles, snakes, and turtles.

Birds (Aves)

Chordates possessing 2 scaly legs, wings, and feathers; examples include penguins and ostriches.

Mammals (Mammalia)

Chordates characterized by mammary glands, hairs, and milk production; examples include humans, platypus, and marsupials.

Walrus

Marine mammals that have long ivory tusks and live in an arctic environment.

Kingdom Plantae

Autotrophic or producer organisms that can make their own food; divided into nonvascular and vascular plants.

Botany

The scientific study of plants.

Vascular Plants

Plants possessing specialized tissues (xylem and phloem) to transport water and food; divided into seedless vascular plants and seed vascular plants.

Xylem

Vascular plant tissue that conducts most of the water and dissolved minerals.

Phloem

Vascular plant tissue that distributes sugars and other organic products throughout the plant.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Vascular plants that reproduce via spores rather than producing seeds; exemplified by ferns.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants; the most abundant and widely distributed plants that bear fruit to protect their seeds; categorized into monocots and dicots.

Gymnosperms

Cone-bearing seed plants with "naked seeds" that are not enclosed by fruit; exemplified by conifers.

Flower

The specialized sexual reproductive organ of flowering plants (angiosperms).

Pollination

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

Cross Pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from the anther of one plant to the stigma of a flower on another plant.

Self-Pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from an anther to the stigma within the same flower or the same plant.

Sepals (Calyx)

Outer floral parts, collectively called the calyx, that protect the flower bud before it opens.

Petals (Corolla)

Inner floral parts, collectively called the corolla, that often attract a particular pollinator.

Stamen

The male reproductive part of a flower consisting of the anther, filament, and pollen grains.

Carpel (Pistil)

The female reproductive part of a flower consisting of the stigma, style, ovary (which becomes the fruit), and ovule (which becomes the seed).

Receptacle

The thickened stem base of a flower from which the floral organs sprout.

Parts of a Flower (Diagram)

Anatomical diagram displaying flower structures including petal (corolla), sepal (calyx), stamen (anther, filament), carpel (stigma, style, ovary, ovule), and receptacle.

Fruit

A matured floral ovary that is instrumental in the distribution of seeds and protects the seed.

Vegetative Reproduction

A form of asexual reproduction in plants where new individuals arise from specialized vegetative plant structures without seeds.

Runners (Stolons)

Horizontal stems where new roots and shoots develop at the node; also known as stolons (e.g., strawberry, Bermuda grass, bamboo grass).

Tubers

Underground stems that store food for the plant, whose "eyes" are stem nodes containing clusters of buds (e.g., potato).

Rhizomes

Horizontal underground stems that grow continuously from plant to plant (e.g., ginger).

Bulbs

Shortened, compressed underground stems enclosed by fleshy layers (e.g., onion, garlic).

Corms

Solid, swollen underground stems utilized for nutrient storage (e.g., taro / Colocasia).

Underground Roots

Modified storage roots growing underground; examples include carrots, sweet potatoes (camote), and cassava.

Budding

Asexual reproduction in which the parent organism produces offspring by growing a replica in the form of an outgrowth called a bud (e.g., Hydra, Sponges, Yeast).

Fragmentation

Asexual reproduction where separated pieces of the parent organism can develop into a complete individual (e.g., Sea star, Flatworms, Earthworms).

Binary Fission

A form of asexual reproduction occurring in bacteria where a single cell divides into two identical cells.

Digestive System

The organ system responsible for the mechanical breakdown, chemical enzymatic breakdown, and absorption of food nutrients.

Physical Digestion

The mechanical chewing and breaking down of food in the mouth.

Chemical Digestion

The breakdown of large food molecules into smaller absorbable nutrients by enzymes.

Peristalsis

Wave-like muscle contractions that move food progressively along the digestive tract.

Esophagus

The muscular tube that passes food from your throat (pharynx) to your stomach.

Chyme

The semi-fluid mass of mixed food and gastric juices produced in the stomach.

Small Intestine

The final place of digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, lined with finger-like structures called villi.

Villi

Finger-like microscopic projections in the small intestine that increase surface area for nutrient absorption.

Large Intestine (Colon)

The digestive organ responsible for water absorption and the production of Vitamin K; terminates at the rectum.

Anus

The terminal opening of the digestive tract serving as the passageway in defecation.

Liver

The largest internal organ in the body; creates bile for the emulsification of fats.

Gallbladder

The accessory digestive organ that stores bile produced by the liver.

Pancreas (Digestive Role)

An accessory organ that secretes digestive enzymes for the final digestion of food.

Circulatory System

Transports blood from the heart to the lungs to oxygenate blood, then circulates it to other parts of the body.

Heart

The muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the circulatory system.