Living Environment Regents Prep

observations

Any information that is collected with

any of the senses

data

The results of specific trials or tests

completed during experiments

hypothesis

A statement that predicts a relationship between cause and effect in a way that can be tested

sexual reproduction

a method of reproduction that involves

two parents producing offspring that

are genetically different from either

parent

asexual reproduction

a method of reproduction in which all

the genes passed on to the offspring

come from a single individual or parent

stimulus

any change in the environment that

causes an organism to react

homeostasis

the ability of an organism to maintain a

stable internal environment even when

the external environment changes

evolution

the process by which species have

changed over time

nucleus

a large structure within a cell that

controls the cell's metabolism and

stores genetic information, including

chromosomes and DNA

amino acid

any one of several building blocks of

protein

enzyme

proteins that speed up the rate of

chemical reactions in living things

ecology

The study of how living things interact

with each other and with their

environment

species

A group of organisms that share certain

characteristics and can mate with one

another, producing fertile offspring

population

All the individuals of a single species

that live in a specific area

community

A combination of all the different

populations that live and interact in the

same environment

ecosystem

All the living and non-living things that

interact in a specific area; a subdivision

of the environment

autotroph

An organism that produces its own

food; the source of energy for all other

living things on Earth

heterotroph

An organism that cannot make its own

food; a consumer

producer

An organism that makes its own food

from light energy and inorganic

materials

consumer

An organisms that obtains it's energy

from producers

decomposer

An organism, generally a bacteria or

fungus, that consumes dead organisms

and organic waste

food chain

A representation that identifies the

specific relationships among organisms

food web

A representation of many

interconnected food chains that shows

the feeding relationships among

producers, consumers, and

decomposers

biotic

The living parts of the environment

abiotic

Nonliving parts of the environment

habitat

The place where a plant or animal lives

niche

The specific role played by an

organism or a population of organisms

in the ecosystem

ecological succession

The process by which an existing

community is replaced by another

community

limiting factor

Any factor in the environment that

limits the size of a population

biodiversity

The variety of species in an area

extinction

the disappearance of all members of a

species from earth

global warming

An increase in Earth's average surface

temperature caused by an increase in

greenhouse gases

cell

the basic unit of structure and function

that makes up all organisms

chromosome

a thick threadlike structure that

contains genetic information in the

form of DNA

ribosome

tiny structures in the cell that are the

sites of protein production

vacuole

storage sacs within the cytoplasm of a

cell that may contain either wastes or

useful materials, such as water or food

mitochondrion

pod-shaped organelles that contain

enzymes used to extract energy from

nutrients

chloroplast

green organelles that contain

chlorophyll; where photosynthesis

takes place

cell membrane

the thin boundary between the cell and

its environment

equilibrium

the constant small corrections that

normally occur to keep an organism's

internal environment within the limits

needed for survival

tissue

a group of specialized cells that

perform a specific function

organ

a body structure made of different

kinds of tissues combined to perform a

specific function

organ system

several organs that work together to

perform a major function in the body

cellular respiration

the process in which nutrients are

broken apart, releasing the chemical

energy stored in them

mitosis

the process that divides the cell's

nucleus into two, each with a complete

set of genetic material from the parent

cell

meiosis

the process that results in the

production of sex cells (sperm and egg)

fertilization

the process that combines a sperm cell

and an egg cell

trait

a characteristic that is passed from

parent to offspring through the genes

gene

a segment of DNA (on a chromosome)

that contains the code for a specific

trait

mutation

any alteration in the sequence of DNA

selective breeding

the process of choosing a few

organisms with desirable traits to serve

as the parents of the next generation

genetic engineering

a set of technologies that humans use to

alter the genetic instructions of an

organism by substituting DNA

molecules

fossil record

a collection of fossils used to represent

Earth's history

natural selection

the process by which the organisms

that are best adapted to a specific

environment survive and produce more

offspring that organisms that are not as

well adapted

relative dating

determining the order of past events without determining absolute age

period

length of time

order

families sharing a set of similar characteristics

bacteria

any one of many single-celled

organisms without a distinct nucleus

fungi

the kingdom of organisms that are

mostly multicellular, have cell walls

made of chitin, and are heterotrophic

virus

a nonliving particle of protein and

genetic material that reproduces by

invading the cell of a living organism

pathogen

an organism that invades the body,

causing disease

vaccine

a substance made of weakened, killed,

or partial pathogens and designed to

protect the body from future invasions

of that pathogen

antibiotic

medicine that inhibits the growth of bacteria

leaf

flattened structure attached to stem where photosynthesis occurs

stem

the mains stalk of a plant

seed

product of plan that contains seeds

embryo

an organism in the early stages of

development

guard cell

specialized cells that control the

opening and closing of the pores on the

surface of a leaf

hormone

a chemical produced in the endocrine

glands

crop

food that is grown

placenta

the organ that enables nutrients and

oxygen to pass from the mother's blood

to the fetus, and waste products to pass

from the fetus to the mother's blood

communication

exchange of information between organs

drug

substance that has an effect when introduced to the body

fat

compound made of fatty acid molecules

liver

large organ involved in neutralizing toxins

pituitary gland

the master gland of the endocrine system; located at the base of the brain

zygote

the cell that results from the joining of

the egg and sperm

fetus

the unborn, developing young of an

animal during the later stages of

development

disease

a condition, other than injury, that

prevents the body from working as it

should

antigen

a molecule found on the outer surfaces

of cells that the immune system

recognizes as either part of the body or

an outside invader