Living Environment Regents Exam Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key topics for the Living Environment Regents Exam based on Mr. Barone's review guide.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal balanced environment.

Metabolism

The sum of all the chemical reactions that occur within the cells of an organism.

Vacuoles

Store waste and water (large in plant cells, small in animal cells).

Ribosome

Site of protein synthesis.

Mitochondria

Site of cellular respiration in both plant and animal cells.

Chloroplasts

In plant cells; where the process of photosynthesis occurs.

Nucleus

The control center of the cell and contains DNA.

Cytoplasm

The liquid media that fills the cell.

Passive Transport/Diffusion

Movement of molecules from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration (NO ENERGY USED).

Active Transport

Moving a molecule from LOW concentration to a HIGH concentration (USES ENERGY in the form of ATP).

Hormones

Chemicals produced in the endocrine glands that are primarily responsible for communication between cells.

Respiration

The process used by ALL organisms to produce energy by using oxygen to burn sugar in order to release energy in the form of (ATP).

Digestion

Breaking large molecules down into smaller molecules.

Transport

The movement of materials inside the cell as well as the movement between parts of a multicellular organism.

Excretion

The removal of all waste produced by the cells of the body.

Synthesis

The making or building of large molecules from smaller ones.

Photosynthesis

The process of storing the energy from the sun in the chemical bonds of glucose (sugar).

Cellular Respiration

Occurs in the Mitochondria of All Organisms both plants and animals

Enzymes

Special proteins that affect the rate of chemical reactions.

Dynamic Equilibrium

A steady state-balance.

Negative Feedback

Controls hormone levels to maintain homeostasis.

Antibodies

Special proteins produced by the white blood cells that can be thought of as your body’s army to fight diseases.

Immunity

Our body’s ability to fight disease.

Vaccination

Composed of a weakened or dead virus or bacteria that triggers our white blood cells to produce antibodies to fight a specific pathogen.

Diseases

Caused by pathogens (virus, bacterium, and fungus or protists)

Mitotic division

Asexual Reproduction

Meiotic division

Sexual Reproduction

Gonads

The sex glands (Ovaries and Testis)

Gametes

Sex cells that unite in fertilization to form a ZYGOTE.

Zygote

A fertilized egg.

Fertizilation

When the sperm and egg unite.

Differentiation

The process that transforms developing unspecialized cells into specialized cells with different structures and functions.

Placenta

Organ that is attached to the baby via the umbilical chord and provides nutrients, oxygen to the fetus and removes waste through the process of diffusion.

Karyotype

Visual map of chromosomes.

Cancer

Occurs when certain genetic mutations in a cell can result in uncontrolled cell division.

Heredity

The passing of genetic information from one generation to the next through reproduction.

Clones

Identical genetic copies.

DNA

A double stranded helix polymer of nucleotides that contains the genetic code of the individual.

Nucleotide

The basic unit of DNA which is made of a Phosphate, a Sugar and a Base.

RNA

A single stranded polymer that is produced by DNA.

Mutation

Any alteration of the DNA sequence which changes the normal message carried by the gene.

Genetic Engineering

A technology that humans use to alter the genetic instructions in organisms.

Gene Splicing

Cutting DNA using restriction enzymes and placing it into another organism.

Restriction Enzyme

An enzyme that cuts DNA in specific places and is an essential tool in gene splicing as well as in Gel-electrophoresis.

Selective Breeding

A process of picking parents with favorable traits to produce those traits in the offspring.

Species

A group of closely related organisms that share certain characteristics and can produce offspring capable of reproduction.

Evolution

The process by which organisms have changed over time from simple, single-celled to complex organisms.

Natural Selection

Nature selects those individuals who are best fit for the environment.

Overproduction

More offspring are produced than can survive.

Extinction

The disappearance of an entire species caused by a failure to adapt to a changing environment.

Ecology

The study of how organisms interact with the living and nonliving things.

Biotic factors

Living parts of the ecosystem.

Abiotic factors

Non-living parts of the environment (rocks, air, pH, sunlight)

Niche

A species’ role in it’s environment (it’s JOB and what it EATS).

Population

All the organisms of a species that live in the same area.

Community

All the different populations in an area.

Biosphere

All of earth's ecosystems

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population that an ecosystem can support.

Predators

Kill and eat other organisms.

Autotrophs/Producers

Make their own food by photosynthesis.

Heterotrophs/Consumers

Must eat something for food.

Herbivores

Can only eat plants.

Carnivores

Can only eat animals.

Omnivores

Can eat plants and animals.

Decomposers

Break organisms down and return nutrients to the soil.

Scavengers

Eat dead organisms they did not kill themselves.

Parasites

Live off of another organism (host) and do not kill them usually

Ecological Succession

The orderly sequence of changes in the communities living in a given ecosystem over time.

Biodiversity

A measurement of the degree to which species vary within an ecosystem.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can replenish themselves if not abused (planting of trees).

Nonrenewable Resources

Resources that take a long time to replace or form (like coal, oil)

Pollution

A harmful change in the chemical makeup of the air, water, or soil.

Deforestation

Removing forests for wood or clearing trees for farms.

Independent Variable

The one thing that “I change” to test my hypothesis.

Dependent Variable

The thing that changes because of the IV (DATA collected).

Control Group

The group that is studied under the normal conditions.

Experimental Group

The group that is identical to the control group with the ONE CHANGE or difference.

Paper Chromatography

A laboratory technique that is used to separate different molecules from one another.