Untitled Flashcards Set

Biosphere

Includes all life on Earth and the places where it exists.

Ecosystems

Consists of all living organisms in a particular area and all nonliving components of the environment.

Communities

All organisms in a particular area such as a tide pool.

Populations

Various groups of interacting individuals of one species within a community.

Organisms

An individual living thing.

Tissues

Consist of a group of similar cells performing a specific function.

Cells

The smallest unit that can display all characteristics of life.

Organelles

Functional components of cells such as the nucleus.

Molecules

Clusters of even smaller chemical units called ____.

Chemical bonds

Interactions of atoms that hold them together.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not mix with water.

Evaporative cooling

Process in which the surface of an object becomes cooler during evaporation.

Acid

Chemical compound that releases H+ to a solution.

Base

Compound that accepts H+ and removes them from a solution.

Organic compounds

Carbon-based molecules.

Macromolecules

Four main classes of large biological molecules.

Disaccharide

Double sugar constructed from two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of sugars, polymers of monosaccharides.

Proteins

Polymers of amino acid monomers.

Denaturation

A process in which a protein unravels, losing its specific structure.

Gene

A specific stretch of DNA that programs the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide.

Nucleus

Surrounds most of a eukaryotic cell's DNA and is bounded by a double membrane.

Plasma membrane

All cells are bounded by this barrier.

Ribosomes

Build proteins according to instructions from the genes.

Chloroplast

Organelles that perform photosynthesis.

Mitochondria

Organelles of cellular respiration in nearly all cells.

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion.

Active transport

Requires energy to move molecules across a membrane.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food.

Cellular respiration

The aerobic harvesting of chemical energy from organic fuel molecules.

Enzymes

Proteins that speed up chemical reactions.

Diffusion

Movement of molecules spreading out evenly into the available space.

Homogeneous mixture

A solution consisting of two or more substances that are evenly distributed.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction in which water reacts with a compound to produce other compounds.

Trace elements

Elements required only in small amounts but are essential for life.