Fact (U1,C1)
An objective, verifiable, observation
Principle (U1,C1)
A statement based on repeated experimental observation that describes an aspect of the world
Law (U1,C1)
A broad concept or principle
(how?)
describes patterns in nature
often accepted as facts
Theory (U1,C1)
An explanation of an observed phenomenon
NEVER becomes a fact or a law
Qualitative (U1,C1)
Describes the quality of something
Quantitative (U1,C1)
Uses numbers to measure something
Independent Variable (U1,C1)
What the experimenter will deliberately change or manipulate in the investigation
Dependent Variable (U1,C1)
What changes in response to the independent variable
Constants/Controlled Variables (U1,C1)
The aspects of an experiment that are held constant/consistent
Experimental Group(s) (U1,C1)
Groups that are being tested in an experiment
Control Group (U1,C1)
Group used for comparison with your experimental groups - This is the “normal” group
Technology (U1,C1)
The application of scientific discoveries to meet human needs and goals through the development of products and processes
Engineering (U1,C1)
Applies scientific and mathematic principles to solve problems
Matter (U1,C2)
Anything that has mass and occupies space
Atom (U1,C2)
The smallest part of an element (think PT) that still has the properties of an element
Cell (U1,C2)
Most basic unit of life
Surface Tension (U1,C2)
Tendency of molecules of the same “kind” to stick together
Solution (U1,C2; U2,C2)
Uniform mixture of two or more substances
Solute (U1,C2; U2,C2)
What gets dissolved
Solvent (U1,C2; U2,C2)
What does the dissolving
Hydrophilic (U1,C2)
Water “loving,” has an affinity for water
Hydrophobic (U1,C2)
Water “fearing,” does NOT have an affinity for water
Macromolecules (U1,C3)
Large organic molecules (carbon-containing) that make up all living things
Monomer (U1,C3)
Small, basic sub-units
Polymer (U1,C3)
Larger, more complex structures made of monomers
Monosaccharide (U1,C3)
Single sugar molecules
Polysaccharide (U1,C3)
Larger sugar molecules
Unicellular (U2,C1)
Composed of one cell
Multicellular (U2,C1)
Composed of many cells that may organize into tissues →organs →organ systems
Organelle (U2,C1)
Specialized structures within the cell that work together to help the cell function
Homeostasis (U2,C2)
Need of an organism to stay stable by regulating internal conditions
Concentration (U2,C2)
Amount of solute dissolved in solvent
symbol: [ ]
Concentration gradient (U2,C2)
Difference in concentration of a substance from one location to another
Phagocytosis (U2,C2)
Cell “eating”
Pinocytosis (U2,C2)
Cell “drinking”
Differentiation (U2,C3)
A process that creates special structures and functions
Stem Cells (U2,C3; U5,C4)
Undifferentiated cells that become differentiated into one of more types of specialized cells
Gastrula (U2,C3)
Embryo with 3 differentiated germ layers
Organogenesis (U2,C3)
The process of body organ and organ system formation that follows gastrulation
Cell Cycle (U2,C3)
A repeated pattern of growth, DNA duplication and cell division that occurs in eukaryotic cells
Chromosome (U2,C3; U4,C1)
One long continuous thread of DNA that consists of thousands of genes and regulatory information
Gene (U2,C3; U4,C1; U5,C1)
A section of DNA that contains the instructions for making a protein
Sister Chromatids (U2,C3; U4,C3)
Two identical chromatids
Centromere (U2,C3)
Region of the condensed chromosomes that looks pinched
Telomere (U2,C3)
Ends of the DNA molecule
Cancer (U2,C3)
Uncontrolled cell division
Metastasize (U2,C3)
Spreading of disease from one organ to others
Carcinogens (U2,C3)
Cancer causing agents; chemicals that cause cancer by mutating DNA
Metabolism (U3,C1; U6,C1)
All of the chemical reactions withing each cell of an organism
Chemical Reactions (U3,C1)
The breaking and forming of bonds between different substances during chemical changes
Catabolic (U3,C1)
Break down larger molecules into simpler compounds →a release in energy = exergonic
Anabolic (U3,C1)
Build larger molecules from smaller ones →requires consuming energy to do it = endergonic
Activation Energy (U3,C1)
The amount of energy needed to make a chemical reaction start
Reactant [Substrate] (U3,C1)
Substances that are changed during a chemical reaction
Products (U3,C1)
Substances that are made by a chemical reaction
Endothermic (U3,C1)
Absorbs energy (in the form of heat or light)
Exothermic (U3,C1)
releases energy (in the form of heat or light)
Enzyme (U3,C1)
Mostly proteins that speed up biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy
Catalyst (U3,C1)
Substances that speed up reactions without being permanantly altered
Active Site (U3,C1)
Fits only one substrate, and once substrate connects, the bind tights → an induced fit
Denaturation (U3,C1)
When the enzyme’s active site becomes deformed and loses its specific shape → loss of biological activity
ATP (U3,C2)
(Adenosine Triphosphate) An energy-carrying molecule that carries/stores energy for cell functions
Chemiosmosis (U3,C2)
Movement of ions down a concentration gradient
Producer (U3,C3)
Organisms that get energy from nonliving sources like the sun **(**Autotrophs)
Consumer (U3,C3)
Get energy from living sources such as plants or animals (Heterotrophs)
Detritivore (U3,C3)
Organisms that eat dead material (Decomposers)
Carnivore (U3,C3)
Organisms that only eat meat
Omnivore (U3,C3)
Organisms that eat both meat and vegetation
Herbivore (U3,C3)
Organisms that eat only vegetation
Photosynthesis (U3,C4)
The overall process by which sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide are chemically converted into chemical energy stored in glucose (sugar)
Grana (U3,C4)
Pancake-like stacks of thylakoid membrane
Stroma (U3,C4)
Fluid-like substance that fills the space between the grana
Chlorophyll (U3,C4)
The pigment in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts that allows plants to capture sunlight.
Photosystems (U3,C4)
Clusters of chlorophyll and proteins that trap energy from the sun
Electron Carriers (U3,C4)
Molecules that carry electrons in order to pass on their energy
Chemosynthesis (U3,C4)
Process of an organism making its own food using chemicals (“chemo”) instead of sunlight (‘photo”) like in photosynthesis
Stomata (U3,C4)
Pores on underside of leaf where CO2 enters and O2 exits
Photorespiration (U3,C4)
When the CO2 levels drop and O2 levels rise, which adds oxygen to the Calvin Cycle instead of carbon dioxide, which results in no sugar or ATP made
Cellular Respiration (U3,C5)
The overall process in converting the chemical energy in glucose to chemical energy stored in ATP
Inner Membrane (U3,C5)
Folded membranes (Cristae)
Matrix (U3,C5)
Fluid-like substance that fills the space
Aerobic (U3,C5)
With oxygen
Anaerobic (U3,C5)
Without oxygen
Fermentation (U3,C5)
Anaerobic Respiration
Nucleic Acid (U4,C1)
The macromolecule that holds our genetic material (DNA)
Nucleotide (U4,C1)
Make up nucleic acids
RNA Primer (U4,C1)
Short pieces of RNA to help get the DNA polymerase started
Okazaki Fragments (U4,C1)
Short pieces of DNA
Protein Synthesis (U4,C2)
The process of reading the instructions in DNA to make a polypeptide
Polypeptide (U4,C2)
A chain of amino acids; can bind to others and fold into a protein
Transcription (U4,C2)
DNA is copied into a complementary strand of mRNA
Introns (U4,C2)
Non-coding regions of RNA
Exons (U4,C2)
Coding regions of RNA
Genetic Code (U4,C2)
Code of instructions for how to make proteins
Codon (U4,C2)
A set of 3 nucleotides on the mRNA
Anticodon (U4,C2)
“Complementary” 3 nucleotides on tRNA
Amino Acid (U4,C2)
Monomer (building block for making proteins), held together by polypeptide bonds
Translation (U4,C2)
Interpreting the RNA message into a polypeptide to make a protein
Epigenetics (U4,C2)
The study of changes in gene expression that are heretable
Diploid (U4,C3)
2 full sets of chromosomes; 1 set from mom, 1 set from dad