CIE IGCSE Biology (0610) Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary based on the full transcript for CIE IGCSE Biology (0610), covering life characteristics, cell structure, nutrition, transport, respiration, inheritance, and ecology.

Movement

An action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place.

Respiration

The chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in living cells to release energy.

Sensitivity

The ability to detect or sense changes in the environment (stimuli) and to make responses.

Growth

A permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cell size or both.

Reproduction

The processes that make more of the same kind of organism.

Excretion

The removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste products of metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration) and substances in excess of requirements.

Nutrition

The taking in of nutrients which are organic substances and mineral ions, containing raw materials or energy for growth and tissue repair, absorbing and assimilating them.

Species

Organisms which can reproduce successfully.

Binomial system

A system of naming species in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the genus (starting with a capital letter) and species (starting with a lower case letter), written in italics when printed.

Animal Kingdom

Multi-cellular ingestive heterotrophs that eat living organisms.

Plant Kingdom

Multi-cellular photosynthetic autotrophic organism with a cellulose cell wall.

Fungi

Single celled or multi cellular heterotrophic organism with a cell wall not made of cellulose; includes saprotrophs (feed off dead organisms) or parasites.

Monera

Single celled organism with no true nucleus.

Protista

Single celled organism with a nucleus.

Arthropods

Invertebrates with legs and an exoskeleton, including crustaceans, arachnids, myriapods, and insects.

Dichotomous key

A classification tool that uses visible features by providing a choice of two features to narrow down an organism's identity.

Cell membrane

A differentially or partially permeable layer that allows certain substances to enter and leave the cell.

Cytoplasm

The region in a cell where chemical reactions take place.

Nucleus

The organelle that contains DNA and controls the cell.

Mitochondria

The organelle where aerobic respiration happens.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells containing chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.

Organelle

A specialized part of a cell that has its own function, e.g., the nucleus.

Cell

The smallest part of a living structure that can operate as an independent unit, e.g., a red blood cell.

Tissue

A group of cells with similar structures, working together to perform a shared function, e.g., muscle tissue.

Organ

A structure made up of a group of tissues, working together to perform specific functions, e.g., the heart.

Organ system

A group of organs with related functions, working together to perform body functions, e.g., the respiratory system.

Magnification Formula

$$Magnification = \frac{\text{size of drawing}}{\text{size of specimen}} = \frac{\text{image}}{\text{actual}} = \frac{I}{A}$$

Diffusion

The movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration down the concentration gradient until equilibrium is reached.

Active transport

The movement of ions in or out of a cell through the cell membrane, from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration against a concentration gradient, using energy released during respiration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water molecules from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration, through a partially permeable membrane.

Enzymes

Proteins that function as biological catalysts by lowering the amount of energy needed for a reaction to take place.

Substrate

The molecule(s) before they are made to react in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction.

Denatured

The state of an enzyme when it loses its shape due to high temperature or extreme pH and can no longer bind with a substrate.

Scurvy

A deficiency of Vitamin C resulting in loss of teeth, pale skin, and sunken eyes.

Rickets

A deficiency of Vitamin D or Calcium resulting in weak bones and teeth.

Anaemia

A deficiency of iron causing fatigue due to less haemoglobin and reduced oxygen transport.

Photosynthesis

The fundamental process by which plants manufacture carbohydrates from raw materials using energy from light: $6CO_2 + 6H_2O \rightarrow (\text{light + chlorophyll}) \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$

Limiting factor

Something present in the environment in such short supply that it restricts life processes, such as light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, or temperature.

Xylem

A unidirectional vessel with walls made of waterproof lignin that transports water and dissolved minerals from roots to leaves.

Phloem

A bidirectional vessel that transports sucrose and amino acids from sources to sinks via translocation.

Ingestion

The taking of substances (e.g. food, drink) into the body through the mouth.

Egestion

The passing out of food that has not been digested, as faeces, through the anus.

Chemical Digestion

The breakdown of large, insoluble food molecules into small, water-soluble molecules using enzymes.

Amylase

An enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose, produced in the pancreas and salivary glands.

Lipase

An enzyme that breaks down lipids into fatty acids and glycerol, produced by the pancreas.

Absorption

The movement of digested food molecules through the wall of the intestine into the blood or lymph.

Assimilation

The movement of digested food molecules into cells of the body where they are used, becoming part of the cells.

Deamination

The removal of nitrogen from amino acids to form urea in the liver.

Transpiration

The evaporation of water at the surfaces of mesophyll cells followed by loss of water vapor from plant leaves through stomata.

Circulatory system

A system of tubes (veins, capillaries, arteries) with a pump (heart) and valves to ensure one-way flow of blood.

Artery

A vessel that transports high pressure blood away from the heart with thick, elastic walls.

Phagocytosis

The process where a phagocyte engulfs a pathogen and uses digestive enzymes to destroy it.

Antibodies

Y-shaped proteins produced by lymphocytes that bind to and label specific pathogens for destruction.

Aerobic respiration

The release of a relatively large amount of energy in cells by the breakdown of food substances in the presence of oxygen: $C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2 \rightarrow 6CO_2 + 6H_2O$

Anaerobic respiration

The release of a relatively small amount of energy by the breakdown of food substances in the absence of oxygen.

Oxygen debt

The extra oxygen required after exercise to oxidize lactic acid produced during anaerobic respiration.

Urea

A toxic waste product formed in the liver from the breakdown of excess amino acids.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a constant internal environment.

Negative feedback

A control mechanism where a change in a system acts as a signal to cancel out that change, maintaining a steady state.

Hormone

A chemical substance, produced by a gland and carried by the blood, which alters the activity of specific target organs and is destroyed by the liver.

Synapse

The gap between two neurons across which impulses are transmitted.

Antibiotic

A drug that works by stopping a metabolic process performed by bacteria but not by human cells; ineffective against viruses.

Gene

A length of DNA that is the unit of heredity and codes for a specific protein.

Allele

Any of two or more alternative forms of a gene.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism in terms of the alleles present (e.g. Tt).

Phenotype

The physical or other features of an organism resulting from its genotype and its environment (e.g. tall plant).

Mitosis

Nuclear division giving rise to genetically identical cells in which the chromosome number is maintained.

Meiosis

Reduction division in which the chromosome number is halved from diploid to haploid to produce gametes.

Natural Selection

The greater chance of passing on of genes by the best-adapted organisms leading to evolution.

Ecosystem

A unit containing all of the organisms and their environment, interacting together, in a given area.

Trophic level

The position of an organism in a food chain, food web, or pyramid of biomass.

Eutrophication

The process where excess nutrients (nitrates/phosphates) lead to increased plant growth in water, followed by death, decomposition, and oxygen depletion.