All Terminology (3rd, 4th and 5th Form)

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423 Terms

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Abiotic

A physical or chemical factor affecting an ecosystem e.g. light intensity or temperature.

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Absorption

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

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Accuracy

How close the result is to the 'true value'.

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Acid rain

Rain that is more acidic than normal because various gases (such as sulphur dioxide) have dissolved in it.

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Active

A process which requires energy to occur.

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Active site

The part of an enzyme into which a substrate fits during a reaction.

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Active transport

Active movement of molecules from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration, against a concentration gradient, using carrier proteins.

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Adaptation

A feature of an organism that is well suited to its function and helps the organism survive.

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ADH

A hormone produced by the pituitary gland which is involved in control of water levels in the body, makes the collecting duct more permeable to water.

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Adrenaline

A hormone produced by the adrenal gland in response to stressful situations. Affects the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems.

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Aerobic respiration

Respiration that requires the presence of oxygen.

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Algal bloom

The rapid growth of algae resulting from an increased nutrient supply.

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Alveoli

The air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange takes place, site of gas exchange in the lungs.

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Amino acid

The monomer from which proteins are made, contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen (some have sulphur).

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Amylase

An enzyme that digests starch into maltose. Produced in the mouth and pancreas.

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Anaerobic respiration

Respiration that takes place in the absence of oxygen.

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Animal

Multicellular organisms that have no cell walls, form zygotes after fertilisation and ingest their food.

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Anomaly

A reading which falls outside the normal, expected, range of measurements.

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Antibody

Proteins secreted by lymphocytes in response to pathogens, attach to pathogens and destroy them.

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Antigen

A chemical 'marker' on the surface of a cell that identifies it.

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Anus

The passage through which faeces are egested.

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Aorta

The artery which leaves the left ventricle of the heart.

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Arteriole

A small artery.

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Artery

A blood vessel which takes blood away from the heart towards the capillaries.

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Adenosine Triphosphate

A chemical produced in respiration and used in processes that require energy.

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Atrium

A chamber in the heart which receives blood returning to the heart, smaller than a ventricle.

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Bacteria

Single celled organisms that do not contain any membrane bound organelles and possess circular DNA in chromosomes and plasmids.

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Bacterial chromosome

The large loop of DNA found within bacterial cells.

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Balanced diet

A diet that contains all the basic nutrients in the proportions necessary to maintain health.

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Benedict's reagent

Used to test for sugar in the Benedict's test.

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Bicuspid valve

Valve in the heart between the left atrium and ventricle.

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Bile

Produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Bile emulsifies fats to increase the surface area for lipase to act on.

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Bioaccumulation

Build up of pollutants in an organism.

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Biodiversity

The amount of variation shown by organisms in an ecosystem; it takes into account the number of species and abundance (number) of each species.

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Biomagnification

The increase in concentration of bioaccumulated substances (e.g. pollutants) along a food chain.

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Biomass

The measure of mass of living material present of a species, measured in g per meter squared.

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Biotic factor

A biological factor affecting an ecosystem e.g. predation.

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Bladder

The organ where urine is stored before being lost through the urethra.

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Blind spot

Area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves the eye.

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BOD

Biological Oxygen Demand; the amount of oxygen in water used up by organisms, measured in mg per litre.

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Bowman's capsule

The first part of the nephron, site of ultrafiltration.

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Bronchiole

One of the smaller airways of the respiratory system, connects the main airways (bronchi) to the alveoli.

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Bronchus

One of the main airways of the respiratory system, connects the trachea to the bronchioles.

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Calcium

An important mineral ion used in the formation of bones and teeth. Found in dairy products, fish and vegetables.

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Capillary

The smallest of the blood vessels and the site of substance exchange.

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Capsule

An layer found outside the cell wall of in some bacterial species.

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Carbohydrase

Enzyme that digests carbohydrates.

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Carbohydrate

Starches and sugars; biological molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only.

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Carbon monoxide

Toxic gas present in car exhaust and cigarette smoke.

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Carnivore

An organism which feeds on other organisms.

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Carrier protein

A protein found in the membrane which helps transport substances into and out of the cell; involved in active transport.

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Catalyst

A substance that speeds up the rate of reaction and is not used up in the process.

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Cell

The basic unit of living organisms.

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Cell membrane

A thin layer that marks the boundary between the cell and the outside. Is selectively permeable and controls what gets into and out of the cell.

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Cell sap

Found in the vacuole, a store of sugars, mineral ions, other solutes and water.

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Cell wall

A layer outside of the cell membrane that supports cells and helps them to keep their shape. They are made of cellulose in plants, chitin in fungi and a carbohydrate-protein mixture in bacteria.

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Cellulose

A carbohydrate found in plants, the main component of cell walls in plants.

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Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Disease caused by blockage of the coronary arteries due to build up of fatty material, which can lead to a heart attack.

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Chitin

Chemical that makes up the cell wall of fungi.

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Chlorophyll

A green, magnesium containing pigment involved in photosynthesis.

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Chloroplast

The site of photosynthesis in plant cells, contains the pigment chlorophyll.

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Cholesterol

Lipid substance present in the blood that can lead to CHD.

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Cilia

Microscopic hair-like projections on the surface of cells lining the trachea and bronchi that can move mucus and trapped particles out of the lungs.

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Collecting duct

The final part of the nephron, the site of ADH and where urine forms.

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Colon

First part of the large intestine, where water is absorbed from the food into the blood.

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Community

All of the living organisms within an ecosystem.

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Competition

The interaction between organisms which require the same resource.

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Concentration gradient

A difference in concentration of a substance between two areas.

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Concordant readings

If repeated readings are identical, or close to each other, then they are described as concordant and are likely to be reliable.

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Consumer

Organism that eats other organisms.

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Control

The use of homeostasis to maintain constant conditions within an organism.

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Controlled variable

Variables that are kept constant to ensure a valid investigation and to allow a comparison to be made.

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Coronary arteries

Arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle.

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Cytoplasm

The contents of a cell outside its nucleus, it contains the cells enzymes and is the site of chemical reactions within a cell.

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Decomposers

Saprobiotic organisms (such as bacteria or fungi) that break down dead organic tissue and releases carbon dioxide and simple compound and ions.

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Denature

To destroy an enzyme with excessive heat or extreme non-optimum pH.

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Dependent variable

The variable that is being measured by the experimenter.

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Diabetes

Disease where blood glucose concentration cannot be controlled properly.

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Diaphragm

A thin sheet of muscle near the base of the lungs, contracts when a person breathes in.

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Diffusion

Passive movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration, down a concentration gradient.

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Digestion

The process by which large insoluble molecules are broken down into smaller, soluble molecules.

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Distal convoluted tubule

A tubule of the nephron where water and mineral ions are reabsorbed.

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Diuretic

A substance which results in the production of large amounts of dilute urine.

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Duodenum

First part of the small intestine where digestion occurs.

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Ecosystem

All of the living organisms in an area along with all the abiotic features of the environment.

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Ectotherm

An organism that uses the environment to control its body temperature ('cold-blooded' organisms).

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Egestion

The removal of food waste from the anus in the form of faeces.

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Emphysema

A lung disease associated with smoking where the walls of the alveoli break down.

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Endocrine

A gland which secretes a hormone into the blood.

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Endotherm

An animal which maintains its body temperature using physiological mechanisms.

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Enhanced greenhouse effect

The trapping of heat by gases in the atmosphere resulting a warming up of the environment.

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Envelope

A membrane surrounding some viruses.

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Environment

The conditions surrounding an organism. Divided into abiotic features (e.g. temperature, water availability) and biotic factors (e.g. competition and predation).

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Enzyme

A protein that catalyses chemical reactions.

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Enzyme-substrate complex

Formed when a substrate binds to the active site of an enzyme.

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Eukaryote

Cell that has a nucleus.

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Eutrophication

A sudden increase in the quantity of plant nutrients in lakes or rivers, often as a result of leaching of inorganic fertiliser or from sewage pollution.

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Excretion

Removal of metabolic waste from the body.

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Exocrine

A gland which secretes a hormone into a duct which leaves the body e.g. salivary gland.

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Faeces

The waste products of digestion removed from the body during egestion.