General Biology Chapters 1-5 Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from Biology Chapters 1 through 5 lecture notes covering levels of organization, chemical bonds, biomolecules, eukaryotic organelles, cytoskeleton components, cell junctions, energy, and enzyme activity.

Biosphere

The part of Earth that contains all ecosystems.

Ecosystem

A community and its nonliving surroundings.

Community

Populations of different species that live together in a defined area.

Population

A group of organisms of one type that live in the same area.

Organism

An individual living thing.

Cell

The smallest functional unit of life.

Molecule

A group of atoms representing the smallest unit of most chemical compounds.

Natural Selection

A mechanism in which unequal reproductive success leads to the evolution of adaptations in populations.

Producers

Organisms, such as plants, that take up $CO_2$ from air, absorb $H_2O$ and minerals from soil, and use solar energy to form chemical energy in food.

Consumers

Organisms, such as animals, that obtain energy by consuming carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from plants or other organisms.

Decomposers

Organisms such as worms, fungi, and bacteria that return chemicals to the soil by breaking down organic matter.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A strong chemical bond formed by the equal sharing of electrons between atoms.

Polar Covalent Bond

A strong chemical bond formed by the unequal sharing of electrons between atoms.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed by electron transfer between atoms, creating ions whose attraction forms the bond.

Hydrogen Bond

A non-covalent electrostatic interaction resulting from polarity in molecules such as water.

Acidic Solution

A solution with a higher concentration of $H^+$ than $OH^-$ and a pH value below $7$.

Basic Solution

A solution with a higher concentration of $OH^-$ than $H^+$ and a pH value above $7$.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules composed of monosaccharide monomers (such as glucose and fructose) that provide quick energy for cells and material to build cell membranes.

Proteins

Biomolecules composed of amino acid monomers that provide structure, aid in muscle movement, provide immunity, and function as enzymes and antibodies.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules composed of nucleotide monomers (DNA and RNA) that contain genetic information and direct growth and development.

Lipids

Biomolecules composed of glycerol and fatty acids that store energy, cushion and insulate organs, and serve as material used for cell membranes.

Nucleus

An organelle responsible for DNA replication, RNA synthesis, and assembly of ribosomal subunits in the nucleolus.

Ribosomes

Cellular structures responsible for polypeptide (protein) synthesis.

Rough ER

Endoplasmic reticulum involved in the synthesis of membrane lipids and proteins, secretory proteins, and hydrolytic enzymes, as well as transport vesicle formation.

Smooth ER

Endoplasmic reticulum responsible for lipid synthesis, detoxification in liver cells, and calcium ion storage in muscle cells.

Golgi Apparatus

An organelle responsible for modification and sorting of ER products and formation of lysosomes and transport vesicles.

Lysosomes

Organelles in animal cells and some protists responsible for digestion of ingested food or bacteria and recycling of damaged organelles and macromolecules.

Vacuoles

Cellular structures responsible for digestion (food vacuole), water balance (contractile vacuole), and chemical storage or cell enlargement (central vacuole).

Peroxisomes

Organelles not part of the endomembrane system that perform diverse metabolic processes, including breakdown of toxic hydrogen peroxide.

Mitochondria

Organelles responsible for cellular respiration, converting chemical energy in food to chemical energy of ATP.

Chloroplasts

Photosynthetic organelles in plants and algae that convert light energy to chemical energy of sugars.

Microtubules

Thick, hollow tubes composed of globular tubulin proteins that support the cell, serve as tracks/roads, grow from centromeres, and can be disassembled quickly.

Intermediate Filaments

Fibrous proteins coiled into cables that maintain cell structure, anchor organelles, support the nucleus, and are relatively permanent.

Microfilaments

Solid rods made of actin protein that form a 3D network supporting cell shape and enable cell movement through contracting motion.

Tight Junctions

Animal cell junctions that bind cells together to form leakproof sheets.

Gap Junctions

Animal cell junctions that allow ions and small molecules to flow directly from cell to cell.

Anchoring Junctions

Animal cell junctions that rivet cells into strong tissues.

Plasmodesmata

Plant cell junctions that allow plant tissues to share water, nourishment, and chemical messages.

Entropy

A measurement of the degree of randomness or disorder of energy in a system.

Potential Energy

Energy possessed by matter due to its heightened position or chemical structure.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion, heat, or thermal energy.

Active Site

The region of an enzyme that enfolds the substrate with an induced fit to catalyze a reaction.

Competitive Inhibitor

A molecule that blocks substrate binding by competing directly for the active site of an enzyme.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an enzyme away from the active site, changing its shape so the substrate can no longer bind.

Enzymatic Reaction Cycle

The cycle in which a substrate enters the active site with an induced fit, is converted to products, and products are released, leaving the enzyme ready for another substrate.