The Characteristics of Life and Viruses

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the characteristics of life, reproductive methods, feedback loops, and the structural debate regarding viruses based on lecture notes.

Characteristics of Life

The six fundamental traits shared by all living things: Cells, Metabolism, Reproduces, Responds to stimuli, Homeostasis, and Evolves.

Creepy Mutated Reindeer Released Hideous Elephants

A mnemonic used to memorize the characteristics of life: Cells, Metabolism, Reproduces, Responds to stimuli, Homeostasis, and Evolves.

Unicellular

A term for organisms that are composed of only $1$ cell.

Multicellular

A term for organisms that are composed of more than $1$ cell.

Organism

An entity that displays all characteristics of life and is considered by biologists to be alive.

Growth

An increase in the size of an organism.

Development

A change in the life stage of an organism.

Metabolism

The chemical reactions used by an organism to obtain and utilize energy.

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

The most important energy-carrying molecule in the cell, used to carry out functions like locomotion, growth, and cell division.

Species

A classification of organisms that are capable of creating fertile offspring.

Asexual Reproduction

The creation of new organisms from only $1$ parent, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent.

Sexual Reproduction

The creation of new organisms from $2$ different organisms of the same species, resulting in offspring that are a genetic blend of the parents.

Theridion grallator

A specific species of spider where individuals may look different but are considered one species because they can procreate fertile offspring.

Stimuli

Factors occurring within the environment, such as light, heat, sound, chemicals, or mechanical contact, that an organism must receive or sense.

Taxis

Movement toward or away from stimuli, including types such as Phototaxis, Hydrotaxis, Chemotaxis, Geotaxis, Thigmotaxis, and Magnetotaxis.

Homeostasis

A stable internal balance most beneficial to the organism, including the regulation of temperature, $pH$, Water/Osmotic Pressure, and Salt balance.

Positive Feedback loop

When an organism responds to a stimulus by creating more of that stimulus; examples include blood clotting and oxytocin release during birth.

Negative Feedback loop

When an organism responds to a stimulus by reducing the output, activity, or stimulus of the process; examples include shivering, sweating, and blood pressure regulation.

Adaptation

An inheritable trait that maintains or increases the biological fitness of an organism in a particular environment.

Evolution

The process of change in a population's traits over time; notably, individual organisms do not evolve, but populations do.

Virus Structure

The physical components of a virus, which can include Hemagglutinin, an Envelope, Neuraminidase, and RNA.

CER Final Argument

An academic exercise used to decide if viruses are living or non-living by creating a Claim, citing at least $3$ pieces of Evidence, and explaining the Reasoning.