9th grade bio

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Reactants of Photosynthesis

Sunlight (light energy), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O) are the three reactants that initiate photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis Equation

The simplified equation for photosynthesis is 6CO2 + 6H2O ----> C6H12O6 + 6O2.

Chloroplast

The organelle where photosynthesis occurs, containing structures like grana and stroma.

Grana

Stacks of thylakoids within the chloroplast where light-dependent reactions take place.

Thylakoid

A singular membrane-bound structure in chloroplasts; involved in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

Stroma

The fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoids in a chloroplast, where light-independent reactions take place.

Light-Dependent Reactions

Reactions in photosynthesis that convert sunlight energy to chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH, occurring in the grana.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis, primarily absorbing blue and red light.

Aerobic Respiration

The process by which cells convert processed food into cellular energy (ATP) in the presence of oxygen.

Cellular Respiration Equation

C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6H2O + 6CO2 + Energy (ATP), representing the conversion of glucose and oxygen into water, carbon dioxide, and energy.

Glycolysis

The first step in cellular respiration, breaking down glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP and NADH, and occurring in the cytoplasm.

Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

A series of chemical reactions used by aerobic organisms to release stored energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transfer electrons and pump protons to generate ATP.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

A process that occurs in the absence of oxygen where pyruvate from glycolysis is converted into lactic acid and ATP.

Alcohol Fermentation

A metabolic process converting sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol that occurs in yeast and some types of bacteria.

Cell Membrane

A biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of all cells from the outside environment.

Passive Transport

The movement of molecules across a cell membrane without the use of energy, moving from areas of higher concentration to lower concentration.

Active Transport

The process that moves substances across a cell membrane against their concentration gradient, requiring energy in the form of ATP.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes.

Genetic Material

Molecules responsible for heredity and the transmission of genetic information, primarily DNA and RNA.

Mitosis

A process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, involving stages such as prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Meiosis

A specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, forming four unique haploid cells (gametes).

Cancer Cell Characteristics

Cancer cells typically exhibit small cytoplasm, multiple nuclei, and abnormal chromatin compared to healthy cells.

Pedigree Chart

A diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism from one generation to the next.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains the instructions for making a specific protein.

Allele

A variant form of a gene that can result in different traits.

Natural Selection

The process through which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Microevolution

The change in allele frequencies within a population over generations.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic variation from one population to another.

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution that describes random changes in allele frequencies in a population.

Evolution

The change in the genetic composition of a population over successive generations.

Autosomes

Chromosomes that are not sex-determining; humans have 22 pairs of autosomes.

Homologous Chromosomes

Chromosome pairs, one from each parent, that are similar in shape, size, and genetic content.