Metric System, Cellular Transport, and Microscopy Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering measurement systems, cellular transport mechanisms, and microscopy terminology for exam preparation.

Standardization

Creating consistent and exact quantities for measurements such as mass, length, and volume.

English System

Measurement system based on arbitrary units like feet, inches, and gallons.

Metric System

Base-10 measurement system using meters, liters, and grams.

Meter

Basic unit of length in the metric system.

Liter

Basic unit of volume in the metric system.

Gram

Basic unit of mass in the metric system.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object.

Kilo-

Metric prefix meaning 1,000 units.

Centi-

Metric prefix meaning 1⁄100 of a unit.

Milli-

Metric prefix meaning 1⁄1,000 of a unit.

Diffusion

Tendency of particles to spread from high to low concentration.

Passive Transport

Diffusion across a membrane that requires no energy input.

Concentration Gradient

Difference in solute concentration across a space or membrane.

Equilibrium

State in which solute concentration is equal throughout a system.

Simple Diffusion

Movement of a solute from high to low concentration without assistance.

Facilitated Diffusion

Passive movement of substances across a membrane via specific transport proteins.

Osmosis

Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Tonicity

Ability of a solution to cause a cell to gain or lose water.

Isotonic Solution

Solution with equal solute concentration inside and outside the cell; cell volume stays constant.

Hypotonic Solution

Solution with lower solute concentration outside the cell; water enters and cell may burst.

Hypertonic Solution

Solution with higher solute concentration outside the cell; water exits and cell shrinks.

Active Transport

Energy-requiring process that moves a solute against its concentration gradient.

Microscopy

Study and use of microscopes to view objects too small for the naked eye.

Refractive Index

Measure of how greatly a substance slows the velocity of light.

Focal Point

Location where light rays converge after passing through a lens.

Focal Length

Distance from the center of a lens to its focal point.

Light Microscope

Microscope that uses visible light and lenses to magnify specimens.

Bright-Field Microscope

Produces a dark image on a bright background; often used with stained samples.

Dark-Field Microscope

Produces a bright image on a dark background; ideal for living, unstained specimens.

Phase-Contrast Microscope

Enhances contrast of transparent, colorless samples by altering light paths.

Fluorescence Microscope

Uses high-intensity light to excite fluorescent molecules in a specimen.

Resolution

Ability of a lens to distinguish small objects that are close together.

Immersion Oil

Oil used with high magnification lenses to reduce light refraction and improve resolution.

Parfocal

Property of a microscope that remains in focus when switching objectives.