TEAS 7 Biology Notes

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key biology concepts relevant for the TEAS exam.

Macromolecules

Large, complex organic molecules essential for life, made of smaller building blocks called monomers.

Dehydration Synthesis

The process of building polymers by removing water.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking down polymers by adding water.

Covalent Bonds

Bonds where two or more atoms share one or more electron pairs.

Carbohydrates

Macromolecules that serve as a source of energy and include sugars and starches.

Lipids

Macromolecules that provide long-term energy and make up cell membranes.

Proteins

Macromolecules made of amino acids that serve as enzymes and structural components.

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules that store genetic information, including DNA and RNA.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that are the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed from two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides, such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not mix with water.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that lack a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Plasma Membrane

A selective barrier that surrounds cells, controlling what enters and exits.

Cytoplasm

The jelly-like substance within the plasma membrane, excluding the nucleus.

Nucleus

The control center of a cell, storing DNA and directing cellular activity.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

An organelle covered in ribosomes that synthesizes and processes proteins.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

An organelle that synthesizes lipids and detoxifies substances.

Mitochondria

The powerhouse of the cell, where ATP energy is produced.

Lysosomes

Organelles that contain digestive enzymes for breaking down waste.

Vesicles

Small membrane-bound sacs used for transporting materials within the cell.

Active Transport

The movement of substances against their concentration gradient, requiring energy.

Passive Transport

The movement of substances down their concentration gradient without using energy.

Osmosis

The passive movement of water across a semipermeable membrane.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic Acid, a molecule that stores genetic instructions.

RNA

Ribonucleic Acid, a single-stranded molecule that helps in protein synthesis.

Protein Synthesis

The process where cells use instructions from DNA to make proteins.

Mutations

Changes in the nucleotide sequence of DNA that can affect how genes are expressed.

Alleles

Different versions of the same gene, which determine specific traits.

Punnett Squares

Tools used to predict the possible genotypes of offspring from genetic crosses.

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotes that can be beneficial or pathogenic.

Viruses

Non-living entities that require a host cell to reproduce.

Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms that can be single-celled or multicellular.

Meiosis

Cell division that produces gametes with half the chromosome number of the parent cell.

Mitosis

The process of cell division that results in two identical diploid daughter cells.

Homologous Chromosomes

Pairs of chromosomes, one from each parent, that have the same types of genes.