Medical Laboratory Sciences Entrance Exams Set 3

Vocabulary practice cards covering topics in biology, ecology, and chemistry from the Medical Laboratory Sciences Entrance Exam Set 3.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Synapse

The gap between two neurons where impulse transmission occurs.

Medulla oblongata

The part of the brain that controls vital functions such as breathing and heart rate.

Adrenaline

The hormone responsible for the fight or flight response.

Rods and cones

The photoreceptors found in the eye.

Myopia

The scientific name for short-sightedness.

Thyroxine

A hormone whose production requires iodine.

Diabetes mellitus

A condition caused by the under-secretion of insulin.

Pituitary gland

The master gland of the body.

Ecology

The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Producer

The first organism in a food chain.

Succession

The gradual change in communities over time.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

The main cause of ozone layer depletion.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert.

Sustainable development

Aims to meet present needs without compromising future generations.

Taxonomic levels (sequence)

Kingdom $\rightarrow$ Class $\rightarrow$ Family $\rightarrow$ Genus $\rightarrow$ Species.

Systemic circulation (mammals)

Left Ventricle $\rightarrow$ Aorta $\rightarrow$ Vena Cava $\rightarrow$ Right Atrium $\rightarrow$ Right Ventricle.

Evolution

Change in a species through time.

Arthropoda

The animal phylum containing the highest number of named species.

Trypanosoma

A zoomastigote which causes sleeping sickness in humans.

Superior vena cava

The vessel through which blood from the neck and arms enters the heart.

Mammals

Animals characterized by nourishing their young with milk produced in mammary glands.

Population

A group of individuals in a species.

Annelida

The phylum to which earthworms belong.

Active transport

A cellular process that requires an input of energy.

Molar volume at STP

$22.4\,dm^3\,mol^{-1}$.

Avogadro's constant

$6.02 \times 10^{23}\,mol^{-1}$.

Haber process

The industrial process used for the production of ammonia ($NH_3$).

Oxidation

A process that occurs at the anode in an electrochemical cell.

Exothermic reaction

A reaction that releases heat to the surroundings and has a negative enthalpy change ($\Delta H$).

Standard enthalpy of formation ($\Delta H^o$)

The enthalpy change of an element in its standard state, which is zero.

Hess's Law

A law based on the principle of conservation of energy.

Catalyst

Increases the rate of reaction by providing an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy.

Brønsted-Lowry acid

A substance that acts as a proton donor.

Solubility product constant ($K_{sp}$)

For calcium fluoride ($CaF_2$), the expression is $K_{sp} = [Ca^{2+}][F^-]^2$.

Common ion effect

The phenomenon responsible for decreasing the solubility of a salt.

Henry's Law

States that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is proportional to pressure ($S \propto P$).

Esterification

The reaction between an alcohol and an acid to produce an ester and water.

Peroxomonosulfuric acid ($H_2SO_5$)

A compound where the oxidation number of sulfur is $+6$.

Addition reaction

A type of chemical reaction typical for alkenes.