Respiratory & Circulatory Systems and Related Topics

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on respiratory & circulatory systems, genetics, extinction & adaptation, and photosynthesis & cellular respiration.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out) occurs.

Pulmonary vein

Blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.

Gas exchange

The process by which oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide exits the blood.

Respiratory system

The organ system responsible for inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.

Circulatory system

The organ system that circulates blood, delivering nutrients and gases to body tissues.

Oxygenated blood

Blood rich in oxygen, typically seen in the arteries and after passing through the lungs.

Deoxygenated blood

Blood with low oxygen content, returning to the lungs for oxygenation.

Aerobic exercise

Exercise that strengthens the lungs and heart by increasing breathing and heart rate.

Smoking

Inhalation of tobacco smoke that damages the lungs and raises risk of lung and heart disease.

Atherosclerosis

Clogging of arteries by fatty deposits, reducing blood flow and oxygen delivery.

Pulmonary edema

Condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs, hindering gas exchange.

Codominance

Genetic situation where both alleles are expressed, producing distinct parental phenotypes (e.g., AB in blood or patches in flowers).

Incomplete dominance

Genetic situation where neither allele is fully dominant, resulting in a blended phenotype (e.g., pink flowers from red and white alleles).

AB blood type (IAIB)

Blood type that shows codominance; both IA and IB alleles are expressed.

23rd chromosome pair

Pair of sex chromosomes (X and Y) that determines human sex.

Extinction

Complete disappearance of a species from Earth.

Adaptation

A trait that helps an organism survive or reproduce in a changing environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in an ecosystem; reduced by events like deforestation.

Deforestation

Removal of forests, an abrupt environmental change that can reduce biodiversity.

Migration

Movement of a species to a new area; not all species can migrate quickly enough to survive climate change.

Photosynthesis

Process by which plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (sugar) and oxygen.

Cellular respiration

Process in mitochondria that breaks down glucose to produce ATP (energy).

Mitochondria

Organelle where cellular respiration occurs and ATP is produced.

Chloroplasts

Organelle where photosynthesis takes place in plant cells.

Mesophyll

Leaf tissue where most photosynthesis happens.

Glucose

Simple sugar produced by photosynthesis; fuel used in cellular respiration.

Oxygen

Gas produced by photosynthesis and used in cellular respiration.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the main energy currency produced during respiration.

NADPH

Electron carrier produced during light reactions; provides reducing power for the Calvin cycle.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

Series of proteins in mitochondria that produce most of the ATP during respiration.

Photophosphorylation

Light-dependent production of ATP (and NADPH) in photosynthesis.

Calvin cycle

Light-independent part of photosynthesis that uses ATP and NADPH to synthesize glucose.