Living Environment Regents

Hypothesis

testable prediction, based on evidence

Experimental Group

the group that is being tested; the group where you are changing something

Control Group

normal conditions; the group that you are not changing

Independent Variable

the variable that the researcher controls (may also be time)

Where is the independent variable plotted on a graph?

X axis

Dependent Variable

the variable that you are measuring

Where is the dependent variable plotted on a graph?

Y axis

Characteristics of a good experiment

* Can be repeated the same way and get the same results.
* Have large sample size/many test subjects.
* Test only one independent variable. Everything else should be the same.

Life processes

All living things carry out the same basic chemical processes. Taken together, these processes make up an organism’s metabolism.

Metabolism

All the chemical processes that take place in an organism.

Nutrition

Use nutrients for growth, synthesis, repair and energy.

Cellular Respiration

glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2) lets us make ATP energy, water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2)

* Happens in the mitochondria of the cell
* Formula: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy

Synthesis

Make complex compounds from simple substances.

Photosynthesis

plants take carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight and turn it into oxygen and glucose

* Happens in the chloroplast of the plant cell
* Formula: 6CO2 + 6H2O + Sunlight → C6H12O6 + 6O2

Transport

Absorb and distribute materials throughout the body or the cell.

Regulation

Control and coordination of life processes.

Excretion

Remove wastes produced by metabolic activities.

Reproduction

Pass on genes to offspring.

Kingdoms

large groups of related organisms (Protists, Fungi, Plants, Animals)

Autotroph/producer

An organism that makes its own food (photosynthesis)

Heterotroph/consumer

An organism that obtains food from its environment

Aerobic

Requires oxygen

Anaerobic

Does not require oxygen

Asexual Reproduction

only one parent (Offspring are identical to parents)

Sexual Reproduction

two parents (Offspring are NOT identical to parents)

Population

all members of a species found in a given area

Community

includes all the population in a given community

Ecosystem

community of all living organisms and the physical environment

Biosphere

portion of the earth in which life exists

Abiotic

nonliving factors in the environment (soil, rocks, mineral)

Biotic

living factors in the environment

Decomposers

break down dead organisms and make their materials available to other living things

Symbiosis

a close relationship between two or more organisms

Mutualism

a type of relationship in which both organisms benefit

Commensalism

a type of relationship that is beneficial to one organism and the other organism is not affected

Parasitism

a type of relationship where one organism (called a parasite), benefits from the other organism (the host), and the host is harmed

What is the original source of energy for all living organisms in the food pyramid?

Sunlight

Carrying Capacity

Maximum number of individuals that an ecosystem can support

Competition

when there is struggle for the same limited resources between organism living in the same environment

Primary Succession

* Pioneer organism build a stable climax community
* Takes a long time

Secondary Succession

* Occurs after a natural disaster or disturbance in the ecosystem
* Fast

Cell Theory

Living organisms are made up of four levels of organization: cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems

Cell

basic unit of structure and function of all living things

Tissue

group of similar cells performing the same function

Organ

group of specialized tissues performing one main function

Organ System

organs that carry on one of the major body functions

Organism

made up of systems that perform its life functions

Cell membrane

double layered structure that surrounds the cell

* lets substances in and out of the cell

Cell wall

stiff outer layer of plant cells, composed of a nonliving material called cellulose

Centriole

mainly in animal cells, look like cylinders involved in cell division

Chloroplast

organelle involved in photosynthesis

Cytoplasm

watery cell fluid

Endoplasmic reticulum

system of channels/canals which transport materials

Golgi complex

stack of membrane bound channels which synthesize, package and secrete cell products

Lysosomes

membrane bound sacs which contain digestive enzymes

Mitochondria

organelle that is involved in cellular respiration

Nuclear membrane

membrane for the nucleus

Nucleus

large round structure which controls cell activities (contains chromosomes and nucleoli)

Ribosomes

where protein synthesis occurs

Vacuoles

sac like structures used by the cell to store materials include water, waste and food

Diffusion

movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration (no energy needed)

Hydrolysis

digestion, breaking down by adding water

Dehydration synthesis

making, by taking out water

Organic molecules

* always contain carbon and hydrogen
* They are made from simpler building blocks.

DNA

* Holds the instructions/code to build the organism
* The sequence of base pairs determines what proteins are made
* AT / CG
* Shape of double helix
* Has to stay in the nucleus

Chromosome

A tightly wound piece of DNA

RNA

Copies the instructions from DNA and brings them to the ribosome so the protein can be made. (Single-stranded)

Nucleic Acids (DNA and RNA)

* Building blocks = Nucleotides: sugar, phosphate, and base (DNA has ATCG, RNA has AUCG)
* Two forms: DNA found in nucleus and RNA. RNA helps to produce proteins (protein synthesis).

Protein synthesis

1. DNA code is copied in the nucleus by the RNA
2. mRNA takes code to the ribosome
3. Ribosome uses code to make amino acids
4. amino acids come together to make proteins

Osmosis

diffusion of water through a membrane

Proteins

Complex compounds that carry out all the body’s activities. Includes enzymes, antibodies, and the structure of your muscle and hair. Found in meats, eggs, nuts, and cheese.

Building blocks of proteins

amino acids

Active Transport

the movement of materials from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration, against the concentration gradient. To do this, energy is required (ATP)

Passive Transport

the movement of substances across the membrane without any input of energy from the cell.

Examples of passive transport

Osmosis and diffusion

Cell receptors

on the outsides of cells; allow for cell-to-cell communication

Lugol's Iodine

black color change when mixed with a complex carb (starch)

Benedicts Solution

orange color change for a simple sugar

Hypotonic solutions

the concentration of solute is lower outside the cell than inside the cell

* Have more water outside the cell so water moves into the cell
* causes an increase in pressure inside the cell: called turgor pressure (plants) or osmotic pressure (animals).
* Increase in pressure in animal cells causes them to swell or even burst; gives plant cells shape and support.

Hypotonic examples

* Water enters cell.
* Cell swells and bursts
* Give plant cells shape and support.

Hypertonic solutions

the concentration of solute is higher outside the cell than inside the cell.

* Have more water inside the cell so water moves out of the cell
* Causes a drop in turgor or osmotic pressure: called plasmolysis.
* Plasmolysis causes animal cells to shrivel up and plants to wilt.

Hypertonic Examples

* Water exits cell.
* Cell shrinks (plasmolysis) due to water loss.

Atom

smallest block of matter

Proton

positively charged particle

Neutron

zero charge particle

Electrons

negative charged particle

Element

Made up of only one kind of atom

What is the smallest part of an element?

An atom

Lipid

a class of organic molecules that includes fats and oils

Building blocks of lipids

fatty acids and glycerol

Functions of lipids

* Store energy (animal fat)
* Insulation
* Make up the cell membrane

Carbohydrates

organic compounds made of sugars and starches

Building blocks of carbohydrates

simple sugars such as glucose

What process combines amino acids to make proteins

a dehydration link called a peptide bond

Function of carbohydrates

* provide energy
* store energy in plants (starch)

Enzymes

proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in living things

* Also used to synthesisze (build) or metabolize/hydrolyze (break down) other particles

Nucleic Acid

The fourth class of organic molecules. This class involves the genetic materials, DNA and RNA.

What is the blueprint of life?

DNA because it contains instructions on how to make proteins in the body

What does the pH scale range from?

0-14

What pH is neutral?

7