Chapter 1-6 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts from Chapter 1 through Chapter 6 notes.

Life criteria

Set of criteria used to determine if something is living; includes organized cells, metabolism, growth, maintenance, and reproduction.

Cell

The basic unit of life; all living things are composed of at least one cell.

Cell membrane

Membrane that encloses the cell, defining its boundary and regulating what enters and leaves.

Nucleus

Organelle that houses genetic material in a cell.

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like material inside a cell where most metabolic processes occur.

Metabolism

All chemical reactions inside an organism that obtain and convert energy from its surroundings.

Energy (biological)

Usable energy produced by metabolism for growth, maintenance, and reproduction.

Growth

Increase in size or number of cells or organisms.

Maintenance

Keeping structures and functions stable after growth; ongoing upkeep.

Reproduction

Process of producing offspring; leads to populations.

Virus

Organized, replicating entities that are not generally considered alive because they lack independent metabolism and cellular structure.

Amino acids

Building blocks of proteins.

Protein

Large biomolecule made from amino acids; essential for structure and function.

Biochemistry

Study of chemical reactions and processes in living organisms.

Atom

Fundamental unit of matter consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Proton

Positively charged subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Neutron

Electrically neutral subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle surrounding the nucleus; involved in bonding.

Electron shell

Regions around the nucleus where electrons reside; outer shell determines bonding behavior.

Bohr model

A simplified model of atomic structure using electron orbits to predict bonding based on outer-shell electron count.

Ionic bond

Bond formed when atoms transfer electrons, creating oppositely charged ions that attract.

Covalent bond

Bond formed by sharing electrons between atoms; common for carbon.

Carbon

Element with four electrons in its outer shell; central to organic chemistry.

Hydrogen bond

Weak attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and an electronegative atom in another; important for water properties.

Water

Molecule with hydrogen and oxygen; high heat capacity and surface tension due to hydrogen bonding; universal solvent.

Compound

Molecule composed of more than one type of element.

Molecule

Two or more atoms bonded together.

Atomic mass

Number of protons plus neutrons in a nucleus.

Structure has function

Biological principle that an organism's structure relates to its function.