Biology Practice Final Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering cellular biology, macromolecules, genetics, evolution, and body systems derived from practice final exam questions.

Prokaryotic cell

A cell that does not contain a nucleus or any other membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic cell

A cell containing a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Mitochondria

The organelle responsible for producing energy within the cell by converting energy in nutrients into usable energy.

Carbohydrates

Macromolecules made of C, H, and O that serve as the main source of short-term energy.

Glucose

A carbohydrate molecule with the chemical formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Amino acids

The units or building blocks of proteins.

ATP

The energy molecule used by all cells to function, which stores energy when a phosphate group is added.

Active transport

A process that requires energy to move materials into or out of a cell.

Hypertonic solution

A solution (such as saltwater) that causes cells to shrink because water moves out of them.

RNA Base Pairing

The process where uracil pairs with adenine, and cytosine pairs with guanine.

mRNA

The type of RNA that carries the genetic code from DNA out of the nucleus.

Nucleotide

The component of a nucleic acid consisting of three parts: sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogen base.

Cell membrane

The part of the cell that controls what enters and leaves and provides selective permeability.

Lipids

A major class of macromolecules whose main function is to store energy.

Enzymes

Proteins that help increase the rate of chemical reactions inside cells and are specific to a substrate.

Osmosis

The movement of water from high to low concentration without the use of energy.

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules that work together to form DNA and RNA and function to store genetic information.

DNA replication

The process that must occur during the cell cycle to ensure proper division of the chromosomes.

Phenotype

The physical appearance of a gene or organism.

Genotype

The possible combinations of alleles in a gene.

Heterozygous

A genotype consisting of two different alleles, such as Tt.

Universal donor

Blood type O.

Universal recipient

Blood type AB.

Levels of organization

The order of life from simplest to most complex: Atoms-cells-tissues-organs-organ systems-organisms.

Natural selection

The process by which individuals better suited to the environment survive and produce offspring with more favorable genes.

Evolution

The gradual change in a species over time; note that populations evolve while individuals do not.

Adaptations

Inherited traits that help an organism to survive, which can be behavioral, structural, or physiological.

Directional selection

Natural selection that favors one extreme of a given trait.

Digestive system

The body system responsible for breaking down food into smaller molecules and passing nutrients to the bloodstream.

Skeletal muscles

The name for voluntary muscles in the body.