FSLCE 2013 Biology Examination Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key biology concepts, definitions, and terminology from the 2013 Fiji School Leaving Certificate Examination.

Mandibles (in grasshoppers)

Specialized mouthparts used by a grasshopper for cutting its food.

Tolerance range

The area between the minimum and maximum environmental conditions in which an organism can remain alive.

Hemodialysis machine

A device connected to a patient's arteries to filter blood by removing urea.

Concave lens

A lens used to correct vision for individuals who cannot see far away objects clearly.

Rickets

A mineral deficiency disease affecting bone development in legs, visible via x-ray images.

Sandy soil

The soil type that provides the most aeration for root respiration.

Proteins

Molecules that construct physical body structures such as hair and tendons.

Magnesium

The essential mineral required by plants to synthesize chlorophyll.

Hepatic portal vein

The blood vessel that carries absorbed nutrients from the villi in the small intestine directly to the liver.

Epidermis

The protective outer layer of tissue covering the inner tissues of a leaf.

Gene mutation

A phenomenon characterized by random changes in the nucleotide sequence of a gene.

Secondary growth

Plant stem growth resulting in structures such as annual rings, cambium, xylem, phloem, cortex, and pith.

Eutrophication

An ecological disturbance in water bodies caused primarily by run-off fertilizers from farms.

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

A pollutant known to cause damage to the protective ozone layer.

Carbon monoxide

A gaseous pollutant that prevents the formation of oxy-haemoglobin in the bloodstream.

Sulphur dioxide

A pollutant present in industrial smog that causes bronchitis.

Prophase I

The initial stage of meiosis during which crossing-over between homologous chromosomes occurs.

Anaphase I

The meiotic stage where homologous chromosome pairs separate and move towards opposite cell poles.

Metaphase I

The meiotic stage where homologous chromosome pairs line up along the cell equator.

Telophase II

The final stage of meiosis resulting in four haploid daughter cells.

Hypotonic solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration than the cytoplasm of a cell, causing water influx and potential haemolysis in red blood cells.

Isotonic solution

A solution having an equal solute concentration compared to the inside of a cell, maintaining osmotic balance.

Hypertonic solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration than the cytoplasm, causing water to leave the cell resulting in crenation.

Pure-breeding

Organisms that are homozygous for a specific trait and consistently pass that trait to their offspring.

Normal adult WBC count

A standard health range of white blood cells measured between $5\text{,}000$ and $10\text{,}000\text{ mm}^{-3}$.

Fossil record

The preserved remains, impressions, or traces of organisms from past geological ages that provide evidence for evolution.

Albinism

An inherited genetic disorder resulting from mutations that affect pigment synthesis.

Commensalism

A community relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Mutualism

A community relationship in which both interacting species derive a mutual benefit.

Contagious disease

An infectious disease capable of being transmitted directly or indirectly from one individual to another.

Epidemic

A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular point in time.

Exoskeleton

A tough external skeleton or supportive structure present on the outside of an animal's body.

Endoskeleton

An internal framework or support structure located inside an animal's body.