Unit 2: Characteristics of Life & Cell Structure

How many cells do unicellular organisms have?

One

What is the orderly structure in living things from simplest to complex?

Cells → Tissues → Organs → Systems

What two processes define how organisms grow and change?

Growth and Development

What is the term for all chemical reactions used to convert energy in organisms?

Metabolism

What is the ability of an organism to maintain internal stability?

Homeostasis

What does a living organism do in response to environmental change?

Respond to stimuli

What are the two main types of reproduction?

Sexual and Asexual

What process describes genetic changes in populations over time?

Evolution and Adaptation

What kind of cell lacks a nucleus?

Prokaryotic cell

What kind of cell contains a nucleus and organelles?

Eukaryotic cell

What is the function of the nucleus?

Stores DNA and controls cell activities

What organelle produces energy through cellular respiration?

Mitochondria

What organelle is responsible for protein synthesis?

Ribosome

What organelle processes and transports proteins and lipids?

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

What organelle modifies

packages

What is the function of lysosomes?

Break down waste

What part of the cell controls what enters and exits?

Cell membrane

What structure gives plant cells extra protection and support?

Cell wall

What is the function of vacuoles?

Store water

What happens to a cell in a hypotonic solution?

It swells

What happens to a cell in an isotonic solution?

It stays the same

What happens to a cell in a hypertonic solution?

It shrinks

What is the function of chloroplasts?

Photosynthesis

Where are chloroplasts found?

Plant cells

What theory explains how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from prokaryotes?

Endosymbiotic theory

Name one piece of evidence for the endosymbiotic theory.

Chloroplasts and mitochondria have their own DNA

How do mitochondria and chloroplasts reproduce?

Independently

How many membranes do mitochondria and chloroplasts have?

Two (double membrane)

Which is the basic unit of life?

Cell