100 words to know before starting AP Biology

active site

The part of the enzyme where the substrate will bind.

active transport

The movement of molecules across the cell membrane with the use of ATP.

alternation of generations

The life cycle of a plant that includes both a multicellular haploid form and a multicellular diploid form.

alveoli

The functional unit of the lung.

amino acids

The 20 molecules that are held together by peptide bonds to make up proteins.

amniotic egg

The hard-shelled egg that allows reptiles and birds to have internal fertilization, but not have to have the organism created form inside the mother.

angiosperm

Flowing plants.

antibodies

Proteins made by the B cells that immobilizes antigens.

anticodon

The three nucleotide combination on the transfer RNA that matches up with the three letter combination on the messenger RNA.

antigen

The foreign particles or substances that trigger an immune response.

ATP

A high energy molecule that can be split apart to release energy for many different processes in living things.

autotroph

An organism that makes its own food.

auxins

Plant hormones that lead to phototropism by elongating the dark side of the plant.

binary fission

The asexual reproduction in bacteria.

buffer

A chemical that can release or absorb hydrogen ions depending on the conditions and therefore can maintain the pH of a solution at a constant level.

capillary

The smallest blood vessels that connect veins to the arteries and are the site of all exchange with the environment.

catalyst

A molecule that speeds up a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy.

cell cycle

The continuous series of events that all somatic cells go through that includes mitosis, cytokinesis, and interphase.

cell wall

Structural part of some cells that can be made of cellulose, peptidoglycan, or chitin depending on what kingdom the organism belongs to.

cellular respiration

The process of breaking down glucose to make ATP.

cholesterol

The steroid embedded in the cell membrane that keeps the membrane fluid and strong.

chloroplast

The cell part responsible for photosynthesis in eukaryotic cells.

chromatin

The unwound form of DNA that is accessible for making RNA.

chromosomes

The DNA when it is wrapped up tightly around proteins during metaphase.

Codon

The three nucleotide combination on the messenger RNA that matches up with the three letter combination on the transfer RNA and has the information to code for one amino acid.

cohesion

The attractive force between polar molecules of the same substance.

controlled variables

The many characteristics of the experimental group and control group which are held constant.

covalent bond

A intramolecular bond where atoms are sharing electrons equally.

cuticle

The waxy protective layer on plants that prevents dessication.

cytokinesis

After mitosis or meiosis it is the "splitting" of the cytoplasm to form two or four new cells each with its own nucleus.

dehydration synthesis

The type of reaction that links together monomers to make polymers and release water in the process.

diploid

Cells that have two copies of each kind of chromosome.

DNA ligase

The enzyme that splices DNA together in genetic engineering and the okazaki fragments of replication.

duodenum

The primary site of chemical digestion in humans.

endoplasmic reticulum

The series of membranes inside the cell that allow for passage of materials through the cytoplasm and the synthesis of lipids.

endosymbiosis

The theory that eukaryotic cells arose from prokaryotic cells that lived closely together to the point that we now call these former cells "mitochondria" and "chloroplasts".

Estuary

The biome created when freshwater mixes with salt water to form brackish water that is one of the most productive areas on Earth.

Enzyme

An organic catalyst that lowers the activation energy of chemical reactions in organisms thus increasing the rate of reaction.

eukaryotic cell

A cell with a nucleus and membrane bound organelles.

external fertilization

When an egg and sperm unite outside the body of the mother.

facilitated transport

The movement of molecules across the cell membrane without the use of ATP, but with the help of a protein.

fruit

The ripened ovary of a plant.

gametes

The haploid cells produced by meiosis.

gene

The section of DNA that is responsible for the production of one polypeptide.

genetic engineering

The process of combining the DNA of two different organisms.

genome

The entire complement of chromosomes in an individual.

global warming

The increase in carbon dioxide and other gases causes heat to be trapped and thus raises the temperature of the Earth and possible could lead to flooding and climate change.

glycerol

The three carbon backbone molecule of the triglycerides.

glycogen

The polysaccharide that is how animals store glucose in their liver.

gonads

The site of meiosis in humans that includes the ovaries and testes.

haploid

cells that have one copy of each kind of chromosome.

homeostasis

The condition of animals where they keep their internal environment constant for a specific characteristic often as a result of negative feedback.

homozygous

The description of an individual who has the same allele for a trait on both homologous chromosomes.

hydrogen bond

The weak intermolecular bond that forms between water molecules that causes them to "stick" to each other.

hyphae

The "body" of the fungus.

hypothesis

A testable explanation for a question that is often written in if...then... form.

incomplete dominance

The type of inheritance where the heterozygous individual has a blend of the dominant and recessive trait.

independent variable

The one difference between the experimental group and the controlled group.

innate

Behavior that an organism is not learned and is genetically determined.

insulin

The hormone that lowers blood sugar by having it stored as glycogen in the liver and increasing cellular uptake.

logistic

The type of population growth where the population has reached the carrying capacity and stays at a relatively constant level as indicated by a J curve.

marker proteins

Proteins embedded in the cell membrane which allow organisms to differentiate between self and nonself cells.

meiosis

The type of nuclear division that leads to four nuclei with a haploid complement of chromosomes produced from one diploid nucleus.

messenger RNA

RNA made from DNA that carries the nucleotide template to the ribosome for protein synthesis.

mitochondria

In eukaryotic cells it is the site of the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain of aerobic cellular respiration.

mitosis

The type of nuclear division that leads to two nuclei with the entire diploid complement of chromosomes.

mutations

A change in the DNA either by changing a chromosome's structure or the order of nucleotides.

natural selection

The theory that states how a population changes over time to reflect the individuals who are most successful.

nephron

The functional unit of the kidney.

nucleotides

The monomer subunit that links together along the sugar phosphate backbone to form nucleic acids (DNA/RNA).

oviduct

The tube that leads from the ovary to the uterus that is the site of fertilization in humans.

pancreas

The gland that releases glucagon and insulin to help control blood sugar.

passive transport

The transport of molecules across the cell membrane without the use of energy.

photosynthesis

The chemical reaction that makes glucose and oxygen from water and carbon in the presence of sunlight.

pituitary gland

The gland that controls the release of hormones from many other glands.

plasma

The liquid noncellular component of blood.

plasma membrane

The outer selectively permeable membrane of ALL cells.

polar bond

A bond where the atoms are sharing electrons unequally creating small negative and positive charges on the atoms.

population

The members of a species within a specific areas that has gene flow between its members.

primary productivity

The amount of photosynthesis in an ecosystem.

prokaryotic

Cells that have no nucleus or membrane bound organelles.

protista

The kingdom that has predominantly unicellular eukaryotic organisms including algae, protozoans, and slime molds.

replication

The duplication of the DNA during the middle "s phase" of interphase during the cell cycle.

restriction enzymes

Enzymes that are used to "cut" DNA into pieces that often have "sticky" ends.

ribosome

The part of the cell responsible for dehydration synthesis of proteins using the mRNA template.

root

The structure responsible for water absorption in plants.

RNA

The single stranded nucleic acid with uracil instead of the thymine found in DNA.

RNA polymerase

The enzyme that makes RNA from DNA.

sex chromosomes

The 23rd pair of chromosomes in humans that determine whether the offspring is male or female.

species

A group of similar looking organisms that can reproduce to make fertile offspring.

spindle fibers

The microtubules that are used to separate the chromosomes and drag them to separate sides during nuclear division.

stomata

The small openings on the underside of leaves that allow for carbon dioxide to come in and oxygen to escape.

symbiosis

A long term relationship between organisms of two different species where at least one of the organisms benefits.

transcription

The making of RNA from DNA.

Transfer RNA

RNA made from DNA that attaches to amino acids and delivers them to the mRNA in the ribosome.

Translation

The process of making proteins from the mRNA template.

Transpiration

The evaporation of water from the stomata of a leaf that allows water to be pulled up a stem.

Uterus

The place where the blastocyst implants and grows in a human female.

Xylem

The vascular tissue in a plant that carries water up the roots to the rest of the plant.

Zygote

The fertilized egg.