Biology
the scientific study of life
Organization
Hierarchy of complex biological structures
Biosphere
Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.
Biome
A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
Ecosystem
A community of organisms and their abiotic environment
Community
All the different populations that live together in an area
Population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
Organism
An individual living thing
Organ System
A group of organs that work together in performing vital body functions.
Tissue
A group of similar cells that perform the same function.
Cell
Basic unit of life
Organelle
specialized structure that performs important cellular functions within a eukaryotic cell
Macromolecules
A very large organic molecule composed of many smaller molecules
Molecule
two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
Atom
Basic unit of matter, building block of element
Eukaryotic cells
Contain a nucleus and other organelles that are bound by membranes.
Prokaryotic cells
cells without a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles
Structure and Function
Body parts have different forms, depending on their jobs
Diversity
(n.) difference, variety; a condition of having many different types of forms
Binomial Nomenclature
Classification system in which each species is assigned a two-part scientific name
Classification
The process of grouping things based on their similarities
Domains
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Bacteria
Domain of unicellular prokaryotes
Archaea
Domain of unicellular prokaryotes, extremophiles
Eukarya
Domain of all organisms whose cells have nuclei, including protists, plants, fungi, and animals
Kingdom
First and largest category used to classify organisms
Phylum
Group of closely related classes
Kingdom Protista
Contain one celled eukaryotes such as algae and protozoa.
Kingdom Fungi
Consists of unicellular and multicellular organisms that cannot make their own food (heterotrophs)
Kingdom Plantae
Complex, multi-cellular organisms that use photosynthesis to make food.
Kingdom Animalia
contain organisms that are multicellular eukaryotes including vertebrates and invertebrates, absorb nutrients
Kingdom Eubacteria
a kingdom of prokaryotic organisms that contains mostly free-living and common bacteria; classified under Domain Bacteria
Kingdom Eubacteria
-Prokaryote, Unicellular, autotrophic, Has cell wall with peptidoglycan
Class
in classification, a group of closely related orders
Order
Group of similar families
Family
Group of genera that share many characteristics
Genus
A group of similar species
Species
A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Scientific Method
A series of steps followed to solve problems including collecting data, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and stating conclusions.
Scientific Theory
A well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experimental results.
Element
A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances
Compound
A substance made up of atoms of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds; emergent properties
Neutron
A subatomic particle that has no charge and that is found in the nucleus of an atom
Proton
A subatomic particle that has a positive charge and that is found in the nucleus of an atom
Electron
A subatomic particle that has a negative charge
Atomic Mass
Number of protons and neutrons
Atomic number
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Reactants
a substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a reaction.
Products
The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction.
Isotopes
Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
Radioactive Isotope
An isotope whose nucleus decays spontaneously, giving off particles and energy.
Electron Shell
a grouping of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom
Electron Orbital
the three-dimensional space where an electron is found 90% of the time
Valence Shell
outermost electron shell
Covalent Bond
A chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule
Ionic Bond
A chemical bond resulting from the attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Ions
positively and negatively charged atoms
Hydrogen Bond
Attraction between a slightly positive hydrogen atom and a slightly negative atom.
Chemical Equlibrium
the point at which the reactions offset one another exactly
Polar Covalent Bond
A covalent bond in which electrons are not shared equally
Polar Molecule
molecule with an unequal distribution of charge, resulting in the molecule having a positive end and a negative end
Cohesion
an attraction between molecules of the same substance
Surface tension
A measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface of a liquid
Adhesion
An attraction between molecules of different substances
Thermal Energy
The total energy of motion in the particles of a substance
Heat
thermal energy in transfer from one body of matter to another
Specific Heat
the heat required to raise the temperature of the unit mass of a given substance by a given amount (usually one degree).
Heat of Vaporization
the quantity of heat a liquid must absorb for 1 g of it to be converted from the liquid to the gaseous state
Evaportive Cooling
The process in which the surface of an object becomes cooler during evaporation, a result of the molecules with the greatest kinetic energy changing from the liquid to the gaseous state.
Solution
A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances
Solute
A substance that is dissolved in a solution.
Solvent
the substance in which the solute dissolves
Hydration Shell
the sphere of water molecules around each dissolved ion
Hydrophilic
Having an affinity for water.
Hydrophobic
Water fearing
Molecular Mass
The sum of the masses of all the atoms in a molecule
Mole
the SI base unit used to measure the amount of a substance
hydrogen ion (H+)
a single proton with a charge of 1+
hydroxide ion (OH-)
A negatively charged ion made of oxygen and hydrogen.
hydronium ion (H3O+)
the positive ion formed when a water molecule gains a hydrogen ion
Acid
A substance that increases the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution.
Base
A substance that decreases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.
Ph Scale
scale with values from 0 to 14, used to measure the concentration of H+ ions in a solution; a pH of 0 to 7 is acidic, a pH of 7 is neutral, and a pH of 7 to 14 is basic
PH
hydrogen ion concentration
Buffer
compound that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH
Acidification
The lowering of the pH of a solution.
Organic Chemistry
the study of compounds containing carbon
Hydrocarbon
Compounds composed of only carbon and hydrogen
Isomer
Compounds with the same formula but different structures/properties
Structural isomer
Compounds that have the same molecular formula but differ in the covalent arrangements of their atoms.
Cis Trans Isomers
have the same covalent bonds but differ in spatial arrangements due to inflexibility of double bonds
Enantiomers
isomers that are mirror images of each other
Functional Groups
chemical groups attached to carbon skeletons that give compounds their functionality
Hydroxyl Group
-OH (alcohol)
Cabonyl Group
C=O
Carboxyl group
A -COOH group, found in organic acids.
Amino Group
(—NH2) a functional group composed of nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms and to the carbon skeleton. Can act as a base in solution, accepting a hydrogen ion and acquiring a charge of +1.
Sulfhydryl group
-SH, thiol
Phosphate Group
PO4 3-, organic phosphate, sugar, nitrogenous base
Methyl Group
-CH3, methylated compound