Life Processes Flashcards

Flashcards based on the Life Processes chapter, covering key concepts in biology.

What are life processes?

The various basic functions performed by the living organisms to maintain their life on this earth is known as life processes

What is nutrition?

To transfer a source of energy (food) from outside the body to the inside.

What is respiration?

The process of acquiring oxygen from outside the body and using it in the breakdown of food sources for cellular needs.

Why is diffusion insufficient for multi-cellular organisms?

Cells may not be in direct contact with the surrounding environment, so simple diffusion is insufficient.

What criteria help us decide if something is alive?

Movement, breathing, growth, and molecular movement.

What are outside raw materials used for by an organism?

Growth, development, synthesizing proteins, and other substances needed in the body.

What processes are essential for maintaining life?

Nutrition, respiration, transportation, and excretion.

What are autotrophs?

Organisms that use simple food material obtained from inorganic sources like carbon dioxide and water; includes green plants and some bacteria.

What are heterotrophs?

Organisms that utilize complex substances and depend directly or indirectly on autotrophs for survival; includes animals and fungi.

What is photosynthesis?

The process by which autotrophs take in substances and convert them into stored forms of energy using carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and chlorophyll.

What events occur during photosynthesis?

Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll, conversion of light energy to chemical energy and splitting of water molecules, reduction of carbon dioxide to carbohydrates.

What are stomata?

Tiny pores on the surface of leaves that facilitate gas exchange.

How do guard cells function?

They swell when water flows into them, causing the stomatal pore to open; they shrink to close the pore.

Which organisms break down food outside of their bodies?

Fungi like bread molds, yeast, and mushrooms break down food material outside the body and then absorb it.

What organisms use the parasitic nutritive strategy?

Cuscuta (amar-bel), ticks, lice, leeches, and tapeworms derive nutrition from plants or animals without killing them.

What are the finger-like extensions called that Amoeba use to obtain food?

Temporary finger-like extensions of the cell surface used to engulf food particles.

Salivary amylase

Breaks down starch into simple sugar.

What is the role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach?

Hydrochloric acid creates an acidic medium for pepsin's action and protects the inner lining of the stomach.

Why do herbivores have longer small intestines?

Herbivores eating grass need a longer small intestine to digest cellulose.

What is the role of bile juice from the liver?

Bile juice from the liver makes the food alkaline and acts on fats by breaking them down into smaller globules.

What is the function of pancreatic juice?

Trypsin digests proteins, and lipase breaks down emulsified fats.

What are villi?

Finger-like projections that increase the surface area for absorption in the small intestine.

What causes dental caries or tooth decay?

Bacteria acting on sugars produce acids that soften or demineralize the enamel.

How do organisms use food material to provide energy?

Diverse organisms use different ways-- some use oxygen to break down glucose completely into carbon dioxide and water, and some use other pathways that do not involve oxygen.

What is the first step of cellular respiration?

The breakdown of glucose, a six-carbon molecule, into a three-carbon molecule called pyruvate in the cytoplasm.

What happens to pyruvate in yeast during fermentation?

The pyruvate may be converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide using no oxygen.

What is anaerobic respiration?

A process in the absence of air (oxygen).

What is aerobic respiration?

The process of breaking down pyruvate using oxygen; takes place in the mitochondria.

What is the energy currency for cellular processes?

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

How do plants exchange gases?

Plants exchange gases through stomata and large inter-cellular spaces.

Why is the breathing rate of aquatic organisms faster than terrestrial organisms?

The dissolved oxygen is fairly low compared to the amount of oxygen in the air, so the rate of breathing in aquatic organisms is much faster.

How is air filtered in human beings?

The air passing through the nostrils is filtered by fine hairs and mucus.

What are alveoli?

Balloon-like structures in the lungs where the exchange of gases can take place.

Where does the exchange of gases take place in the lungs?

The walls of the alveoli where there is an extensive network of blood-vessels.

What is the respiratory pigment in human beings?

Haemoglobin

What is the advantage over an aquatic organism that a terrestrial organism has with regard to obtaining oxygen for respiration?

Terrestrial organisms have an advantage over aquatic organisms with regard to obtaining oxygen for respiration because oxygen is more readily available in the atmosphere than dissolved in water.

What are the different ways in which glucose is oxidised to provide energy in various organisms?

Aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, and breakdown with lack of oxygen.

How are oxygen and carbon dioxide transported in human beings?

Oxygen is transported by haemoglobin in red blood cells, and carbon dioxide is mostly transported in dissolved form in the blood.

How are the lungs designed in human beings to maximise the area for exchange of gases?

The lungs are designed with balloon-like alveoli to maximise the surface area for exchange of gases.

What are the components of the transport system in human beings?

Blood, a network of tubes, and a pumping organ (the heart).

Why is it necessary to separate oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in mammals and birds?

The heart has different chambers to prevent oxygen-rich blood from mixing with blood containing carbon dioxide, allowing for a highly efficient supply of oxygen to the body.

What are the components of the transport system in highly organised plants?

Xylem and phloem.

How are water and minerals transported in plants?

Water and minerals are transported through the xylem in plants.

How is food transported in plants?

Products of photosynthesis are transported through the phloem in plants.

Arteries, veins, and capillaries

Arteries carry blood away from the heart; veins collect the blood from different organs and bring it back to the heart; capillaries facilitate exchange of material between the blood and surrounding cells.

Role of platelets

To plug leaks by helping to clot the blood at points of injury.

What do xylem and pholem transport?

The xylem moves water and minerals, and the phloem transports products of photosynthesis.

The loss of water in the form of vapor from the aerial parts of the plant

Transpiration

What is the purpose of making urine?

To filter out waste products from the blood.

Nephrons

A cluster of very thin-walled blood capillaries.

What is the function of kidneys?

Filters out waste products from the blood.

What is the cup-shaped end of a coiled tube which collects filtrate

Bowman's capsule

Methods unicellular organisms use to remove waste

Diffusion from the body surface into the surrounding water.

Artificial Kidney (Hemodialysis)

By stopping blood flow to the kidneys.

Indication of life

Movement of various types can be taken as an indication of life.

Methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products

They get rid of excess water by transpiration. For other wastes, plants use the fact that many of their tissues consist of dead cells, and that they can even lose some parts such as leaves.

How is the amount of urine produced regulated?

The amount of water re-absorbed depends on how much excess water there is in the body, and on how much of dissolved waste there is to be excreted.