Biology Quiz 1 Study Guide – Vocabulary

65 vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chapters 1, 4, and 5 of the study guide.

Discovery Science

Collecting and analyzing observations to describe nature without experimental testing; relies on inductive reasoning.

Hypothesis-Driven Science

Scientific inquiry that tests specific, falsifiable predictions through controlled experiments.

Hypothesis

A tentative, testable explanation for an observation or question.

Scientific Theory

A broad, well-supported explanation of natural phenomena, confirmed by extensive evidence.

Order (Property of Life)

Highly organized structure of living things from cells to complex systems.

Reproduction

Ability of organisms to produce offspring, passing on genes to the next generation.

Growth and Development

Inherited information controls increases in size and progressive changes in form.

Energy Processing

Acquisition and use of energy to power life’s activities (e.g., cellular respiration, photosynthesis).

Response to Environment

Ability to detect and react to internal or external stimuli.

Regulation

Maintenance of stable internal conditions (homeostasis) despite external changes.

Evolutionary Adaptation

Inherited traits that improve survival/reproduction and are refined by natural selection.

Domain Bacteria

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms with peptidoglycan cell walls; diverse habitats.

Domain Archaea

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms often living in extreme environments; distinct biochemistry from bacteria.

Domain Eukarya

Organisms with eukaryotic cells; includes protists, plants, fungi, and animals.

Kingdom Protista

Mostly unicellular eukaryotes; diverse modes of nutrition and locomotion.

Kingdom Plantae

Multicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes that produce their own food and have cell walls of cellulose.

Kingdom Fungi

Mostly multicellular eukaryotes that absorb nutrients; cell walls contain chitin.

Kingdom Animalia

Multicellular, ingestive heterotrophs lacking cell walls; specialized tissues and organs.

Natural Selection

Process where individuals with advantageous traits reproduce more, driving evolution.

Descent with Modification

Darwin’s idea that species change over time and share common ancestry.

Prokaryotic Cell

Small, simple cell lacking a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles.

Eukaryotic Cell

Larger cell with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Animal Cell

Eukaryotic cell lacking a cell wall; contains centrioles and lysosomes.

Plant Cell

Eukaryotic cell with a cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole.

Nucleus

Membrane-bound organelle that houses DNA and controls cell activities.

Ribosome

Structure composed of rRNA and proteins; site of protein synthesis.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

ER studded with ribosomes; synthesizes and folds membrane and secretory proteins.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

ER lacking ribosomes; synthesizes lipids, detoxifies drugs, stores calcium ions.

Golgi Apparatus

Stacks of membranous sacs that modify, sort, and ship proteins and lipids.

Lysosome

Acidic vesicle containing hydrolytic enzymes for intracellular digestion.

Vacuole

Large vesicle used for storage, waste disposal, or maintaining turgor (plant cells).

Peroxisome

Organelle that breaks down fatty acids and detoxifies harmful compounds using hydrogen peroxide.

Mitochondrion

Organelle that performs cellular respiration, producing ATP from food molecules.

Chloroplast

Photosynthetic organelle converting solar energy to chemical energy (plants, algae).

Cytoskeleton

Network of protein fibers (microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments) providing support and motility.

Plasma Membrane

Phospholipid bilayer with proteins; regulates entry and exit of substances.

Cell Wall

Rigid layer outside the plasma membrane of plants, fungi, and some protists and bacteria; provides support.

Extracellular Matrix

Complex mesh of proteins and carbohydrates outside animal cells; aids support and signaling.

Cilia

Short, numerous appendages that move fluid past cells or propel single-celled organisms.

Flagella

Long, whip-like structures that propel cells through liquid.

Centriole

Cylindrical structure in animal cells that helps organize microtubules during cell division.

Endosymbiotic Theory

Hypothesis that mitochondria and chloroplasts arose from engulfed prokaryotes living symbiotically inside ancestors of eukaryotes.

Complementary Base Pairing

Specific pairing of nucleotide bases (DNA: A–T, C–G; RNA: A–U, C–G).

Central Dogma

Flow of genetic information: DNA → RNA → Protein (transcription then translation).

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion; performs work by moving matter.

Potential Energy

Stored energy due to position or structure; includes chemical energy.

Chemical Energy

Potential energy stored in chemical bonds of molecules.

Thermal Energy

Kinetic energy associated with random movement of particles; transferred as heat.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Cell’s main energy currency; hydrolysis releases energy to power cellular work.

Enzyme

Biological catalyst that speeds up reactions by lowering activation energy without being consumed.

Activation Energy

Initial energy input required to start a chemical reaction; lowered by enzymes.

Substrate

Reactant molecule on which an enzyme acts.

Competitive Inhibitor

Substance that competes with substrate for an enzyme’s active site, reducing activity.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

Molecule that binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, altering shape and activity.

Passive Transport

Movement of substances across a membrane down their concentration gradient without energy input.

Active Transport

Energy-requiring movement of substances against their concentration gradient via transport proteins.

Simple Diffusion

Passive movement of small, nonpolar molecules directly through the lipid bilayer.

Facilitated Diffusion

Passive transport of polar or charged molecules through transport proteins.

Diffusion

Net movement of molecules from higher to lower concentration due to random motion.

Osmosis

Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Isotonic Solution

Solution with equal solute concentration to the cell; no net water movement.

Hypertonic Solution

Solution with higher solute concentration than the cell; water exits, cell shrinks.

Hypotonic Solution

Solution with lower solute concentration than the cell; water enters, cell swells.

Endocytosis

Active transport process that brings large materials into the cell via vesicle formation.

Exocytosis

Process that expels materials from a cell by fusing vesicles with the plasma membrane.