BIO - NMAT

nucleus

double membraned sac that encloses a cell's DNA

bacterium

member of single-celled organisms

eukaryote

organism whose cells characteristically have a nucleus

protist

member of a diverse group of simple eukaryotes

homeostasis

Set of processes by which an organism keeps its internal conditions within tolerable ranges

growth

in multicelled species, an increase in the number, size, and volume of cells

development

multistep process by which the first cell of a new multicelled organism gives rise to an adult

reproduction

Process by which parents produce offspring

inheritance

transmission of DNA to offspring

energy

capacity to do work

nutrient

substance that an organism needs for growth and survival but cannot make for itself

producer

Organism that makes its own food using energy and nonbiological raw materials from the environment

photosynthesis

Process by which producers use light energy to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water

consumer

organism that gets energy and nutrients by feeding on tissues, wastes, or remains of other organisms

atom

fundamental building block of all matter

molecule

An association of two or more atoms

cell

smallest unit of life

organism

Individual that consists of one or more cells

tissue

in multicellular organisims, a group of similar cells that carry out a common function

organ

in multicelled organisms, a grouping of tissues engaged in a collective task

organ system

in multicelled organisms, set of interacting organs that carry out a particular body function

population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

community

all populations of all species in a given area

ecosystem

A community interacting with its environment

biosphere

All regions of Earth where organisms live

fungus

type of eukaryotic consumer that obtains nutrients by digestion and absorption outside the body

plant

multicelled, typically photosynthetic producer

animal

multicelled consumer that develops through a series of stages and moves about during part or all of its life cycle

archean

member of a group of single-celled organisms that differ from bacteria

species

Type of organism

taxonomy

the science of naming and classifying organisms

genus

a group of species that share a unique set of traits

specific epithet

Second part of scientific name.

taxon

Linnaean category; a grouping of organisms

experimental group

in an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment

control group

in an experiment, the group of participants that doesn't receive the manipulation

Scientific Method

Making, testing, and evaluating hypotheses

atom

particle that is a fundamental building block of all matter

proton

positively charged particle that occurs in the nucleus of an atom

neutron

uncharged subatomic particle in the atomic nucleus

electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle

charge

electrical property. opposite charges attract, and like charges repel

nucleus

core of an atom; occupied by protons and neutrons

atomic number

number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical or physical means

periodic table

tabular arrangement of all known elements by their atomic number

isotopes

Forms of an element that differ in the number of neutrons their atoms carry

mass number

total number of protons and neutrons

radioisotope

Isotope with an unstable nucleus

radioactive decay

process by which an unstable element naturally changes into another stable element

tracer

a molecule labelled with a detectable substance

shell model

model of electron distribution in an atom

ion

charged atom

electronegativity

Measure of the ability of an atom to pull electrons away from other atoms

chemical bond

an attractive force that arises between two atoms when their electrons interact

molecule

group of atoms bonded together

compound

Group of molecules

mixture

an intermingling of two or more types of molecules

ionic bond

type of chemical bond in which a strong mutual attraction links ions of opposite charge

covalent bond

chemical bond in which two atoms share a pair of electrons

polarity

Any separation of charge into distinct positive and negative regions.

hydrogen bond

Attraction between a slightly positive hydrogen atom and a slightly negative atom.

solvent

Liquid substance that will dissolve another substance

solute

A dissolved substance

salt

compound that releases ions other than H+ and OH- when it dissolves in water

hydrophilic

Describes a substance that dissolves easily in water

hydrophobic

Describes a substance that resists dissolving in water

cohesion

Tendency of molecules of the same kind to stick to one another

evaporation

Transition of a liquid to a vapor

temperature

Measure of molecular motion

concentration

The number of molecules or ions per unit volume of a solution

pH

measure of the number of hydrogen ions in a fluid

acid

substance that releases hydrogen ions in water

base

substance that accepts hydrogen ions in water

buffer

A solution that minimizes changes in pH when extraneous acids or bases are added to the solution.

hydrocarbon

Compound or region of one that consists only of carbon and hydrogen atoms

functional group

a group of atoms bonded to a carbon of an organic compound

monomers

Molecules that are subunits of polymers

polymer

molecule that consists of multiple monomers

metabolism

All enzyme-mediated chemical reactions by which cells acquire and use energy

enzyme

compound (usually a protein) that speeds up a reaction without being changed by it

condensation

process by which enzymes build large molecules from smaller subunits; water also forms

hydrolysis

process by which an enzyme breaks a molecule into smaller subunits by attaching a hydroxyl group to one part and hydrogen atoms to the other

carbohydrate

molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in 1:2:1 ratio

lipid

fatty, oily, waxy organic compound

fatty acid

organic compound that consists of a chain of carbon atoms with an acidic carboxyl group at one end

fat

lipid that consists of a glycerol molecule with one, two, or three fatty acid tails

triglyceride

A fat with three fatty acid tails

phospholipid

A lipid with a phosphate group in its hydrophilic head. The main constituent of cell membranes.

wax

Water-repellent lipid with long fatty acid tails bonded to long-chain alcohols or carbon rings.

steroid

type of lipid with four carbon rings and no fatty acid tails

protein

Organic compounds composed mainly of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen

amino acid

small organic compound that is a subunit of proteins: consists of a carboxyl group, an amine group, and a side group (R)

peptide bond

a bond between amino acids

polypeptide

Chain of amino acids

denature

To unravel the shape of a protein or other large biological molecule

prion

infectious protein

nucleotide

monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

nucleotide with two extra phosphate groups; main source of energy in living things

nucleic acid

Single- or double-stranded chain of nucleotides joined by sugar-phosphate bonds e.g., DNA, RNA.