Atom
the smallest functional units of matter that form all chemical substances
Carbon
the building block of all living matter
Molecule
two or more atoms bonded together
Compound
any molecule composed of two or more elements
Macromolecule
large, complex organic molecules
Covalent bond
electrons are shared to fill valence (outer) shells in single, double, or triple bonds; very strong
Ionic bond
electrons are transferred, forming ions that are attracted to each other; intermediate strength
Hydrogen bond
hydrogen atom from one polar molecule is attracted to an electronegative atom from another molecule; weakest bond
Chemical reaction
when one or more substances are changed into other substances
Condensation reaction
two molecules are combined to form a single molecule usually with the loss of a small molecule such as water
Hydrolysis reaction
involves adding water to one large molecule to break it into multiple smaller molecules.
Taxonomy
the grouping of species based on common ancestry
Prokaryotes
small, simple cells that lack sub-cellular organelles like chloroplasts, mitochondria or nuclei; typically unicellular
Eukaryotes
more complex; uni- and multicellular; have organelles such as mitochondria, nuclei, chloroplasts; typically larger cells
Cell theory
all living organisms are composed of one or more cells; cells are the smallest units of life; new cells only come from pre-existing cells by cell division
Domain bacteria
mostly unicellular prokaryotes that inhabit many diverse (some extreme) environments on Earth
Cytoplasm
everything contained within the plasma membrane (cytosol, endomembrane system, mitochondria, etc)
Nucleoid region
where DNA is located
Cell wall
provides support and protection
Glycocalyx
traps water, gives protection, helps evade immune system
Domain archaea
unicellular prokaryotes that often live in extreme environments
Plasma membrane
Boundary between the cell and the extracellular environment
Ecology
the study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environments
Organismal ecology
the study of the ways in which individual organisms meet challenges of their environments
Behavioral Ecology
how individual behavior contributes to reproductive success and survival
Physiological Ecology
physiological changes that allow organisms to adapt to their environment and how the environment impacts the distribution of species
Conditioning
when response to a stimulus can be modified by learning
Non-associative learning
learning without an association to positive or negative reinforcement
Associative learning
behavior is changed through a positive or negative association between a stimulus and response
Cognitive learning
learning/solving problems that require conscious thought (frequently involves perception, analysis, judgment and senses; also may involve memory and decision-making)
Classical conditioning
involuntary response is associated with a neutral stimulus that did not originally elicit the response
Operant Conditioning
Voluntary response is reinforced by a consequence (reward or punishment)
Migration
long-range seasonal movement linked to temperature, food availability, and suitable breeding grounds
Habituation
a form of non-associative learning in which an innate response to a stimulus decreases after repeated or prolonged presentations of that stimulus
Critical period
a limited time during development when learning can be coupled with innate behavior
Optimal Foraging Theory
idea that animals will do cost/benefit analysis in finding a food source; needs to be advantageous to the individual
Population
group of interbreeding individuals (or species) living in the same geographic area at a given time
Population density
number of organisms in a given area
Dispersion
the spacing of a population in a given area
Semelparity
produces all offspring in a single reproductive event; reproduce 1x then die
Iteroparity
repeated reproduction at intervals throughout the life cycle (seasonal/continuous)
Density-dependent factors
factors that will affect mortality in a population because of the population's density
Density-independent factor
factors that will affect mortality in a population independent of the population's density
Community
the assemblage of populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time
Species richness
the number of species in a community
Succession
the gradual and continuous change in species composition and community structure following a disturbance; the species changing and species richness over time
Primary succession
newly exposed site is colonized by living things for the first time; when new land is formed or bare rock exposed (volcano/glacier retreat; no soil present)
Secondary succession
site where organisms used to live, was disturbed, and now recolonized; soil and nutrients still present (result of fire, tornado, flood, etc)
Ecosystem ecology
studies the movement of energy and materials through organisms and their communities
Heterotrophs
get organics from their environment
Chemical element
Each specific type of atom is a _______
Proton information
Subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.
Have a positive charge of +1.
The number in the atom determines its atomic number.
Neutron information
Subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.
They have a mass of approximately 1 atomic mass unit (AMU) and no electrical charge.
The number in the atom can vary, resulting in different isotopes of an element.
Electron information
Subatomic particle with a negative charge
Found in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus
Determines the chemical properties and reactivity of an atom
Involved in the formation of chemical bonds
makes up about 95% of the atoms in living organisms
Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon
What percent of atoms in living organisms do mineral elements make up
less than 1%
what percent of atoms in living organisms do trace elements make up
Less than 0.01%
Biologically important functional groups that bind to carbon
amino acids
carboxyl
hydroxyl
phosphate
Properties of chemical reactions
Breaks/forms bonds
Requires a source of energy
In living organisms, they often require an enzyme as catalyst
Tend to proceed in a particular direction but will eventually reach equilibrium
Occur in liquid (water)
Organic molecules
Molecules that contain carbon
Examples of macromolecules
Lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids
What is in the carboxyl group
amino acids and fatty acids
What is in the hydroxyl group
steroids, alcohol, carbohydrates, and some amino acids
What is in the phosphate group
Nucleic acids, ATP, and phospholipids
Principles/characteristics of living things:
Reproduce
Evolve/adapt
Maintain homeostasis
Made of cells
Need energy
Grow/develop
Have genetic material
Levels of biological organization:
Atoms
Molecules/macromolecules
Cells
Tissues
Organs
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
Binomial nomenclature
the specific name for each species
Organisms are classified based on
domain, genus, then species
Features all cells have:
Phospholipid bilayer
cytoplasm
genetic material
ribosomes
Three domains of life
bacteria
archaea
eukarya
Types of prokaryotes
Bacteria and archaea
Characteristics of prokaryotes
simple cell structure with no nucleus or subcellular organelles
mostly unicellular
occur as single cells, pairs, or filaments
Shapes of bacteria
Spheres (coccus/cocci)
Rods (bacillus/ bacilli)
Comma-shaped (vibrio/vibrios)
Spiral-shaped flexible (spirochete/spirochetes)
Spiral-shaped rigid (spirillum/spirilla)
Characteristics of eukaryotes
DNA is housed inside a membrane-bound nucleus
compartmentalized functions
organelles each have their own unique structure and function
lots of variety between cell types and species
Plasma membrane functions
Membrane transport in and out of cell with selective permeability
Cell adhesion
Cell signaling using receptors
Bacterial cell structure
Cytoplasm, nucleoid region, and ribosomes are inside the plasma membrane
cell wall, glycocalyx, and appendages are outside the plasma membrane
Ribosomes
responsible for making/synthesizing proteins
DNA
responsible for storage, transmission, and expression of genetic material
as cells get larger, the ______________ gets smaller, affecting cell function
surface area-to-volume ratio; important to bring in nutrients, remove wastes, and transport
Chloroplasts
Use photosynthesis
Found in nearly all species of plants and algae
Have an outer and inner membrane
Mitochondrion
Have outer and inner membranes
Intermembrane space and mitochondrial matrix
Evidence of endosymbiosis
Mitochondria and chloroplasts
Grow and self-replicate by binary fission
Have their own circular DNA (like bacteria)
Have two membranes
Cell morphology
Size and shape of eukaryotic cells show great variation
Even cells that share the same genome can have very different morphologies
Mitochondria derived from
proteobacteria (purple bacteria)
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