Fast Facts

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1. the basic unit of life in all living things

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cell

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2. a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific job

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tissue

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3. a combination of 2 or more tissues that work together to perform a specific job

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organ

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4. a group of organs that work together to perform a specific body function

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organ system

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5. anything that can independently carry out life processes

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organism

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6. made of a single cell

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unicellular

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7. made of many cells

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multicellular

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8. a group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time

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population

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9. all the populations of different species that live and interact in an area

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community

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10. a community of organisms and their nonliving environment

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ecosystem

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11. phospholipid layer that covers a cell's surface and acts as a barrier between the inside of a cell and its environment

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cell membrane

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12. structures within a cell

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organelles

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13. cellular fluid surrounding a cell's organelles

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cytoplasm

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14. control center of a cell

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nucleus

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15. cells that do not have a separate nucleus

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prokaryotic

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16. cells that have their nuclear material surrounded by a nuclear membrane

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eukaryotic

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17. extremely small single-celled organisms without a nucleus

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bacteria

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18. a structure that surrounds cell membranes of plant cells and provides structure and support

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cell wall

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19. small organelle in cells where proteins are made from amino acids

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ribosomes

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20. a series of tubes in a cell where package proteins are moved out of the cell; "subway system"

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endoplasmic reticulum or ER

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21. cell organelle that breaks down food for ATP; "powerhouse" of the cell

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mitochondria

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22. organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

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chloroplast

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23. cell organelle that packages proteins for movement out of the cell; the "Fed Ex" of the cell

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golgi complex (apparatus)

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24. forms when part of a cell membrane surrounds an object and pinches off

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vesicle

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25. organelles in cells that store water and other liquids

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vacuole

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26. cell organelle that digests waste and worn out cell parts; "stomach" of the cell

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lysosome

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27. the movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration

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diffusion

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28. the diffusion of water across a cell membrane

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osmosis

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29. diffusion of particles through a cell membrane without the use of energy

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passive transport

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30. diffusion of particles through a cell membrane that requires the use of energy

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active transport

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31. process in which a cell membrane surrounds a particle and encloses it in a vesicle to bring it into the cell

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endocytosis

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32. process used to remove large particles from a cell; vesicle containing the particle fuses with the cell membrane

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exocytosis

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33. process by which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make food

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photosynthesis

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34. process of producing ATP in a cell from oxygen and glucose; releases carbon dioxide and oxygen

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cellular respiration

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35. the breakdown of sugars to make ATP in the absence of oxygen

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fermentation

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36. division of a cell where its genetic material is duplicated and the cell splits in two

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mitosis

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37. "resting phase" of mitosis where the cell carries on normal function

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interphase

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38. phase of mitosis where chromosomes copy themselves and nuclear membranes begin to fade

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prophase

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39. phase of mitosis where chromosome pairs (chromatids) line up down the middle of the cell

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metaphase

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40. phase of mitosis where chromosome pairs (chromatids) are pulled apart and move to opposite sides of the cell

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anaphase

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41. phase of mitosis where cell membrane pinches itself in two

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telophase

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42. a coiled structure of DNA and protein that forms in the cell nucleus during mitosis

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chromosome

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43. simple cell division in which one cell splits in two; used in bacteria

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binary fission

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44. identical chromosome copies

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chromatids

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45. the region that holds chromatids together when a chromosome is copied

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centromere

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46. the end result of mitosis producing two identical cells

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cytokinesis

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47. the passing of traits from parent to offspring

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heredity

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48. the trait that always shows in a genotype

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dominant trait

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49. the trait that can be masked or hidden in a genotype with the presence of a dominant trait

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recessive trait

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50. segments of DNA that carry hereditary instructions and are passed from parent to offspring

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genes

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51. the different forms of a single gene

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alleles

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52. the inherited combination of alleles (ex: Rr)

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genotype

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53. an organism's inherited appearance (ex: blue eyes)

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phenotype

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54. deoxyribonucleic acid

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DNA

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55. the building block of the DNA molecule: 1 sugar, 1 phosphate and 1 nitrogen base

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nucleotide

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56. 1 of the 4 nitrogen bases in DNA that pairs with thymine

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adenine

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57. 1 of the 4 nitrogen bases in DNA that pairs with adenine

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thymine

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58. 1 of the 4 nitrogen bases in DNA that pairs with cytosine

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guanine

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59. 1 of the 4 nitrogen bases in DNA that pairs with guanine

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cytosine

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60. nitrogen base that replaces thymine in RNA

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uracil

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61. a change in the order of the bases in an organism's DNA

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mutation

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62. type of mutation where a step is changed

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substitution

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63. type of mutation where a step is left out

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deletion

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64. type of mutation where a step is added

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insertion

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65. tool used to predict outcomes in Mendelian genetics

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punnett square

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66. a characteristic that helps an organism survive in its environment

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adaptation

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67. the process by which populations accumulate inherited changes over time

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evolution

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68. solidified remains or imprints of a once living organism

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fossil

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69. a historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layers of the Earth's crust

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fossil record

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70. the remnant of a once-useful anatomical structure

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vestigial structure

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71. a distinguishing quality that can be passed from one generation to another

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trait

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72. the breeding of organisms that have a certain desired trait

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selective breeding

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73. the process by which organisms with favorable traits survive and reproduce at a higher rate than those without that trait; "survival of the fittest"

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natural selection

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74. the period between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation

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generation time

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75. process by which 2 populations of the same species become so different that they can no longer interbreed

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speciation

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76. determining whether an event or object, such as a fossil, is older or younger than other events or objects

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relative dating

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77. determining the age of an object or event in years, usully by measuring the amount of unstable atoms in the sample

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absolute dating

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78. the division of the Earth's history into distinct intervals of time

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geologic time scale

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79. describes a species of organisms that has died out completely

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extinct

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80. the study of the forces that drive the movement of pieces of Earth's crust around the surface of the planet

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plate tectonics

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81. the period in the geologic time scale beginning when Earth originated

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precambrian time

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82. the period in the geologic time scale beginning about 570 mya and ending about 248 mya

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paleozoic era

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83. the period in the geologic time scale beginning about 248 mya and ending about 65 mya

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mesozoic era

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84. the period in the geologic time scale beginning about 65 mya and continuing until the present day

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cenozoic era

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85. a type of mammal that includes humans, apes and monkeys; distinguished by binocular vision and opposable thumbs

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primate

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86. the arrangement of organisms into groups based on their similarities

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classification

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87. the most general of the 7 levels of classification

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kingdom

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88. the level of classification after kingdom

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phylum

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89. the level of classification after phylum

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class

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90. the level of classification after class

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order

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91. the level of classification after order

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family

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92. the level of classification after family

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genus

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93. the most specific level of classification; members of this level can successfully reproduce

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species

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94. the science of identifying, classifying and naming living things

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taxonomy

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95. a tool used to identify unknown organisms that consists of a series of descriptive statements

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dichotomous key

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96. kingdom that contains bacteria that thrive in extreme environments

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archaebacteria

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97. kingdom that contains mostly free-living bacteria found in many varied environments

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eubacteria

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98. kingdom of eukaryotic unicellular or simple multicellular organisms

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protista

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99. living factors in the environment

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biotic

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100. nonliving factors in the environment

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abiotic

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101. a group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time

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population

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102. all the populations of different species that live and interact in an area

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community

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103. all the organisms in an environment and their abiotic elements

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ecosystem

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104. the part of the Earth where life exists

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biosphere

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105. a consumer that eats only plants

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herbivore

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106. a consumer that eats animals

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carnivore

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107. a consumer that eats a variety of organisms

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omnivore

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108. an animal that feeds on the bodies of dead animals

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scavenger

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109. a complex diagram that shows the many energy pathways in an ecosystem

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food web

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110. an organism's way of life and its relationship with the biotic and abiotic factors of its habitat

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niche

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111. the largest population that a given environment can support over a long period of time

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carrying capacity

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112. a close, long-term relationship between two or more species

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symbiosis

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113. symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit

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mutualism

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114. symbiotic relationship in which 1 organism benefits and the other is unaffected

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commensalism

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115. symbiotic relationship in which 1 organism benefits and the other is harmed or killed

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parasitism