Semester 1 Biology Vocabulary

Front 1

Define Active Transport

Back 1

Energy-Requiring process that moves material across a cell membrane

Front 2

Define Amino Acid

Back 2

Product of translation, these will join together using peptide bonds to form a protein

Front 3

Define ATP

Back 3

(Adenosine triphosphate) One of the principal chemical compounds that living things use to store and release energy

Front 4

Define Base Pairing

Back 4

Principle that bonds DNA can form only between adenine and thymine and between guanine and cytosine

Front 5

Define Binary Fission

Back 5

Type of asexual reproduction in which an organism replicates it's DNA and divides in half, producing two identical daughter cells

Front 6

Define Cancer

Back 6

Uncontrolled cell growth caused by mutations in the genetic code

Front 7

Define Carbohydrate

Back 7

Organic molecule made up of simple sugars. Main structural component of plants as well as energy source for living things; made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body

Front 8

Define Carbohydrate

Back 8

Organic molecule made up of simple sugars. Main structural component of plants as well as energy source for living things; made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body

Front 9

Define Cell Membrane

Back 9

Thin, flexible barrier around a cell; regulates what enters and leaves the cell

Front 10

Define Chloroplast

Back 10

Organelle found in cells of plants and some other organisms that captures the energy from sunlight and converts it into chemical energy

Front 11

Define Chromosomal Analysis

Back 11

Technology that scientists use to determine gender and mutations in a living organism by analyzing the chromosomes using a karyotype

Front 12

Define Chromosome

Back 12

Organized structure of DNA and protein in cells

Front 13

Define Complementary DNA Strand

Back 13

Strand of DNA that pairs with a template of the original DNA strand

Front 14

Define Concentration Gradient

Back 14

Amount of solute on one side of a membrane vs. The other side

Front 15

Define Cytoplasm

Back 15

Material inside the cell membrane- not including the nucleus and organelles

Front 16

Define Cytoplasm

Back 16

Material inside the cell membrane- not including the nucleus and organelles

Front 17

Define Dehydration Synthesis

Back 17

The process of joining two monomers; absorbing energy within the bonds between the two

Front 18

Define Deletion

Back 18

Type of mutation in which a nitrogenous base is lost, causing a frame-shift mutation for the cell

Front 19

Define Diffusion

Back 19

Process by which molecules tend to move from an area where they are more concentrated to an area where they are less concentrated

Front 20

Define Diffusion

Back 20

Process by which molecules tend to move from an area where they are more concentrated to an area where they are less concentrated

Front 21

Define DNA

Back 21

Molecule that stores genetic information in living things

Front 22

Define DNA Fingerprinting

Back 22

Technology that scientists use to compare the genetic code from organisms and determine the genes that they have in common

Front 23

Define DNA Fingerprinting

Back 23

Technology that scientists use to compare the genetic code from organisms and determine the genes that they have in common

Front 24

Define DNA Replication

Back 24

Process by which DNA makes an exact copy of itself in the cell nucleus

Front 25

Define DNA Replication

Back 25

Process by which DNA makes an exact copy of itself in the cell nucleus

Front 26

Define Embryo

Back 26

Organism in the very early stages of development in the womb

Front 27

Define Enzyme

Back 27

Protein that acts as a biological catalyst

Front 28

Define Frame Shift Mutation

Back 28

Mutation that causes significant change to the way a DNA sequence is translated. Caused by an insertion or deletion of a single or multiple nucleotides and shifts the reading frame for RNA translation

Front 29

Define Gamete

Back 29

Specialized cell involved in sexual reproduction. Sex cells (egg and sperm)

Front 30

Define Gene Expression

Back 30

A regulated process that involves controlling the proteins produced by a gene.

Front 31

Define Genotype

Back 31

The genetic makeup of an organism

Front 32

Define Haploid

Back 32

Term used to refer to a cell that only had a single set of chromosomes and therefore only a single set of genes.

Front 33

Define Heredity

Back 33

Passing of traits from parents to offspring

Front 34

Define Heterozygous

Back 34

Having two alleles for the same gene

Front 35

Define Homozygous

Back 35

Having only one allele for a gene

Front 36

Define Hydrolysis

Back 36

The process of separating a polymer into its monomers; releasing energy stored within the bonds between the two

Front 37

Define Hypertonic

Back 37

When comparing two solutions, the solution with the greater concentration of solutes

Front 38

Define Hypotonic

Back 38

When comparing two solutions, the solution with the lesser concentration of solutes

Front 39

Define Hypotonic

Back 39

When comparing two solutions, the solution with the lesser concentration of solutes

Front 40

Define Insertion

Back 40

Type of mutation in which a nitrogenous base is added, causing a frame-shift mutation for the cell

Front 41

Define Interphase

Back 41

Stage of the cell cycle in which the cell grows and replicates DNA and organelles

Front 42

Define Isotonic

Back 42

When the concentration of two solutions is the same

Front 43

Define Isotonic

Back 43

When the concentration of two solutions is the same

Front 44

Define Lipid

Back 44

Macromolecule made mainly from carbon and hydrogen atoms; includes fats, oils, and waxes

Front 45

Define Meiosis

Back 45

Process that produces gametes in eukaryotic cells

Front 46

Define Messenger RNA(mRNA)

Back 46

RNA copy of the DNA code that is transcribed in the nucleus. This will travel to the ribosome for protein synthesis

Front 47

Define Mitochondria

Back 47

Cell organelle that converts the chemical energy stored in food into compounds that are more convenient for the cell to use

Front 48

Define Mitosis

Back 48

Asexual cell division in eukaryotes

Front 49

Define Mutation

Back 49

Change in the genetic code. Can be caused by many external factors

Front 50

Define Nitrogenous Bases

Back 50

Part of a nucleotide responsible for carrying information. Includes adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine in DNA. RNA contains Uracil instead of Thymine

Front 51

Define Nucleic Acid

Back 51

Macromolecule containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus

Front 52

Define Nucleotide

Back 52

Monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-Carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

Front 53

Define Nucleus

Back 53

Structure that contains the cell's genetic material and controls the cell's activities

Front 54

Define Osmosis

Back 54

Diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane

Front 55

Define Passive Transport

Back 55

Diffusion of molecules through a protein channel or across a semi-permeable membrane; does not require energy

Front 56

Define Phenotype

Back 56

The physical characteristics that an organism exhibits

Front 57

Define Product

Back 57

Element or compound produced by a chemical reaction

Front 58

Define Prokaryote

Back 58

A single celled organism lacking a nucleus

Front 59

Define Protein

Back 59

Macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; needed by the body for growth and repair and to make up enzymes

Front 60

Define Protein Synthesis

Back 60

Process in which cells manufacture or build proteins

Front 61

Define RNA

Back 61

Nucleic acid used in eukaryotic fells for protein synthesis

Front 62

Define Solute

Back 62

Substance that is dissolved in a solvent to make a solution

Front 63

Define Solvent

Back 63

Substance in which a solute is dissolved to form a solution

Front 64

Define Substrate

Back 64

Reactant of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction

Front 65

Define Transcription

Back 65

First step of protein synthesis. DNA code is transferred to a mRNA copy inside of the nucleus

Front 66

Transfer RNA(tRNA)

Back 66

Carries amino acids to ribosomes in protein synthesis

Front 67

Define Translation

Back 67

Second step of protein synthesis. tRNA carries amino acids to ribosomes in the order specified by the mRNA codons

Front 68

Define Zygote

Back 68

Initial cell formed when to gametes(egg and sperm) join