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68 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Active transport |
The movement of substrates across a cell membrane against the concentration gradient, a process that requires energy |
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Adaptation |
When a structure, behaviour or physiological process evolves over a long period of time and helps an organism to survive and/or reproduce in a particular environment. |
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Adaptive advantage |
The competitive benefit that an adaptation brings to an organism. |
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ADH |
Antidiuretic hormone, also called vasopressin; this hormone is secreted from the pituitary gland and increases water retention through its action on kidney tubules. |
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Aerobic respiration |
The reaction of products of glucose with oxygen to produce energy in the form of ATP. |
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Aldosterone |
A hormone secreted from the adrenal gland, that regulates mineral and water metabolism by stimulating the reabsorption of sodium in the tubules of the nephron. |
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Ambient temperature |
The surrounding temperature. |
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Arterial blood gas analysis |
The tests done to blood collected from an artery to show concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It provides a direct measure of the efficiency of gaseous exchange in the lungs. |
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Artery |
The thick-walled elastic blood vessel that carries high pressure blood from the heart. |
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Biochemistry |
The study of the chemistry of living things. This includes the structure and function of the chemical components of living things such as protein and nucleic acid. |
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Capillary |
A narrow thin-walled blood vessel through which substances are exchanged between blood tissues. Capillaries connect arteries to veins. |
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Carbonic acid |
A weak acid that forms when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water. |
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Catalase |
An enzyme found in many cells. It breaks down the toxic by-product of metabolism, hydrogen peroxide, into water and oxygen. It works well in neutral conditions. |
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Caldode |
A stem that has been modified to be green and take a major role in photosynthesis. It lacks the density of stomates that occur in leaves, so reduces water loss. |
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Deoxygenated blood |
Blood that has released much of the oxygen it was carrying into the tissues. |
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Diffusion |
The spreading of substances that results from the random movement of particles. It is a passive process in that it does not require additional energy. |
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Ectotherms |
Animals whose body temperature aligns with the ambient temperature. These animals lack the ability to generate their own body heat. |
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Enantiostasis |
The maintenance of metabolic and physiological functions in response to variations in the environment. |
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Endotherms |
Animals that are able to generate their own body heat and so generally their body temperature remains constant, despite variations in the ambient temperature. |
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Enzyme specificity |
The unique way in which enzymes act on a specific substrate to produce a specific product. |
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Enzymes |
Organic molecules that speed up chemical reactions and, through their specificity, ensure the correct metabolic pathways. Enzymes are always proteins. |
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Estuarine |
Belonging to a tidal river mouth environment, with associated conditions of fluctuating water levels and salinity. |
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Excretory system |
The organ system containing the kidney and responsible for the removal of wastes, particularly nitrogenous wastes. |
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Feedback mechanism |
The way the final product of a process self-regulates the process. The process can be activated or inactivated in response to the feedback. |
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Filtration (referring to the blood) |
The process of removing water, certain ions and micro molecules through a physical barrier that retains cells and blood proteins within the blood vessels. |
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Reabsorption (referring to the blood) |
The passage of materials such as water and ions back into the blood vessels after filtration has occurred. |
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Fludrocortisone |
A replacement hormone given to people who cannot secrete sufficient aldosterone. |
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Glomerulus |
The part of a nephron which is responsible for the filtration of the blood. Cells and large protein molecules are retained in the blood but most other materials pass into the Bowman's capsule. |
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Haemoglobin |
The iron-protein compound which is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen. |
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Homeostasis |
The process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment. |
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Immunoglobins |
The blood proteins that are carried in the plasma and are associated with fighting infection. |
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Interstitial fluid |
The fluid between the tissue cells of animals. |
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Kidney |
The organ responsible for filtration, reabsorption and secretion to remove nitrogenous wastes and achieve water and salt balance in many animals. |
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Longitudinal |
Running up and down the length of something, e.g. a plant stem |
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Metabolism |
The chemical processes occurring within a living organism. It is controlled by enzymes. |
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Nephron |
The functional unit of the kidneys |
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Nervous system |
The system that co-ordinates activities in animals by way of electrochemical messages that are transmitted rapidly along nerve cells. |
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Nitrogenous wastes |
Ammonia, urea, uric acid and triethylamine oxide. They vary in toxicity and solubility. |
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Osmoconformation |
The process by which the composition of body fluids changes with the external environment. |
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Osmoregulation |
The process by which the composition of body fluids remains constant, despite any changes to the external environment. |
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Osmosis |
The movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane from where it is highly concentrated to where it occurs in lesser concentration. It is a passive form of transport. |
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Oxygenated blood |
Blood that has come from the lungs and contains a high proportion of oxyhaemoglobin. |
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Passive transport |
The movement of materials that does not require the expenditure of energy. It occurs by physical processes such as diffusion or osmosis. |
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Pepsin |
The product of pepsinogen and hydrochloric acid, both produced by the stomach lining. It is a digestive enzyme that breaks proteins into peptides. It works best at a pH of 2. |
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Perflurochemicals |
Synthetic materials that can carry oxygen and have been researched as a blood substitute. They do not mix with blood so they have to be emulsified. |
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pH |
A measure of the acidity of a solution, ranging from 0 to 14, where pH 7 is neutral and less than 7 is acidic. |
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Phloem |
The living tissues in plants responsible for the transport of sugars. They are found below the cortex, in bundles around the stem. |
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Phyllode |
A leaf stalk that has been modified to carry out the major role of photosynthesis without having the density of stomates, therefore leading to water loss at a lower rate than that for a leaf. |
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Plasma |
The yellow coloured liquid component of blood that carries the cells in suspension. It makes up 55% of the blood and consists of water, blood proteins and inorganic electrolytes (e.g. sodium, potassium and chloride ions) |
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Platelets |
Also known as thrombocytes. The cell fragments circulating in the blood that are involved in blood clotting. |
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Pulse oximetry |
Use of a non-invasive device that fits onto a fingertip or earlobe and measures light absorption by haemoglobin. It gives the percentage of haemoglobin in the blood that is saturated with oxygen. |
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Receptors |
Special cells that detect a stimulus, e.g. light |
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Red blood cells |
Also known as erythrocytes. The most common type of blood cell; those which carry haemoglobin. |
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Respiratory system |
The organ system that includes the lungs and is responsible for the exchange of gases. |
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Response |
The immediate reaction to a stimulus, often through behaviour or physiology. |
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Solvent |
A substance that dissolves other substances (solutes). |
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Substrate |
A molecule acted upon by an enzyme. |
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Sucrase |
Also called invertase. |
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Transverse |
Running directly across (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis). |
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Universal indicator |
An indicator that changes colours over a wide range of pH values, so that it can be used to detect the acidity of a solution. |
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Vein |
A thin-walled vessel of large diameter that carries low-pressure blood from capillaries back to the heart. |
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White blood cells |
Also known as leucocytes. |
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Xylem |
The non-living tissue responsible for carrying water and dissolved minerals from the roots up through the plant. |
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Leucocytes |
White blood cells. |
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Invertase |
Sucrase. |
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Erythrocytes |
Red blood cells. |
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Thrombocytes |
Platelets. The cell fragments circulating in the blood that are involved in blood clotting. |
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Vasopressin |
ADH, or antidiuretic hormone This hormone is secreted from the pituitary gland and increases water retention through its action on kidney tubules. |