Biology Definitions

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movement
an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place
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respiration
the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism
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sensitivity
the ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment and to make appropriate responses
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growth
a permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cells size or both
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reproduction
the processes that make more of the same kind of organism
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excretion
removal from organisms of the waste products of metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration), toxic materials, and substances in excess of requirements
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nutrition
taking in of materials for energy, growth and development; plants require light, carbon dioxide, water and ions; animals need organic compounds and ions and usually need water
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species
a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
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binomial system
an internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of two parts showing the genus and species
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tissue
a group of cells with similar structures, working together to perform specific functions
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organ
a structure made up of a group of tissues, working together to perform body functions
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organ system
a group of organs with related functions, working together to perform body functions
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diffusion
the net movement of particles from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration down a concentration gradient, as a result of their random movement
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osmosis
the net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential (dilute solution) to a region of lower water potential (concentrated solution), through a partially permeable membrane
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active transport
the movement of particles through a cell membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration using energy from respiration
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catalyst
a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction and is not changes by the reaction
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enzymes
proteins that function as biological catalysts
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photosynthesis
the process by which plants manufacture carbohydrates from raw materials using energy from light
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limiting factor
something present in the environment in such short supply that it restricts life processes
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ingestion
the taking of substances, eg food and drink, into the body through the mouth
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mechanical digestion
the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change to the food molecules
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chemical digestion
the breakdown of large, insoluble molecules into small, soluble molecules
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absorption
the movement of small food molecules and ions through the wall of the intestine into the blood
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assimilation
the movement of digested food molecules into the cells of the body where they are used, becoming part of cells
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egestion
the passing out of food that has not been digested or absorbed, as faeces, through the anus
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transpiration
loss of water vapour from plant leaves by evaporation of water at the surfaces of the mesophyll cells followed by diffusion of water vapour through the stomata
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translocation
the movement of sucrose and amino acids in phloem: - from regions of production (source); - to regions of storage OR to regions where they are used in respiration or growth (sink)
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pathogen
a disease-causing organism
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transmissible disease
a disease in which the pathogen can be passed from one host to another
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active immunity
defence against a pathogen by antibody production in the body
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passive immunity
short-term defence against a pathogen by antibodies acquired from another individual, eg mother to infant
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aerobic respiration
the chemical reactions in cells that use oxygen to break down nutrient molecules to release energy
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anaerobic respiration
the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy without using oxygen
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deamination
the removal of the nitrogen-containing part of amino acids to form urea
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sense organs
groups of receptor cells responding to specific stimuli: light, sound, touch, temperature and chemicals
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hormone
a chemical substance, produced by a gland and carried by the blood, which alters the activity of one or more specific target organs
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homeostasis
the maintenance of a constant internal environment
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gravitropism
a response in which parts of a plant grow towards or away from gravity
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phototropism
a response in which the parts of a plant grow towards or away from the direction from which the light is coming
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drug
any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body
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asexual reproduction
a process resulting in the production of genetically identical offspring from one parent
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sexual reproduction
a process involving the fusion of the nuclei of two gametes (sex cells) to form a zygote and the production of offspring that are genetically different from one another
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fertilisation
the fusion of gamete nuclei
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pollination
the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma
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self-pollination
the transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower to the stigma of the same flower or different flower on the same plant
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cross-pollination
transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower to the stigma of a flower on a different plant of the same species
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sexually transmitted infection
an infection that is transmitted via body fluids through sexual contact
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inheritance
the transmission of genetic information from generation to generation
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chromosome
a thread-like structure of DNA, carrying genetic information in the form of genes
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gene
a length of DNA that codes for a protein
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allele
a version of a gene
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haploid nucleus
a nucleus containing a single set of unpaired chromosomes, eg in gametes
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diploid nucleus
a nucleus containing two sets of chromosomes, eg in body cells
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mitosis
nuclear division giving rise to genetically identical cells
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meiosis
reduction division in which the chromosome number is halved from diploid to haploid resulting in genetically different cells
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genotype
the genetic make-up of an organism in terms of the alleles present
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phenotype
the observable features of an organism
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homozygous
having two identical alleles of a particular gene
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heterozygous
having two different alleles of a particular gene
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dominant
an allele that is expressed if it is present
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recessive
an allele that is only expressed when there is no dominant allele of the gene present
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variation
differences between individuals of the same species
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gene mutation
a change in the base sequence of DNA
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adaptive feature
an inherited functional features of an organism that increase its fitness
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fitness
the probability of an organism surviving and reproducing in the environment in which it is found
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food chain
showing the transfer of energy from one organism to the next, beginning with a producer
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trophic level
the position of an organism in a food chain, food web, pyramid of numbers or pyramid of biomass
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food web
a network of interconnected food chains
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producer
an organism that makes its own organic nutrients, usually using energy from sunlight, through photosynthesis
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consumer
an organism that gets its energy by feeding on other organisms
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herbivore
an animal that gets its energy by eating plants
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carnivore
an animal that gets its energy by eating other animals
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decomposer
an organism that gets its energy from dead or waste organic material
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population
a group of organisms of one species, living in the same area, at the same time
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community
all of the populations of different species in an ecosystem
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ecosystem
a unit containing the community of organisms and their environment, interacting together, a decomposing log, or a lake
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genetic engineering
changing the genetic material of an organism by removing, changing or inserting individual genes
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sustainable resource
one which is produced as rapidly as it is removed from the environment so that it does not run out
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sustainable development
development providing for the needs of an increasing human population without harming the environment
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism

Back

respiration

Card 3

Front

the ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment and to make appropriate responses

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

a permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cells size or both

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

the processes that make more of the same kind of organism

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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