Unit 1

• Mean: the average of a set of numbers. To find, add all together and divide by the amount of #’s.

• Peer review: Review process when an expert reviews the research paper written about an experiment.

• Theory: a hypothesis which is supported by many experiments, repeated many times.

• Basic Science: Science or research which investigates curiosity or interest, not to develop a product.

• Applied Science: Science or research designed to solve modern problems to improve human condition.

• SI Units: International system of units (meter, liter, second, gram)

• Good lab practice: safe, common-sense habits to use while conducting experiments.

• Control group: normal standard in an experiment which a scientist can use as a comparison.

• Independent variable: single variable or factor which is changed or manipulated in an experiment.

• Dependent variable: variable which is affected by the independent variable, is measured by the scientist.

Unit 3

• pH scale: 0-14 scale used to compare concentrations of hydronium to hydroxide ions.

Isotope: atoms of the same element which have different numbers of neutrons

Ion: a charged atom

Covalent bond: bond between two non-metals, where electrons are shared. Strongest bond type.

Ionic bond: Bond which forms between a metal and a non-metal during which electrons are transferred and ions are made.

Organic: Carbon containing

Proton: subatomic particle with a positive charge found in the atom’s nucleus

Electron: subatomic particle with a negative charge found in the space surrounding the nucleus of an atom

Neutron: subatomic particle with no charge which is found in the atom’s nucleus.

Enzymes: special proteins which lower the activation energy and catalyze reactions.

Unit 3

• Eukaryote: complex cells which have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

• Prokaryotes: simple cells which do NOT have a nucleus or membrane bound organelles.

• ATP: adenosine tri-phosphate, energy currency of cells

• Nucleus: control center of cell, contains DNA

• Mitochondria: converts energy from food into ATP, powerhouse of cell

• Ribosome: protein synthesis

• Golgi Apparatus: sort and package organic molecules

• Lysosome: site of digestion of worn out parts and digestive enzyme storage

• Cilia: short hair-like projections of eukaryotic cells, used for movement

• Flagella: long tail-like projections of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, allow movement

Unit 4

• Diffusion: movement of molecules from a high concentration to a low concentration

• Osmosis: diffusion of water

• Facilitated diffusion: diffusion through a protein channel

• Active transport: movement of molecules from low to high concentration, uses energy (ex: endocytosis, exocytosis, protein pump)

• Cellular respiration: breakdown of glucose into ATP

• Mitosis: cell division of body cells (non-sex cell division)

• Aerobic: with oxygen

• Anaerobic: without oxygen

• Glycolysis: step of cellular respiration, occurs in cytoplasm, breaks glucose into 2 pyruvates

• Electron Transport Chain: step of aerobic respiration, occurs in inner mitochondrial membrane, creates ATP.

Unit 5

• Central Dogma of Biology: DNA is replicated into DNA. DNA is transcribed into RNA, RNA is translated into proteins.

• Nucleotide: a sugar, nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group; makes up nucleic acids

• Replication: occurs in the nucleus before cell division, DNA is copied into DNA

• Transcription: Occurs in nucleus, DNA is used as a template to make RNA

• Translation: occurs at the ribosome, RNA is used as the instructions to make proteins

• RNA: single stranded nucleic acid, bases: AUGC

• DNA: double stranded nucleic acid, bases ATGC

• Chargaff’s Rule: A binds to T, G binds to C, same % of A as T and G as C

• Codon: sequence of three nucleotides which corresponds to an amino acid

• Mutation: damage to DNA, possibly causing a different amino acid sequence to be made during protein synthesis

Unit 6

• Genotype: genetic information carried in the DNA of the organism

• Phenotype: the physical characteristics of an organism

• Meiosis: Cell division resulting in gametes, results in 4 haploid cells

• Diploid cell: cell having 2 complete sets of chromosomes (46 in humans)

• Ex: Somatic Cells

• Haploid cell: Cell having 1 complete set of chromosomes (23 in humans).

• Ex: Gametic cells

• Homologous chromosomes: set of chromosomes (one from each parent) which complete crossing over

• Crossing over: Process during which homologous chromosomes exchange pieces of DNA, results in genetic variation (prophase I)

• Homozygous: having two identical genes for a trait. – Ex: HH or hh

• Heterozygous: having two different genes for a trait– Ex: Aa or Hh

• Carrier: organism having heterozygous alleles for a recessive trait, is unaffected, but can pass on the recessive allelle

Unit 7

• Evolution: genetic change over time

• Natural selection: survival and reproduction of the fittest organisms to an environment

• Autotrophs: organisms which make their own food

• Heterotrophs: organisms that eat other organisms for food (energy)

• Organic evolution: development of new species/evolution of life

• Chemical evolution: inorganic molecules form organic molecules

• Spontaneous generation: life is spontaneously created from non-living things

• “most fit trait:” trait which allows an organism to reproduce more than an organism without the trait

• Microevolution: changes in allele frequencies in a population, occurs over a smaller amount of time.

• Macroevolution: development of new species from an ancestral form, occurs over long periods of time (thousands/millions of years)

Unit 8

• Analogous structure: structures with a different structure/origin, same function

• Homologous structure: structures with the same origin/structure, with different functions

• Species: organisms which can have fertile offspring.

• Gradualism: rate of speciation which is gradual and constant

• Punctuated equilibrium: rate of speciation during which there are long periods of no change, then sudden bursts of change

• Neuron: nerve cell

• Tissue: group of cells which work together for a common function

• Convergent evolution: species with different ancestors evolve to become more similar due to environment

• Divergent evolution: populations with the same ancestor evolve to become different, into new species

• Coevolution: population evolves due to the influence of another population, and vice versa.

Unit 9

• Transpiration: process by which water evaporates from leaves of plants, pulling water upwards

• Xylem: vascular tissue of plants which transports water and minerals

• Phloem: vascular tissue of plants which transports food (glucose)

• Cell wall: cell structure found outside the plasma membrane of plant cells which supports cells

• Chloroplast: cell organelle found in plants, site of photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis: process by which organisms create glucose from carbon dioxide, light, and water

• Chlorophyll: primary plant pigment, absorbs sunlight

• Stamen: male part of flower (anther+filament) where pollen is produced

• Carpel/Pistil: female part of flower (ovary, style, stigma)

• Angiosperm: vascular, seeding, flowering plant

• Eubacteria: prokaryote with a cell wall made of peptidoglycan

Unit 10

• Archaebacteria: prokaryote with cell wall not made of peptidoglycan, some live in extreme environments

• Virus: non-living, protein capsule containing nucleic acid, must have host to reproduce

• Animal: eukaryotic, no cell wall, mostly multi-cellular, all heterotrophic

• Protist: eukaryotic, no cell wall, mostly single celled, can be autotrophic or heterotrophic

• Fungi: eukaryotic, cell wall made of chitin, all heterotrophic

• Plants: eukaryotic, cell wall made of cellulose, all autotrophic

• Binomial nomenclature: classification system developed by Linnaeus which gives every type of organism a 2 part name: Genus species

• Cyanobacteria: photosynthetic bacteria, provided oxygen for aerobic life to evolve

• Hierarchy of taxonomy: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

Unit 11

Ecosystem: all biotic and abiotic factors of an area interacting with each other

Community: multiple populations (species) interacting

Population: All individuals of one species in a particular area

Rule of 10%: 10% of the energy is passed on from one trophic level to the next, 90% is lost as heat and inefficiency

Mutualism: symbiotic relationship when both organisms benefit/are helped

Parasitism: symbiotic relationship when one organism benefits and one is harmed

Commensalism: symbiotic relationship during which one organism benefits, the other is unaffected.

Carrying capacity: the maximum amount of organisms an environment can sustain over time

Predation: the killing and consumption of one organism by another

Ecological Succession: Process of change of an ecosystem over time (primary or secondary)