Living Environment Regents Prep – Flashcards
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observations
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Any information that is collected with any of the senses
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data
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The results of specific trials or tests completed during experiments
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hypothesis
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A statement that predicts a relationship between cause and effect in a way that can be tested
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sexual reproduction
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a method of reproduction that involves two parents producing offspring that are genetically different from either parent
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asexual reproduction
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a method of reproduction in which all the genes passed on to the offspring come from a single individual or parent
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stimulus
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any change in the environment that causes an organism to react
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homeostasis
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the ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment even when the external environment changes
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evolution
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the process by which species have changed over time
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nucleus
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a large structure within a cell that controls the cell's metabolism and stores genetic information, including chromosomes and DNA
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amino acid
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any one of several building blocks of protein
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enzyme
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proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in living things
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ecology
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The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment
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species
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A group of organisms that share certain characteristics and can mate with one another, producing fertile offspring
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population
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All the individuals of a single species that live in a specific area
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community
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A combination of all the different populations that live and interact in the same environment
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ecosystem
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All the living and non-living things that interact in a specific area; a subdivision of the environment
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autotroph
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An organism that produces its own food; the source of energy for all other living things on Earth
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heterotroph
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An organism that cannot make its own food; a consumer
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producer
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An organism that makes its own food from light energy and inorganic materials
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consumer
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An organisms that obtains it's energy from producers
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decomposer
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An organism, generally a bacteria or fungus, that consumes dead organisms and organic waste
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food chain
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A representation that identifies the specific relationships among organisms
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food web
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A representation of many interconnected food chains that shows the feeding relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers
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biotic
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The living parts of the environment
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abiotic
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Nonliving parts of the environment
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habitat
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The place where a plant or animal lives
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niche
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The specific role played by an organism or a population of organisms in the ecosystem
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ecological succession
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The process by which an existing community is replaced by another community
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limiting factor
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Any factor in the environment that limits the size of a population
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biodiversity
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The variety of species in an area
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extinction
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the disappearance of all members of a species from earth
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global warming
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An increase in Earth's average surface temperature caused by an increase in greenhouse gases
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cell
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the basic unit of structure and function that makes up all organisms
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chromosome
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a thick threadlike structure that contains genetic information in the form of DNA
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ribosome
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tiny structures in the cell that are the sites of protein production
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vacuole
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storage sacs within the cytoplasm of a cell that may contain either wastes or useful materials, such as water or food
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mitochondrion
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pod-shaped organelles that contain enzymes used to extract energy from nutrients
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chloroplast
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green organelles that contain chlorophyll; where photosynthesis takes place
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cell membrane
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the thin boundary between the cell and its environment
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equilibrium
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the constant small corrections that normally occur to keep an organism's internal environment within the limits needed for survival
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tissue
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a group of specialized cells that perform a specific function
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organ
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a body structure made of different kinds of tissues combined to perform a specific function
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organ system
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several organs that work together to perform a major function in the body
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cellular respiration
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the process in which nutrients are broken apart, releasing the chemical energy stored in them
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mitosis
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the process that divides the cell's nucleus into two, each with a complete set of genetic material from the parent cell
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meiosis
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the process that results in the production of sex cells (sperm and egg)
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fertilization
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the process that combines a sperm cell and an egg cell
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trait
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a characteristic that is passed from parent to offspring through the genes
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gene
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a segment of DNA (on a chromosome) that contains the code for a specific trait
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mutation
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any alteration in the sequence of DNA
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selective breeding
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the process of choosing a few organisms with desirable traits to serve as the parents of the next generation
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genetic engineering
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a set of technologies that humans use to alter the genetic instructions of an organism by substituting DNA molecules
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fossil record
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a collection of fossils used to represent Earth's history
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natural selection
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the process by which the organisms that are best adapted to a specific environment survive and produce more offspring that organisms that are not as well adapted
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relative dating
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determining the order of past events without determining absolute age
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period
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length of time
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order
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families sharing a set of similar characteristics
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bacteria
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any one of many single-celled organisms without a distinct nucleus
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fungi
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the kingdom of organisms that are mostly multicellular, have cell walls made of chitin, and are heterotrophic
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virus
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a nonliving particle of protein and genetic material that reproduces by invading the cell of a living organism
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pathogen
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an organism that invades the body, causing disease
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vaccine
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a substance made of weakened, killed, or partial pathogens and designed to protect the body from future invasions of that pathogen
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antibiotic
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medicine that inhibits the growth of bacteria
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leaf
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flattened structure attached to stem where photosynthesis occurs
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stem
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the mains stalk of a plant
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seed
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product of plan that contains seeds
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embryo
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an organism in the early stages of development
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guard cell
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specialized cells that control the opening and closing of the pores on the surface of a leaf
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hormone
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a chemical produced in the endocrine glands
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crop
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food that is grown
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placenta
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the organ that enables nutrients and oxygen to pass from the mother's blood to the fetus, and waste products to pass from the fetus to the mother's blood
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communication
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exchange of information between organs
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drug
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substance that has an effect when introduced to the body
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fat
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compound made of fatty acid molecules
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liver
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large organ involved in neutralizing toxins
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pituitary gland
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the master gland of the endocrine system; located at the base of the brain
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zygote
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the cell that results from the joining of the egg and sperm
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fetus
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the unborn, developing young of an animal during the later stages of development
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disease
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a condition, other than injury, that prevents the body from working as it should
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antigen
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a molecule found on the outer surfaces of cells that the immune system recognizes as either part of the body or an outside invader
