| A | B |
|---|
| CONTROL GROUP | Control groups are not manipulated. They are the foundational point for which to compare the experimental group against. (WP) |
| HYPOTHESIS | An educated guess; usually written in an "IF...THEN..." statement |
| VARIABLE | A factor to be tested; for example, the effect of temperature on enzyme activity. Temperature is the variable |
| SCIENTIFIC METHOD | To investigate phenomena. (WP) A logical inquiry used by scientist to perform a scientific inquiry. |
| BIOTIC | These materials always contain the element Carbon and they all can decay. |
| ABIOTIC | non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment. |
| GROWTH | To become larger |
| REPRODUCTION | The formation of new individuals; sexually or asexually. This process is not vital to the life of an individual of a species but it is important to the survival of the species |
| ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION | One parent splits and becomes two; no uniqueness |
| SEXUAL REPRODUCTION | Two parents unite to form a new individual; uniqueness |
| HOMEOSTASIS | A state of constancy which is vital for life; The ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes |
| POSITIVE FEEDBACK MECHANIS | when a system tends to increase output. The product of a reaction influences or increases the forward direction of the system: in positive feedback systems the presence of a product (or signal) results in an increase in the production (amplification) of that product (or signal). (YA) |
| NEGATIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM | This is homeostasis; this mechanism is when a system tends to reduce output or the product prevent the reaction from continuing: negative feedback (or feedback inhibition) systems, where the presence of a product of the system results in a decrease in the production of that product. (YA) |
| SCIENTIFIC LAW | This is a statement of fact meant to describe, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and universal, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true. (WL) |
| SCIENTIFIC THEORY | No theory can become a law;A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis. (WL) |
| METABOLISM | is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. (WP) |
| ANABOLISM | To build using Energy;uses energy to construct components of cells such as proteins and nucleic acids. (WP) |
| CATABOLISM | breaks down organic matter, for example to harvest energy in cellular respiration (WP) |
| SYNTHESIS | To combine smaller units to form larger units. For example a Carbohydrate is a polysaccharide--large sugar. This large sugar or saccharide is made up of many smaller units called monosaccharides synthesized together |
| INDEPENDENT VARIABLE | That variable which is manipulated. Example: Corking the flask by Needham is the independent variable |
| DEPENDENT VARIABLE | Responding Variable |
| INDEPENDENT AXIS | This is the X axis of a graph; the independent variable is placed here; the horizontal axis |
| DEPENDENT AXIS | The Y axis of a graph; this is where the dependent variable is placed; the vertical axis |
| SPECIES | Organisms capable of interbreeding with each other |
| CELLS | The basic denominator of all living organisms |
| TISSUES | Cells joined together; cells form tissues |
| ORGANS | Tissues form organs |
| BIOSPHERE | The global sum of all ecosystems (WP) |
| EVOLUTION | A slow, gradual change. The change in the genetic information of the population from one generation to another (WP) |
| POPULATION | is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; evolution occurs in this level of the hierarchy (WP) |
| ECOSYSTEM | is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all of the physical (abiotic) factors of the environment. An ecosystem is a unit of interdependent organisms which share the same habitat. Ecosystems usually form a number of food webs which show the interdependence of the organisms within the ecosystIncludes all living organisms and non living matter such as air, water and minerals (WH) |
| COMMUNITY | a community is a group of interacting organisms sharing an environment (WP) All species in an ecosystem (WH) |
| IRRITABILITY | a stimulus leads to a response |
| STIMULUS | That which leads to a response |
| DNA | this genetic material is a chemical code which assembles chemicals to make the proteins that your cells are made of. The DNA molecule can also copy itself, making growth and reproduction possible (GA) |
| USE ENERGY (E) | all organisms need energy for all life activities. Even thinking requires a considerable amount of energy. Plants get energy through photosynthesis, and animals get energy from cellular respiration (GA) |
| ENERGY | E is the abbreviation |
| ATOM | Basic unit of matter |
| ELEMENT | Composed of only one atom |
| ORGANISM | A living thing; plant, animal, fungi, microorganism (Protista), etc. |
| MOLECULE | The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms; a group of like or different atoms held together by chemical forces. Molecules are held together by covalent bonds (the atoms SHARE electrons |
| CELLULAR RESPIRATION | Cellular respiration is the metabolic activity that occurs within the cell, whether aerobic or anaerobic. Usually it is defined by the net equation glucose + oxygen produces Carbon dioxide + water and chemical potential energy ( in the form of ATP) (YA); is the set of the metabolic reactions and processes that take place in organisms' cells to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and then release waste products. (WI) |
| BREATHING | The exchange of gases; Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide |
| AEROBIC | Means with Oxygen; to need Oxygen |
| ANAEROBIC | Without Oxygen; without air |
| ATP | Stored E; this stored E is found within a small organ of the cell called the mitochondria. When an organism needs E, it releases the ATP as usuable E |
| PROKARYOTIC CELL | Cell without a nucleus; no true membranes |
| EUKARYOTIC CELL | Cell with a nucleus; has membranes |
| INFERENCE | Logical interpretation based on what scientists already know |
