| A | B |
|---|
| biosphere | all organisms and the part of Earth where they exist |
| biodiversity | variety of life within an area |
| species | group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring |
| biology | scientific study of all forms of life |
| organism | any individual living thing |
| cell | basic unit of life |
| metabolism | all chemical processes that synthesize or break down materials within an organism |
| DNA | (stands for deoxyribonucleic acid) molecule that stores genetic information in all organisms |
| system | changing, organized group of related parts that interact to form a whol |
| ecosystem | collection of organisms and nonliving things, such as climate, soil, water, and rocks, in an area |
| homeostasis | regulation and maintenance of constant internal conditions in an organism |
| evolution | change in a species over time; process of biological change by which descendants come to differ from their ancestors |
| adaptation | inherited trait that is selected for over time because it allows organisms to better survive in their environment |
| observation | using the senses to study the world; using tools to collect measurements; examining previous research results |
| data | observations and measurements recorded during an experiment |
| hypothesis | proposed explanation or answer to a scientific question (plural: hypotheses) |
| experiment | process that tests a hypothesis by collecting information under controlled conditions |
| independent variable | condition or factor that is manipulated by a scientist during an experiment |
| dependent variable | experimental data collected through observation and measurement |
| constant | condition that is controlled so that it does not change during an experiment |
| theory | proposed explanation for a wide variety of observations and experimental results |
| microscope | tool that provides and enlarged image of an object |
| gene | specific region of DNA that codes for a particular protein |
| molecular genetics | study of DNA structure and function on the molecular level |
| genomics | study and comparison of genomes within a species or among different species |
| biotechnology | use and application of living things and biological processes |
| transgenic | organism whose genome has been altered to contain on or more genes from another organism or species |
