FMRDA Medicine Admission key terms

The passive movement of water across a partially permeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to one of higher solute concentration, driven by a water potential gradient until equilibrium is reached.

The net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration due to random molecular motion, continuing until the distribution becomes uniform.

The movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane against their concentration gradient using energy from ATP hydrolysis, typically via carrier proteins such as the sodium-potassium pump.

A measure of the tendency of water to move from one area to another, expressed in pressure units; pure water at atmospheric pressure has a value of zero, and solutions have negative values.

A biological catalyst, usually a globular protein, that speeds up a specific metabolic reaction by lowering its activation energy without being consumed in the process.

The specific region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction, whose shape is complementary to the substrate under the lock-and-key or induced-fit model.

The loss of a protein's three-dimensional structure, and therefore its function, caused by heat, extreme pH or chemicals that break hydrogen and ionic bonds without breaking peptide bonds.

A type of nuclear division producing two genetically identical daughter cells with the same chromosome number as the parent, responsible for growth and asexual reproduction.

A reduction division producing four haploid daughter cells from one diploid parent cell, involving two successive divisions and crossing over, generating genetic variation in gametes.

The exchange of corresponding segments of DNA between non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis, producing new combinations of alleles.

One of two or more alternative versions of a gene occupying the same locus on homologous chromosomes, which may be dominant, recessive or codominant in expression.

The specific combination of alleles present in an organism's cells for a particular gene or set of genes, which interacts with the environment to produce the observable phenotype.

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genotype and environmental factors.

The maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment within an organism, such as constant body temperature and blood glucose, achieved through negative feedback mechanisms.

A control mechanism in which a deviation from a set point triggers a response that reduces the deviation, restoring the system towards its normal value.

The amount of substance containing exactly 6.022 x 10^23 elementary entities, such as atoms or molecules; this number is the Avogadro constant.

The mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole, numerically equal to its relative molecular or formula mass.

The quantitative relationship between the amounts of reactants and products in a balanced chemical equation, used to calculate masses, volumes and concentrations in reactions.

The reactant that is completely consumed first in a chemical reaction, thereby determining the maximum amount of product that can be formed.

The number of constituent particles in one mole of a substance, approximately 6.022 x 10^23 per mole, linking the microscopic and macroscopic scales of matter.

The concentration of a solution expressed as the number of moles of solute dissolved per litre of solution, with units of moles per cubic decimetre.

A volumetric analytical procedure in which a solution of known concentration is added from a burette to a measured volume of analyte until the equivalence point is indicated, usually by a colour change.

The stage in a titration at which the amount of added titrant is chemically equivalent to the amount of analyte present, as determined by the reaction's stoichiometry.

A rule stating that when a system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in concentration, pressure or temperature, the position of equilibrium shifts to counteract the change.

The state of a reversible reaction in which the forward and reverse reaction rates are equal, so the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time.

A chemical reaction involving the simultaneous transfer of electrons, in which one species is oxidised (loses electrons) and another is reduced (gains electrons).

A number assigned to an element in a compound representing the charge it would have if all shared electrons were assigned to the more electronegative atom, used to track redox changes.

The principle that the resultant force acting on a body equals the rate of change of its momentum; for constant mass this is force equals mass times acceleration.

A statement that a body remains at rest or moves with constant velocity unless acted upon by a resultant external force, also known as the law of inertia.

The product of a body's mass and its velocity, a vector quantity conserved in a closed system during collisions and explosions.

The transfer of energy when a force moves an object through a distance; it equals the product of the force and the displacement in the direction of the force.

The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, measured in watts, where one watt equals one joule per second.

The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, equal to half the product of its mass and the square of its speed.

The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between forms or stores, so the total energy of a closed system remains constant.

The relationship stating that the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, provided temperature and other conditions remain constant.

The opposition a component offers to the flow of electric current, equal to the ratio of potential difference across it to the current through it, measured in ohms.

An equation of the form ax squared plus bx plus c equals zero where a is not zero, solvable by factorisation, completing the square or the quadratic formula.

The expression b squared minus 4ac in a quadratic equation; its sign indicates whether the roots are real and distinct, real and equal, or complex.

The instantaneous rate of change of a function with respect to a variable, defined as the limit of the gradient of a chord as the interval shrinks to zero.

The continuous sum of a function over an interval, interpreted as the area under its curve and as the reverse process of differentiation in the fundamental theorem of calculus.

The value that a function or sequence approaches as the input or index approaches a specified point, forming the foundation of continuity and differentiation.

A numerical measure between zero and one of the likelihood that an event occurs, calculated for equally likely outcomes as the number of favourable outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes.

An arrangement of a set of items in which the order of selection matters, calculated using factorials and used to count ordered outcomes.

A conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning rather than from an explicit statement, requiring the reader to connect clues in a text to reach a logical meaning.

The central point or controlling message that a passage develops, usually stated or implied in a topic sentence and supported by the remaining details.

The attitude or mood conveyed by a writer's choice of words and sentence structure, such as critical, sympathetic or ironic, distinct from the reader's own response.

Words that share a closely similar meaning in a given context, used in vocabulary questions to test precision of word choice and awareness of connotation.

Words with opposite meanings, tested to assess a candidate's range of vocabulary and ability to identify contrast in meaning.

The grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

A form of deductive reasoning consisting of two premises and a conclusion, where the conclusion follows necessarily if both premises are true.

Logical reasoning that moves from general premises to a specific conclusion, where the conclusion is guaranteed if the premises are true and the form is valid.

Reasoning that draws a general conclusion from specific observations or patterns, producing conclusions that are probable rather than certain.

An error in reasoning that makes an argument invalid or unsound, such as attacking the person rather than the argument or assuming the conclusion.

A sequence of numbers following a hidden rule, such as a constant difference, ratio or alternating pattern, where the candidate must identify the next term.

A reasoning problem type in which family relationships described in text must be traced to determine how two people are related.

A spatial reasoning task requiring the tracking of a person's or object's movement through turns and distances to determine final position or facing direction.