OGE Biology flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Homeostasis
- The ability of a living system to maintain a relatively constant internal environment despite changes in external conditions, an essential sign of life.
- Irritability
- The universal property of living organisms to respond to environmental stimuli; in animals it takes the form of reflexes and instincts.
- Population
- A group of individuals of one species occupying a common territory, freely interbreeding, and serving as the unit of evolution.
- Hypothesis
- A testable scientific assumption proposed to explain observations; it must be verifiable by experiment and may be confirmed or rejected.
- Prokaryotic cell
- A cell lacking a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, with circular DNA in the cytoplasm; characteristic of bacteria.
- Chloroplast
- A green plant organelle containing chlorophyll where photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy of organic substances.
- ATP
- Adenosine triphosphate, the universal energy carrier of cells; its breakdown releases energy used for metabolic processes.
- Protein monomers
- Amino acids, which join by peptide bonds to form polypeptides; the sequence of amino acids determines protein structure and function.
- Mitosis
- Cell division producing two daughter cells with a chromosome set identical to the parent cell; it underlies growth and regeneration.
- Meiosis
- Two successive divisions producing four haploid cells with recombined hereditary material; it occurs during gamete formation.
- Crossing over
- Exchange of sections between homologous chromosomes in prophase I of meiosis, creating new combinations of genes.
- Diploid set
- A double chromosome set (2n) containing one chromosome of each homologous pair, typical of somatic cells; in humans 2n = 46.
- Bacterial spore
- A thick-walled dormant form of a bacterium that survives unfavorable conditions; it is not a means of reproduction.
- Mycorrhiza
- A symbiotic association of fungal hyphae with plant roots that improves water and mineral absorption for both partners.
- Photosynthesis
- The process in chloroplasts using light to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic matter, releasing oxygen as a by-product.
- Angiosperms
- Flowering plants that form flowers, fruits, and seeds enclosed in a fruit; the most diverse plant group.
- Arthropods
- Invertebrates with a chitinous exoskeleton, segmented body, and jointed limbs; includes insects, crustaceans, and arachnids.
- Two circulations
- Pulmonary and systemic blood circuits typical of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, improving oxygen supply to tissues.
- Warm-blooded animals
- Birds and mammals that maintain a constant body temperature through internal heat production and regulation of heat loss.
- Species
- A group of individuals with similar structure, a common origin, free interbreeding, and fertile offspring; the basic unit of classification.
- Erythrocytes
- Red blood cells containing haemoglobin that transport oxygen from the lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide back.
- Immunity
- The body's ability to resist pathogens through antibodies and immune cells; it is formed after illness or vaccination.
- Tourniquet application
- First aid for severe arterial bleeding: a band above the wound, with the time of application recorded and the limb kept elevated.
- Vaccination
- Introduction of weakened pathogens or their components to stimulate the body's own antibody production and form immunity.
- Food chain
- A sequence of organisms in which each eats the previous one, transferring matter and energy; energy is lost at each level.
- Producers
- Autotrophic organisms, mainly green plants and cyanobacteria, that create organic matter from inorganic substances using light energy.
- Anthropogenic factors
- Environmental influences caused by human activity, such as pollution, deforestation, and habitat destruction, affecting ecosystems.
- Biosphere
- The living envelope of Earth, including all organisms and the parts of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere they inhabit.
- Natural selection
- The leading force of evolution: individuals with useful hereditary traits survive and reproduce more successfully, passing traits on.
- Aromorphosis
- A major evolutionary change that raises the general level of organization and opens new habitats, such as lungs or a four-chambered heart.
- Biogeocenosis
- A self-regulating natural system of interacting populations and their abiotic environment, stable when species diversity is high.
- Succession
- A gradual natural change of ecosystems from pioneer communities to a stable climax community over time.