Atom
the smallest unit of matter that retains all of the chemical properties of an element. Atoms are building blocks for matter.
Adaptation
A characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
Atomic Weight
the number of protons plus the number of neutrons
Atomic Number
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
Father of microbiology, invented the microscope. First to see protist and bacteria.
Cell
The basic unit of structure and function in living things
Chemical Bond
the attractive force that holds atoms or ions together
Covalent Bond
A chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule
polar covalent bond
A covalent bond between atoms that differ in electronegativity. The shared electrons are pulled closer to the more electronegative atom, making it slightly negative and the other atom slightly positive.
nonpolar covalent bond
a covalent bond in which the electrons are shared equally by the two atoms
Compound
A substance made up of atoms of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
Biodiversity
the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Domains
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya. The highest taxonoic rank in the hierachical biological classification system, above the kingdom level.
Archaea
Domain of unicellular prokaryotes that have cell walls that do not contain peptidoglycan
Bacteria
Domain of unicellular prokaryotes that have cell walls containing peptidoglycan
Eukarya
Domain of all organisms whose cells have nuclei, including protists, plants, fungi, and animals
Euakaryotic
Membrane bound nucleus which contains genetic material
energy utilization
all organisms take in energy and use it to perform many kinds of work
Emergent Properties
New properties that arise with each step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.
Energy
The ability to do work or cause change
Energy Levels
the specific energies an electron in an atom or other system can have
Element
A pure substance made of only one kind of atom
Electronegativity
A measure of the ability of an atom in a chemical compound to attract electrons
Growth and Development
consistent growth and development controlled by inherited DNA
Hydrogen Bond
A type of weak chemical bond formed when the slightly positive hydrogen atom of a polar covalent bond in one molecule is attracted to the slightly negative atom of a polar covalent bond in another molecule.
Hypothesis
A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Homeostasis
A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level
hypothetico-deductive method
positivist research design based on the development and systematic testing of hypotheses
inductive reasoning
A type of logic in which generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations.
deductive reasoning
reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying that principle to a specific case (The sun rises every morning; therefore, the sun will rise on Tuesday morning.)
Ionic Bond
A chemical bond resulting from the attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Isotope
Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
Matthias Schleiden
All plants are made of cells. Helped develop the cell theory.
Moleucle
Union of two or more atoms of the same element; also, the smallest part of a compound that retains the properties of the compound.
Multicellular
Made up of more than one cell. Allows an organism to exeed the size limits normally imposed by diffusion.
Mass Number
the sum of the number of neutrons and protons in an atomic nucleus
Organelle
A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell
Open System
a system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries
Order
Group of similar families
Prokaryote
A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles
Photosynthesis
process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as sugars and starches
Potential Energy
stored energy that results from the position or shape of an object
Products
The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction.
Reactants
elements or compounds that enter into a chemical reaction
Response
An action or change in behavior that occurs as a result of a stimulus.
Reproduction
the production of offspring
Robert Hooke
first to observe "small chambers" in cork and call them cells. Discovered the law of elasticity.
Structure-Function theme
Structure determines function; how something is arranged allows it to perform a specific job.
Theodor Schwann
concluded that all animals are made of cells
Theory
A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data
Trace Element
An element indispensable for life but required in extremely minute amounts.
Valence Number
the number of electrons that an atom gains or loses when combining with other atoms
Valence Electrons
Electrons on the outermost energy level of an atom
Van Del Waals Forces
a slight attraction that develops between the oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules
Chemical Equilibrium
In a chemical reaction, the state in which the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction, so that the relative concentrations of the reactants and products do not change with time.
Four elements that make up 96% of living matter
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen