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Arrow_left - Biology Vocabulary
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radioactive
Exhibiting radioactivity.
nucleus
The core, central part (of something), round which others are assembled.
trace element
A chemical element present in a sample in very small quantities.
matter
The basic structural component of the universe.
control group
The group of test subjects left untreated or unexposed to some procedure and then compared with treated subjects in order to validate the results of the test.
experiment
A test under controlled conditions made to either demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy of something previously untried.
prediction
A statement of what will happen in the future.
hypothesis
A tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation.
inductive
of, or relating to logical induction
deductive
Based on inferences from general principles.
Darwin
Capital of the Northern Territory (Australia).
cilium
A hairlike organelle projecting from a eukaryotic cell (such as unicellular organism or one cell of a multicelled organism). These structures serve either for locomotion by moving or as sensors.
cilia
Irregular plural form of cilium.
animalia
A kingdom in domain Eukaryota that consists of all multicellular organisms that have a central nervous system and rely on other organisms for energy.
fungus
a eukaryotic organism typically having chitin cell walls but no chlorophyll or plastids.
insect
An arthropod in the class Insecta, characterized by six legs, up to four wings, and a chitinous exoskeleton.
amphibian
Any four-legged vertebrate that does not have amniotic eggs, living both on land and in water.
reptile
A cold-blooded vertebrate of the Class Reptilia.
mammal
A vertebrate with three bones in the inner ear and one in the jaw.
taxonomy
The science of finding, describing, classifying and naming organisms.
vertebrate
having a backbone
catalyst
A substance which increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.
enzyme
A globular protein that catalyses a biological chemical reaction.
mitochondrion
A spherical or ovoid organelle found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, contains genetic material separate from that of the host; it is responsible for the conversion of food to usable energy in the form of ATP.
nucleotide
the monomer comprising DNA or RNA biopolymer molecules. a five-carbon pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA); and a phosphate group.
cytosol
The aqueous solution of a cell's cytoplasm, consisting of water, organic molecules and inorganic ions.
chromosome
A structure in the cell nucleus that contains DNA, histone protein, and other structural proteins.
cytoplasm
The contents of a cell except for the nucleus.
homeostasis
The ability of a system or living organism to adjust its internal environment to maintain a stable equilibrium; such as the ability of warm-blooded animals to maintain a constant temperature.
embryo
In the reproductive cycle, the stage after the fertilization of the egg that precedes the development into a foetus.
eukaryotic
Having complex cells in which the genetic material is organized into membrane-bound nuclei.
prokaryotic
Of cells, lacking a nucleus.
base
Something from which other things extend; a foundation. A supporting, lower or bottom component of a structure or object.
acid
Sour, sharp, or biting to the taste; tart; having the taste of vinegar.
pH
The negative of the logarithm to the base 10 of the concentration of hydrogen ions, measured in moles per liter; a measure of acidity or alkalinity of a substance, which takes numerical values from 0 (maximum acidity) through 7 (neutral) to 14 (maximum al
acid rain
caused mainly by atmospheric pollution with sulphur dioxide and nitrogen compounds.
diffusion
the scattering of light by reflection from a rough surface, or by passage through a translucent medium
membrane
A flexible enclosing or separating tissue forming a plane or film and separating two environments (usually in a plant or animal).
cell theory
the theory that all living organisms are made of cells as the smallest functional unit
reductionism
an approach to studying complex systems or ideas by reducing them to a set of simpler components
cellulose
A polysaccharide containing many glucose units in parallel chains.
chlorophyll
Any of a group of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants and in other photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria
photosynthesis
The process by which plants and other photoautotrophs generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light energy in chloroplasts.
magnesium
A light, flammable, silvery metal, and a chemical element (symbol Mg) with an atomic number of 12.
phosphorus
a chemical element (symbol P) with an atomic number of 15, that exists in several allotropic forms.
nitrogen
A chemical element (symbol N) with an atomic number of 7 and atomic weight of 14.0067.
carbon
The chemical element (symbol C) with an atomic number of 6.
RNA
ribonucleic acid
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic material of nearly all forms of life.
genome
The complete genetic information (either DNA or, in some viruses, RNA) of an organism, typically expressed in number of basepairs.
genetics
The branch of biology that deals with the transmission and variation of inherited characteristics, in particular chromosomes and DNA.
genetic
relating to genetics or genes
ecology
The branch of biology dealing with the relationships of organisms with their environment and with each other.
chemistry
The branch of natural science that deals with the composition and constitution of substances and the changes that they undergo as a consequence of alterations in the constitution of their molecules.
periodic table
A tabular chart of the chemical elements according to their atomic numbers so that elements with similar properties are in the same column.
atomic weight
Former term for the more specific relative atomic mass.
atomic number
The number, equal to the number of protons in an atom that determines its chemical properties. Symbol: Z
neutron
A subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom and having no charge; it is a combination of an up quark and two down quarks
proton
A positively charged subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom and determining the atomic number of an element; the nucleus of the most common isotope of hydrogen; composed of two up quarks and a down antiquark
electron
An alloy of magnesium and aluminum.
amoeba
A genus of unicellular protozoa that moves by means of temporary projections called pseudopodia.
protist
Any of the eukaryotic unicellular organisms of the kingdom Protoctista; including protozoans, slime molds and some algae.
neuron
A cell of the nervous system, which conducts nerve impulses; consisting of an axon and several dendrites.
heterogeneous
Diverse in kind or nature; composed of diverse parts.
homogeneous
similar, or the same as something else
solution
A homogeneous mixture, which may be liquid, gas or solid, formed by dissolving one or more substances.
solute
Loose; free; liberal
solvent
A liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution.
hydrogen
The lightest chemical element (symbol H) with an atomic number of 1 and atomic weight of 1.00794.
oxygen
A chemical element (symbol O) with an atomic number of 8 and relative atomic mass of 15.9994.
element
One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.
compound
an enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined
isotope
Any of two or more forms of an element where the atoms have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons within thier nuclei.
habitat
A specific place or natural conditions in which a plant or animal lives.
ecosystem
A system formed by an ecological community and its environment that functions as a unit.
species
A group of plants or animals having similar appearance.
genus
a rank in the classification of organisms, below family and above species; a taxon at that rank
class
A group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes.
phylum
A rank in the classification of organisms, below kingdom and above class; also called a division, especially in describing plants; a taxon at that rank
kingdom
A nation having as supreme ruler a king and/or queen.
organism
A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.
cell
A room in a monastery for sleeping one person.
molecule
The smallest particle of a specific element or compound that retains the chemical properties of that element or compound; a group of atoms held together by chemical bonds.
alchemy
The ancient search for a universal panacea, and of the philosopher's stone, that eventually developed into chemistry
chemist
A pharmacist.
biologist
A student of biology; one versed in the science of biology.
paleontologist
one who studies paleontology
natural selection
A process by which heritable traits conferring survival and reproductive advantage to individuals, or related individuals, tend to be passed on to succeeding generations and become more frequent in a population, whereas other less favourable traits tend t
evolution
A gradual process of development, formation, or growth, esp. one leading to a more advanced or complex form.
open system
A system allowing hardware and software from different manufacturers to be used together seamlessly.
tissue
Thin, woven, gauze-like fabric.
organ
A musical instrument that has multiple pipes which play when a key is pressed, or an electronic instrument designed to replicate such.
organelle
A specialized structure found inside cells that carries out a specific life process (e.g. ribosomes, vacuoles).
atom
The smallest mediaeval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second.