Orgasnisms
Living things
Cell
Basic unit of structure and function in an organism
Unicellular
Single celled organisms
Multicellular
Organisms that are composed of many cells
Metabolism
Combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials
Stimulus
A change in an organisms surroundings that causes the organism to react
Response
An organism reacts to a stimulus with an action or a change in behavior
Development
The process of change that occurs during an organisms life, producing a more complex organism
Asexual reproduction
Involves only one parent and produces offspring that are identical to the parent
Sexual reproduction
Involves two parents and combines their genetic material to produce a new organism that differs from both parents
Spontaneous generation
The mistaken idea that living things can arise from no living sources
Controlled experiment
A scientist carries out a series of tests that are identical in every respect except for one factor
Autotrophs
Organisms that make their own food
Heterotrophs
Organisms that cannot make their own food
Homeostasis
Maintenance of stable internal conditions
Classification
The process of grouping things based on their similarities
Taxonomy
The scientific study of how organisms are classified
Binomial nomenclature
Each organism was given a unique, two part scientific name
Genus
A classification grouping that contains similar, closely realated organisms
Species
A group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce offspring that can also mate and reproduce
prokaryotes
Unicellular organisms whose cells lack a nucleus
Nucleus
A dense area in a cell that contains nucleus acids the chemical instructions that direct the cells activities
Eukaryotes
Organisms with cells that contain nuclei
Branching tree diagram
Two groups of organisms with similar characteristics may be descended from a common ancestor
Shared derived characteristic
A trait such as fur that the common ancestor of a group had and passed on to its descendants
Convergent evolution
The process by which unrelated organisms evolve characteristics that are similar