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AQA Biology GCSE > Glossary > Flashcards

Glossary Flashcards

(109 cards)

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1
Q

Acid rain

A

Rain that is acidic due to dissolved gases, such as sulfur dioxide, produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

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2
Q

Active site

A

The site on an enzyme where the reactants bind.

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3
Q

Active transport

A

The movement of substances against a concentration gradient and/or across a cell membrane, using energy.

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4
Q

Adaption

A

Special feature that makes an organism particularly well suited to the environment where it lives.

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5
Q

Adult cell cloning

A

Process in which the nucleus of an adult cell of one animal is fused with an empty egg from another animal. The embryo which results is placed inside the uterus of a third animal to develop.

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6
Q

Aerobic respiration

A

Breaking down food using oxygen to release energy for the cells.

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7
Q

Agar

A

The nutrient jelly on which many microorganisms are cultured.

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8
Q

Algal cells

A

The cells of algae, single-celled or simple multi-cellular organisms, which can photosynthesise but are not plants.

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9
Q

Allele

A

A version of a particular gene.

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10
Q

Alveoli

A

The tiny air sacs in the lungs which increase the surface area for gaseous exchanges.

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11
Q

Amylase

A

The enzyme made in the salivary glands and the pancreas which speeds up the breakdown of starch into simple sugars.

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12
Q

Anaerobic respiration

A

Breaking down food without oxygen to release energy for the cells.

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13
Q

Anomalous result

A

Result that does not match the pattern seen in the other data collected or is well outside the range of other repeated readings. It should be retested and if necessary discarded.

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14
Q

Antibiotic

A

Drug that destroys bacteria inside the body without damaging human cells.

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15
Q

Antigen

A

The unique protein on the surface of a cell. It is recognised by the immune system as ‘self’ or ‘non-self’.

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16
Q

Aorta

A

The main artery leaving the left ventricle carrying oxygenated blood to the body.

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17
Q

Artery

A

Blood vessel which carries blood away from the heart. It usually carries oxygenated blood and it has a pulse.

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18
Q

Asexual budding

A

A form of asexual reproduction that where a complete new individual forms as a bud on the parent organism e.g. yeast, hydra.

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19
Q

Asexual reproduction

A

Reproduction that involves only one individual with no fusing of gametes to produce the offspring. The offspring are identical to the parent.

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20
Q

Atria

A

The small upper chambers of the heart. The right atrium receives blood from the body and the left atrium receives blood from the lungs.

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21
Q

Auxin

A

A plant hormone that controls the responses of plants to light (phototrophism) and to gravity (gravitropism).

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22
Q

Bacteria

A

Single-celled microorganisms that can reproduce very rapidly. Many bacteria are useful (gut and decomposing bacteria) but some cause disease.

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23
Q

Biconcave disc

A

The shape of the red blood cells- a disc which is dimpled inwards on both sides.

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24
Q

Bile

A

Yellowy-green liquid made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder. It is released into the small intestine and emulsifies fats.

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25
Biodiversity
The number and variety of different organisms found in a specified area.
26
Biofuel
Fuel produced from biological material which is renewable and sustainable.
27
Biogas
Methane produced by the fermentation of biological materials.
28
Biological detergent
Washing detergent that contains enzymes.
29
Biomass
Biological material from living or recently living organisms.
30
Blood contains
Blood cells, dissolved food, oxygen, waste products, mineral ions, hormones and other substances needed in the body or needing to be removed from the body.
31
Blood vessel
A tube which carries blood around the body. Arteries, veins, capillaries.
32
Breathing system
The stems involved in breathing: the ribs, intercostal muscles, diaphragm as well as the lungs and the tubes which bring air into the body from the outside.
33
Capillaries
The smallest blood vessels which run between individual cells. They have a wall which is only one cell thick.
34
Carbohydrase
Enzyme which speeds up the breakdown of carbohydrates.
35
Carbon cycle
The cycling of carbon through the living and non-living world.
36
Carbon neutral
A process which uses as much carbon dioxide as it produces.
37
Carrier
Individual who is heterozygous for a faulty allele that causes a genetic disease in the homozygous form.
38
Catalyst
A substance which speeds up a chemical reaction. At the end of the reaction the catalyst remains chemically unchanged.
39
Cell membrane
The membrane around the contents of a cell which controls what moves in and out of the cell.
40
Cell wall
A rigid structure which surrounds the cells of living organisms apart from animals.
41
Cellulose
A big carbohydrate molecule which makes up plant and algal cell walls.
42
Central nervous system CNS
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord where information is processed.
43
Chlorophyll
The green pigment contained in the chloroplasts.
44
Chloroplasts
The organelles in which photosynthesis takes place.
45
Chromosome
Thread-like structure carrying the genetic information found in the nucleus of a cell.
46
Clone
Offspring produced by asexual reproduction which is identical to its parent organism.
47
Combustion
Process of burning.
48
Concentration gradient
The gradient between an area where a substance is at a high concentration and an area where it is at a low concentration.
49
Coronary artery
An artery which carries oxygenated blood t the muscle of the heart.
50
Culture medium
A substance containing the nutrients needed for microorganisms to grow.
51
Cuticle
The waxy covering of a leaf (or an insect) which reduces water loss from the surface.
52
Cystic fibrosis
A genetic disease that affects the lungs, digestive and reproductive systems. It is inherited through a recessive allele.
53
Cytoplasm
The water-based gel in which the organelles of all living cells are suspended.
54
Decomposer
Microorganism that breaks down waste products and dead bodies.
55
Denature
Change the shape of an enzyme so that it can no longer speed up a reaction.
56
Detritus feeder
Microorganism that breaks down waste products and dead bodies.
57
Removed during dialysis
Remove urea and excess mineral ions from the blood when the kidneys fail.
58
Diaphragm
A strong sheet of muscle that separates the thorax from the digestive organs, used to change the volume of the chest during ventilation of the lungs.
59
Differentiated
Specialised for a particular function.
60
Diffusion
The net movement of articles of a gas or a solute from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration (along a concentration gradient).
61
Digested
Broken down into small molecules by the digestive enzymes.
62
Digestive juices
The mixture of enzymes and other chemicals produced by the digestive system.
63
Digestive system
The organ system running from the mouth to the anus.
64
Directly proportional
A relationship that, when drawn on a line graph, shows a positive linear relationship that crosses through the origin.
65
Distillation
A process which separates the components of a mixture on the basis of their different boiling points.
66
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the material of inheritance.
67
DNA fingerprints
Patterns produced by analysing the DNA which can identify an individual.
68
Dominant
The characteristic that will show up in the offspring even if only one of the alleles are inherited.
69
Double circulation
The separate circulation of the blood from the heart to the lungs and then back to the heart and on to the body.
70
Droplet infection
A way of spreading infectious diseases through the tiny droplets full of pathogens, which are expelled from your body when you cough, sneeze or talk.
71
Ecology
The scientific study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment.
72
Effector organs
Muscles and glands which respond to impulses from the nervous system.
73
Element
A substance made up of only one type of atom. An atom cannot be broken down chemically into any simpler substance.
74
Emulsifies
Breaks down into tiny droplets which will form an emulsion.
75
Endemic
When a species evolves in isolation and is found in only one place in the world: it is said to be endemic to that area.
76
Environmental isolation
This is when the climate changes in one area where an organism lives but not in others.
77
Enzyme
Protein molecule which acts as a biological catalyst. It changes the rate of chemical reactions without being affected itself at the end of the reaction.
78
Epidermal tissue
The tissue of the epidermis- the outer layer of an organism.
79
Epithelial tissue
Tissue made up of relatively unspecialised cells which line the tubes and organs of the body.
80
Eutrophication
The process by which excessive nutrients in water lead to very fast plant growth. When the plants die they are decomposed and this uses up a lot of oxygen so the water can no longer sustain animal life.
81
Evaporation
The change of a liquid to a vapour at a temperature lower than its boiling point.
82
Evolution
The process of slow change in living organisms over long periods of time as those best adapted to survive breed successfully.
83
Evolutionary relationship
Model of the relationships between organisms, often based on DNA evidence, which suggests how long ago they evolved away from each other and how closely related they are in evolutionary terms.
84
Exchange surface
A surface where materials are exchanged.
85
Exothermic
Releases heat energy.
86
Extremophile
Organisms which lives in environments that are very extreme, e.g. very high or very low temperatures, high salt levels or high pressures.
87
Fair test
A fair test is one in which only the independent variable has been allowed to affect the dependent variable.
88
Fatty acids
Building blocks of lipids.
89
Fermentation
The reaction in which the enzymes in yeast turn glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
90
Fertile
A fertile soil contains enough minerals e.g. nitrates, to supply the crop plant with all the nutrients needed for healthy growth.
91
Fertilser
A substance provided for plants that supplies them with essential nutrients for healthy growth.
92
Fossil fuel
Fuel obtained from long-dead biological material.
93
FSH
Follicle stimulating hormone, a female hormone that stimulates the eggs to mature in the ovaries, and the ovaries to produce hormones, including oestrogen.
94
Gamete
Sex cell which has half the chromosome number of an ordinary cell.
95
Gaseous exchange
The exchange of gases, e.g. the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide which occurs between the air in the lungs and the blood.
96
Gene
A short section of DNA carrying genetic information.
97
Genetic disorder
A disease which is inherited.
98
Genetic engineering/modification
A technique for changing the genetic information of a cell.
99
Geographical isolation
This is when two populations become physically separated by a geological feature.
100
Glandular tissue
The tissue which makes up the glands and secretes chemicals, e.g. enzymes, hormones.
101
Global warming
Warming of the Earth due to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trapping infrared radiation from the surface.
102
Glucagon
A hormone involved of blood sugar levels.
103
Glucose
a simple sugar.
104
Glycerol
The building block of lipids.
105
Glycogen
Carbohydrate store in animals, including the muscles, liver and brain of the human body.
106
Gravitropism
Response of a plant to the force of gravity controlled by auxin.
107
Greenhouse effect
The trapping of infrared radiation from the Sun as a result of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the Earth's atmosphere. The greenhouse effect maintains the surface of the Earth at a temperature suitable for life.
108
Greenhouse gas
Gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which absorb infrared radiated from the Earth, and result in warming up the atmosphere.
109
Guard cells
The cells which surround stomata in the leaves of plants and control their opening and closing.

AQA Biology GCSE (1 decks)

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