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Science > Glossary's > Flashcards

Glossary's Flashcards

REMEMBER

1
Q

Antibiotic

A

A medicine that weakens or destroys microbes such as bacteria and fungi; antibiotics have no effect on viruses

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2
Q

Bacteria

A

Microscopic organisms forming one of the six kingdoms of living things; some types of bacteria are pathogens

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3
Q

Cell

A

the smallest functional unit of life; every cell in the body needs to obtain nutrients and energy, and get rid of wastes, to stay alive

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4
Q

Commensalism

A

A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism neither benefits nor is harmed

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5
Q

Mutualism

A

A type of symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit

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6
Q

Parasitism

A

A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed

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7
Q

Archaea

A

Microscopic organisms forming one of the six kingdoms of living things

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8
Q

Electron Microscope

A

A type of microscope that uses beams of electrons instead of light; electron microscopes are much more powerful than traditional light microscopes – for example, giving us detailed images of the inner structure of cells

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9
Q

Fungus

A

One of the six kingdoms of living things, including mushrooms, moulds and yeasts

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10
Q

Genetic Material:

A

The material within a cell that determines how it functions

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11
Q

Genetics

A

The features of an organism that are inherited from its parents

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12
Q

Hormone

A

A substance produced by the body to control a particular function, such as hunger, sleep or growth

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13
Q

Immune System

A

The body system that defends the body against infections

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14
Q

Infection

A

The presence of a pathogen inside the body

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15
Q

Inflammation

A

The process in which an infected area of the body becomes red, swollen and hot

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16
Q

Metabolism

A

The chemical reactions that take place in cells to keep them alive

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17
Q

Metabolic Disease

A

A medical condition that disrupts the conversion of food into energy within cells

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18
Q

Anus

A

The opening at the end of the digestive tract through which wastes are expelled as faeces

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19
Q

Bowels

A

Another name for the large intestine

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20
Q

Diet

A

The types of food that a person or animal usually eats

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21
Q

Digestion

A

The process of breaking down complex foods into simple nutrients that the body can absorb

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22
Q

Digestive System

A

The body system that breaks down food and absorbs the nutrients it contains; includes the mouth, stomach, liver, intestines and other organs

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23
Q

Digestive Tract

A

The series of tubes and cavities that food passes through as it is broken down

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24
Q

DNA

A

The chemical that makes up the genetic material in most organisms; deoxyribonucleic acid

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25
Q

Faeces

A

Solid waste that remains after food is digested, expelled out of the body through the anus

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26
Q

Gall Bladder

A

A small pouch-like organ between the liver and the small intestine, where bile is stored

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27
Q

Gut Microbiome

A

The community of microbes living in the intestines; this is the largest part of the body’s total microbiome

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28
Q

Large Intestine

A

The part of the digestive tract between the small intestine and the anus; its main function is to absorb water from digested food and provide a home for bacteria that break down complex carbohydrates

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29
Q

Liver

A

A large organ located next to the stomach that has many important functions; produces bile and releases it into the small intestine to help digest fats

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30
Q

Microbe

A

A living thing that can only be seen with the help of a microscope

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31
Q

Microbiology

A

The scientific study of microbes

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32
Q

Microbiome

A

A population of microbes living in a particular environment, such as on and inside a person’s body

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33
Q

Micrometre

A

A unit of length, one millionth of a metre; 1,000,000 micrometres (μm) are equal to 1 metre (m)

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34
Q

Micro-organism

A

A living thing that can only be seen with the help of a microscope

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35
Q

Nutrient

A

A substance that the body needs to be healthy, usually obtained from food; some nutrients are provided by “friendly” microbes living in the gut

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36
Q

Oesophagus

A

A long muscular tube, the part of the digestive tract that connects the throat to the stomach

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37
Q

Organ

A

A part of the body that performs a particular role, such as the heart, liver or brain

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38
Q

Organism

A

A living thing; something that is made up of one or more cells, and typically can grow, reproduce, take in nutrients, get rid of wastes and respond to its environment

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39
Q

Pancreas

A

An organ behind the stomach that produces enzymes to help break down food in the small intestine

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40
Q

Parasite

A

An organism that benefits from another organism (its host) while causing it harm

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41
Q

Pathogen

A

A microscopic organism that can cause disease

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42
Q

Prebiotic

A

A substance that passes undigested through the stomach and small intestine but is broken down in the large intestine and provides fuel for the friendly bacteria living there

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43
Q

Probiotics

A

Live bacteria that are thought to help promote health by reducing the number of harmful bacteria in our guts

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44
Q

Protists

A

One of the six kingdoms of living things

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45
Q

Protozoa

A

Single-celled organisms belonging to the kingdom of protists, including amoebas

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46
Q

Resilient

A

Able to recover quickly from damage or difficulties

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47
Q

Regulate:

A

To control

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48
Q

Scientific notation

A

A way of writing very large or very small numbers using powers; for example, 6500 would be written as 6.5 x 10^3

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49
Q

Secretion

A

The production and release of a substance from an organ of the body, such as saliva from the saliva glands

50
Q

SI Unit

A

A unit of measurement that has been agreed on as part of the International System of Units, allowing scientists from around the world to communicate easily with each other; examples include the metre (m), the kilogram (kg) and the second (s)

51
Q

Small Intestine

A

The section of the digestive tract between the stomach and the large intestine; its main functions are to continue breaking down food and absorb the nutrients released

52
Q

Sterile

A

Free from bacteria and other microbes

53
Q

Stomach

A

The part of the digestive tract between the oesophagus and the small intestine; a bag of muscle that churns and mashes food, and releases gastric juices to help break it down

54
Q

Symbiotic relationship

A

A long-term interaction between organisms of different species in which one of the organisms benefits from the other; the second organism may also benefit (mutualism), may be harmed (parasitism) or may be unaffected (commensalism)

55
Q

Virus

A

A type of microscopic pathogen that can only multiply by invading a living cell

56
Q

Algae

A

Plant like organism that mainly live in aquatic environments. Main characteristics are their cells have membrane-bound nuclei (we call them eukaryotic) and they contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis.

57
Q

Centimetre (cm)

A

0.01m. There are 100 centimetres in 1 metre.

58
Q

Chemical Preservatives

A

Salt, sugar and vinegar are common household substances used to preserve foods. Other unnatural additives can be used, but are becoming less common.

59
Q

Decomposer

A

Microbes that break down the carbohydrates, proteins and fats of dead organisms. They recycle matter in the environment.

60
Q

Drying Food

A

A preservation technique used on meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. It removes one of the necessities of microbes – water.

61
Q

Fermentation

A

The process where yeasts feed on the sugars in fruits or vegetables, changing the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Used in the making of bread and fermented drinks such as beer, wine, cider and ginger beer.

62
Q

Freezing

A

Storing food and drinks at temperatures between -10°C and -18°C.

63
Q

Heat sterilisation

A

Heating under pressure at 120°C for 15 minutes. Used for canned and bottled food to slow down decay.

64
Q

Irradiating

A

In terms of food, the use of radiation to kill harmful microbes or pests.

65
Q

Lactobacillus

A

A bacterium used in making yoghurt, usually 2μm in length

66
Q

Millimetre (mm)

A

0.001m. There are 1,000 millimetres in 1 metre.

67
Q

Nanometre (nm)

A

0.000000001m. There are 1,000,000,000 centimetres in 1 metre.

68
Q

Paramecium

A

A protozoa found in freshwater that has a length of 250 μm

69
Q

Pasteurisation

A

Heating to 72°C for 15 seconds. Used for milk.

70
Q

Refrigeration

A

Cooling food and drinks to 4°C to slow decomposition.

71
Q

Variola

A

The virus that causes smallpox. Typical length of 0.3 μm

72
Q

Yeast

A

A fungus which can be used to make bread rise or for fermentation in drinks, typically 10μm in length.

73
Q

Adaptive Immune System

A

The part of the immune system that develops as the body learns to identify and target particular types of pathogen; it includes both specialized cells and substances (antibodies) that provide the body with a third line of defence against infection

74
Q

Antibody

A

A substance produced by the immune system that circulates in the blood and is specialized to attack only one type of pathogen

75
Q

Autopsy

A

The medial examination of a dead body

76
Q

Blood Vessel

A

A tube that blood flows through within the circulatory system; there are three types: arteries, veins and capillaries

77
Q

Cell Membrane

A

A thin layer that surrounds a cell, forming a barrier with the world outside but allowing some substances to pass in and out

78
Q

Cytokine

A

A type of substance released by some cells within the immune system to signal other cells to respond to an infection

79
Q

Dendritic Cell

A

A specialized type of cell that plays an important role in boosting the defences of the immune system

80
Q

Dependent Variable

A

Something that is measured in an investigation, to see how it is affected by the independent variable

81
Q

Diffusion

A

The movement of molecules from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration

82
Q

Ebola

A

A deadly infectious disease caused by the Ebola virus

83
Q

Emerging Infectious Disease

A

An infectious disease that has appeared in a population only recently

84
Q

Enzyme

A

A substance produced by the body to speed up a chemical reaction; for example, helping with chemical digestion

85
Q

Eukaryote

A

A cell that has a nucleus, or a multicellular organism made up of this type of cell; animals, plants, fungi and protists are eukaryotes

86
Q

Fever

A

A prolonged increase in core body temperature that helps fight an infection by making it too hot for pathogens to survive

87
Q

First Line of Defence

A

The physical barriers that keep pathogens out of the body, including skin and mucus

88
Q

Germ Theory

A

The theory that living germs can cause disease

89
Q

Hypothesis

A

A proposed explanation used as the basis for an investigation

90
Q

Immunity

A

Protection from infection

91
Q

Immunologist

A

A scientist who studies the workings of the immune systems of humans or other animals

92
Q

Incubation period

A

The time period from when someone is infected by a pathogen to when they start showing symptoms of a disease

93
Q

Independent Variable

A

Something that is changed in an investigation to see what effect it has on the dependent variable

94
Q

Infectious Disease

A

A medical condition caused by the presence of a pathogen within the body and that can be passed from one organism to another

95
Q

Innate Immune System

A

The part of the immune system that we are born with and which provides non-specific (general) defence against all types of pathogens

96
Q

Ligand

A

A molecule that binds to a receptor, triggering an immune response; a ligand matches a certain receptor like a key fitting a certain lock

97
Q

Lysosome Sac

A

An organelle containing enzymes that break down unwanted materials

98
Q

Macrophage

A

A type of large phagocyte that can stay in one place in the body or circulate in the blood as a white blood cell

99
Q

Malaria

A

An infectious disease caused by protozoa, transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical regions

100
Q

Membrane

A

A thin sheet that forms a barrier; molecules may be able to move through a membrane by diffusion

101
Q

Model

A

A representation of something that is made out of physical objects or programmed in a computer; it is often much larger or smaller than the thing it represents

102
Q

Mucu

A

A slimy fluid released by the lining of the airways to protect them

103
Q

Non-Specific Defences

A

Elements of the innate immune system that are not specialized to fight specific types of pathogens; they include the first line of defence (skin and mucus) and the second line of defence (fever, inflammation and phagocytes)

104
Q

Nucleus

A

A structure within a eukaryotic cell that contains genetic material

105
Q

Organelle

A

A structure within a cell that has a specialized function, such as the nucleus

106
Q

Permeability

A

The property of allowing liquids or gases to pass through (a material or membrane)

107
Q

Phagocyte

A

A type of cell that is specialized to attack and destroy pathogens

108
Q

Phagocytosis

A

The process by which a phagocyte surrounds a pathogen and destroys it

109
Q

Protein

A

A chemical compound containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen that performs a specific role in an organism

110
Q

Receptor

A

A molecule on the outer surface of a phagocyte that allows it to attach to a ligand, e.g. on a virus; a ligand matches a certain receptor like a key fitting a certain lock

111
Q

Second Line of Defence

A

The system of bodily responses that defend the body against pathogens once they have entered the body, including fever, inflammation and phagocytes

112
Q

Stratum Corneum

A

The outermost layer of skin

113
Q

Superspreader

A

A person infected with a pathogen who passes it on to an unusually large number of people

114
Q

Third Line of Defence

A

The adaptive immune system that targets specific pathogens once they’ve entered the body, using specialized cells and antibodies

115
Q

Vaccine

A

A substance that boosts a person’s immunity to a certain pathogen

116
Q

White Blood Cell

A

A type of cell found in the blood that helps to protect the body from infection

117
Q

Eradicate

A

To get rid of

118
Q

Herd Immunity

A

The protection against an infectious disease that arises when a large proportion of a population is immune to it (for example, through vaccination); even individuals who are not immune are less likely to be exposed to infection

119
Q

Innate immunity

A

Defences against infection that we are born with and which provide general protection against all types of pathogens

120
Q

Memory Cell

A

A cell produced by the body following infection or vaccination that helps it defend itself against the same type of pathogen in the future

121
Q

d

A

d

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