Vocab Quiz Set 3

Question 1

A law that generalizes a body of observations. At the time it is made, no exceptions have been found to a law. It explains things but does not describe them; serves as the basis of scientific principles.

Answer 1

Law (scientific)

Question 2

Chemical or physical factor that limits the existence, growth, abundance, or distribution of an individual organism or a population.

Answer 2

Limiting factor

Question 3

A group of organic compounds composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen including a proportionately smaller amount of oxygen; are insoluble in water, serve as a source of stored energy, and are a component of cell membranes.

Answer 3

Lipids

Question 4

A polymer with a high molecular mass. Within organisms there are four main groups: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Answer 4

Macromolecule

Question 5

Features of behaviors, morphology, or genetics which serve to prevent mating or breeding between two different species

Answer 5

Isolating mechanism

Question 6

The combination of components and processes that serve a common function.

Answer 6

Mechanism

Question 7

A two phase nuclear division that results in the eventual production of gametes with half the normal number of chromosomes.

Answer 7

Meiosis

Question 8

The permanent movement of genes into or out of a population resulting in a change in allele frequencies

Answer 8

Migration

Question 9

A membrane bound organelle found in most eukaryotic cells; site of cellular respiration.

Answer 9

Mitochondrion

Question 10

A nuclear division resulting in the production of two somatic cells having the same genetic complement as the original cell.

Answer 10

Mitosis

Question 11

The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms held together by chemical forces.

Answer 11

Molecule

Question 12

A molecule of any compound that can react with other molecules of the same or different compound to form a polymer. Each biological macromolecule has characteristic monomers.

Answer 12

Monomer

Question 13

Made up of more than one cell.

Answer 13

Multicellular

Question 14

More than two forms of a gene controlling the expression of a trait.

Answer 14

Multiple alleles

Question 15

A permanent transmissible change of genetic material (e.g., chromosomal mutations and gene mutations).

Answer 15

Mutation

Question 16

A process in nature in which organisms possessing certain inherited traits are better able to survive and reproduce compared to others of their species.

Answer 16

Natural selection

Question 17

The process in which sister chromatids fail to separate during and after mitosis or meiosis.

Answer 17

Nondisjunction

Question 18

A species normally living outside a distribution range that has been introduced through either deliberate or accidental human activity; also can be known as introduced, invasive, alien, nonindigenous, or exotic.

Answer 18

Nonnative species

Question 19

A biological macromolecule (DNA or RNA) composed of the elements C, H, N, O, and P that carries genetic information.

Answer 19

Nucleic acid

Question 20

A membrane bound organelle in eukaryotic cells functioning to maintain the integrity of the genetic material and, through the expression of that material, controlling and regulating cellular activities.

Answer 20

Nucleus

Question 21

An anatomical unit composed of tissues serving a common function.

Answer 21

Organ

Question 22

An anatomical system composed of a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function or task.

Answer 22

Organ system

Question 23

A subunit within a cell that has a specialized function.

Answer 23

Organelle

Question 24

A molecule containing carbon that is a part of or produced by living systems.

Answer 24

Organic molecule

Question 25

A form of life; an animal, plant, fungus, protist or bacterium.

Answer 25

Organism

Question 26

The movement of water or another solvent through permeable membranes from an area of higher water concentration (dilute) to an area of lower water concentration (concentrated).

Answer 26

Osmosis

Question 27

The transportation of materials across a plasma membrane without using energy.

Answer 27

Passive transport

Question 28

The measure of acidity or alkalinity (basicity) of an aqueous solution scaling from 1 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly alkaline) with a midpoint of 7 (neutral).

Answer 28

pH

Question 29

The observable expression of a genotype.

Answer 29

Phenotype

Question 30

A process in which solar radiation is chemically captured by chlorophyll molecules and through a set of controlled chemical reactions resulting in the potential chemical energy in the bonds of carbohydrate molecules.

Answer 30

Photosynthesis

Question 31

A thin, phospholipid and protein molecule bilayer that encapsulates a cell and controls the movement of materials in and out of the cell through active or passive transport.

Answer 31

Plasma membrane

Question 32

A group of membrane bound organelles commonly found in photosynthetic organisms and mainly responsible for the synthesis and storage of food.

Answer 32

Plastids

Question 33

A single base substitution causing the replacement of a single base nucleotide with another nucleotide (e.g., silent mutation, in which there is no change in an amino acid; missense mutation, in which there is a different amino acid; and nonsense mutation, in which there is an insertion of a stop codon in the amino acid which stops protein synthesis).

Answer 33

Point mutation

Question 34

A trait in which the phenotype is controlled by two or more genes at different loci on different chromosomes.

Answer 34

Polygenic trait

Question 35

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific geographical area and reproducing.

Answer 35

Population

Question 36

The study of short and long term changes in the number of individuals for a given population, as affected by birth, death, immigration, and emigration.

Answer 36

Population dynamics

Question 37

A concept based on scientific laws and axioms (rules assumed to be present, true, and valid) where general agreement is present.

Answer 37

Principle

Question 38

An organism that uses a primary energy source to conduct photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Answer 38

Producer

Question 39

A single celled organism that lacks a membrane bound nucleus and specialized organelles.

Answer 39

Prokaryote

Question 40

A macromolecule that contains the principal components of organisms: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; performs a variety of structural and regulatory functions for cells.

Answer 40

Protein

Question 41

The process in which amino acids are arranged in a linear sequence through the processes of transcription of DNA and to RNA and the translation of RNA to a polypeptide chain.

Answer 41

Protein synthesis

Question 42

Any of several molecular mechanisms in which ions or molecules are transported across a cellular membrane requiring the use of an energy source (e.g., glucose, sodium [Na+], calcium [Ca+], and potassium [K+]).

Answer 42

Pumps

Question 43

A proposed explanation in evolutionary biology stating that species are generally stable over long periods of time. Occasionally there are rapid changes that affect some species which can quickly result in a new species.

Answer 43

Punctuated equilibrium

Question 44

A pattern of inheritance in which the phenotypic effect of one allele is only expressed within a homozygous genotype. In a heterozygous condition with a dominant allele, it is not expressed in the phenotype.

Answer 44

Recessive inheritance

Question 45

A cellular structure composed of RNA and proteins that is the site of protein synthesis in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.

Answer 45

Ribosome