Biology

Biology

Inherited characteristics/How variation occurs

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
characteristics		The features of an organism.
DNA		A large molecule that contains genes.
gamete	gam-meet	Scientific word for sex cell.
gene	jeen	A length of DNA that controls one inherited characteristic of an organism.
genetic information		The instructions that control your characteristics. These instructions are found on genes.
inherited		Passed on to an organism from its parents.
variation		The differences between things or organisms.

Different varieties/Environmental effect

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
environment		The surroundings of an organism.
environmental factors		Things in an environment that can change something about an organism.
species	spee-shees	A group of organisms that can reproduce with each other to produce offspring that will also be able to reproduce.
variety		A set of plants that are in some way different from other members of the same species.

Respiration

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
aerobic respiration	air-O-bick res-per-ay-shun	Chemical reaction that releases energy from glucose. It uses up oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water.
glucose		Type of sugar made during photosynthesis.
reactant		Something used up in a chemical reaction. Also called a raw material.
product		Something made in a chemical reaction.
respiratory system		Made up of the trachea, bronchi and lungs. Gets oxygen into the blood and takes carbon dioxide out of the body.
ventilation		The movement of air into and out of the lungs.
Lime water

Plants and Photosynthesis

photosynthesis	foto-sinth-e-sis		Chemical reaction that plants use to make their own food. It needs light to work. Carbon dioxide and water are the reactants and glucose and oxygen are the products.
biomass				The mass of material (except water) that makes up an organism.
cellulose				A substance used to make cell walls.
chlorophyll		klor-O-fill		Green substance found inside chloroplasts. It absorbs light.
chloroplast		klor-O-plast		Green disc containing chlorophyll. Found in plant cells. Where glucose is made by photosynthesis.
diffusion		dif-few-shun		The random movement of particles from where there are a lot of them to where there are fewer of them.
fat				Substance needed by living things to make cell membranes. Our bodies also use fats as a store of energy and to keep warm.
guard cells				Cells which open and close the stomata.
mineral salt				Chemical found in soil that plants need to grow healthily.
nitrate		night-rate		Mineral salt that plants need to make proteins.
oil				Liquid fat, often found in nuts and seeds.
palisade cells		pall-iss-aid		Cells found in leaves, containing many chloroplasts.
protein				A substance made from amino acids. Proteins are needed for growth and repair.
stoma		stO-ma		Singular of stomata.
stomata		stom-mart-a		Small holes on the underside of leaves which let gases into and out of the leaf.

Plant breeding

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
fertilisation	fert-ill-eyes-ay-shun	Fusing of a male sex cell with a female sex cell.
ovary	o-very	Part of the female reproductive organs in a plant. It contains ovules, each of which contains an egg cell.
ovule	ov-you’ll	Contains egg cells in plants. Found in the ovary.
pollen		The male sex cell (gamete) in plants.
pollen tube		Tube that grows from a pollen grain down through the stigma and style and into the ovary.
pollination	poll-in-ay-shun	Transfer of pollen from an anther to a stigma.
seed		Grows into a new plant. Made by conifers and flowering plants.
stigma		Part of the female reproductive organs in a plant. It is where pollen lands.

Skeleton and Joints

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
antagonistic pair	ant-tag-on-iss-tick	Two muscles that work a joint by pulling in opposite directions, e.g. biceps and triceps.
contract		Get smaller.
relax		When a muscle stops contracting it relaxes.
tendon		Tissue connecting a bone to a muscle.
Ligament		Tissue connecting bone to bone
Cartilage
Synovial membrane
Synovial fluid