diffusion
Diffusion is a physical process that refers to the net movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to one of lower concentration.
digestion
Digestion is the biological process of breaking down food into small, absorbable molecules that the body can use for energy, growth, and repair. This is accomplished through both mechanical digestion, which involves the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces, and chemical digestion, which uses enzymes and acids to break down large molecules into simpler components.
disease
an abnormal condition that affects the structure or function of an organism, causing it to deviate from its normal state of health.
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a macromolecule that carries hereditary information in many organisms. DNA is necessary for the production of proteins, the regulation, metabolism, and reproduction of the cell. DNA is found in the nucleus. However, mitochondria also contains DNA molecules. DNA is usually a double-stranded polymer of nucleotides which forms a double helix. Nucleotides in DNA are molecules made of deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate and a nitrogenous base. The phosphate and the deoxyribose sugars form a backbone-like structure, with the nitrogenous bases extending out like rungs of a ladder.
dynamic equilibrium
dynamic equilibrium is a state of balance where opposing processes occur at equal rates, resulting in no net change in the system’s composition, even though activity continues at the microscopic level. This concept is fundamental to homeostasis, the process by which organisms maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.
ecological niche
The niche of an organism is the functional role that it plays within an ecosystem.
ecology
Ecology is the branch of biology that studies how organisms interact with their environment and other organisms.
ecosystem
An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms (living things), as well as weather and landscapes (non-living things), work together to form a bubble of life.
egg
Female gamete; female sex cell; female reproductive cell.
embryo
An embryo refers to the early developmental stage of a multicellular organism that follows fertilization. This stage represents a crucial juncture in the life cycle, transitioning from a single fertilized cell into a complex organism with specialized tissues and structures. The stage is marked by rapid cell division and the establishment of the basic body plan.
Interphase
During interphase, the cell acquires nutrients, creates and uses proteins and other molecules, and starts the process of cell division by replicating the DNA.
nucleotide
A nucleotide is an organic molecule that is the building block of DNA and RNA. Nucleotides are molecules made of deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate and a nitrogenous base. The nitrogenous bases in DNA are of four types – adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine.
Chromatin
Large compressed DNA molecules with associated proteins found in the nucleus.
Genotype
The genotype of an organism is the chemical composition of its DNA, which gives rise to the phenotype, or observable traits of an organism.
Phenotype
The outward appearance, or phenotype, is the result of interactions of proteins being created by the DNA.
Hypertonic
hypertonic fluids have a greater osmotic pressure than other fluids, and hypertonic solutions have a higher solution concentration than another, more diluted solution.
Heterotroph
A heterotroph is an organism that cannot manufacture its own food by carbon fixation and therefore derives its intake of nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter. In the food chain, heterotrophs are secondary and tertiary consumers.
Heterozygous
A heterozygous individual is a diploid organism with two alleles, each of a different type.
homozygous
Individuals with alleles of the same type are known as homozygous individuals.
allele
An allele is a variation of a gene that affects the functionality of the protein produced by the gene. Every diploid organism receives one allele from each parent.
homologous structures
organs that have similar positions, structures, or evolutionary origins. It’s important to note, however, that organs do not have to have the same function to be homologous.
Hypotonic
a solution’s having less osmotic pressure, or concentration, than another solution between a semi-permeable membrane. In more simpler terms, hypotonic can mean a solution that has a lower concentration of solutes than other solutions, made of the same solutes.
Lysosomes
Lysosomes are specialized vesicles within cells that digest large molecules through the use of hydrolytic enzymes. Vesicles are small spheres of fluid surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane, and they have roles in transporting molecules within the cell. Lysosomes are only found in animal cells. Lysosomes are responsible for breaking down and getting rid of waste products of the cell.
Mitochondria
Mitochondria (singular: mitochondrion) are organelles within eukaryotic cells that produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy molecule used by the cell. For this reason, the mitochondrion is sometimes referred to as “the powerhouse of the cell”. It is thought that mitochondria arose from once free-living bacteria that were incorporated into cells.
