Glossary

This page will serve as a glossary to topics covered on AmoebaMike.  This list isn’t comprehensive, but serves as a great starting point for understanding terms mentioned here.

Active Transport – the process where a cell uses energy to move particles from a lower concentration to a higher concentration.

Anatomy – study of body structure

ATP – the chemical cells use to release energy (to store energy they turn ADP into ATP)

Autotrophs – organisms that make their own food

Botany – study of plants

Cellular Respiration – the process of releasing energy by breaking down glucose and other food in the presence of oxygen

Chlorophyll – the primary pigment found in plants

Chloroplast – organelle in plants that houses chlorophyll

Control – the group in an experiment that has no variable changes, used to measure against change of the variable group.

Cytology – study of cells

Dependent Variable –  a variable whose value is determined by the independent variable in an experiment.

Diffusion – movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Ecology – study of animals interaction with their environment

Experiment – a procedure carried out under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis.

Facilitated Diffusion – the process of particles moving across a cell membrane through a protein channel.

Fermentation –  the process of releasing energy by breaking down glucose and other food in the absence of oxygen

Genetics – study of genes & heredity

Herpetology – study of snakes

Heterotrophs – organisms that need to consume other organisms for energy

Homeostasis– the stable state of equilibrium the different parts an organism, or the organism and its surroundings.

Hypothesis –  an assumption made in order to test and prove its validity.

Independent Variable – a variable whose value determines the values of the dependent variables.

Life – the basic characteristics that separate living from nonliving things.

Metabolism – the sum of all chemical reactions to build up and break down material

Microbiology – study of microorganisms

Mycology – study of fungi

Observation – recognizing and noting an occurrence involving measurement with instruments.

Osmosis – diffusion of water

Organ – a group of tissues working together

Organ System – a group of organs working together

Organelle – a specialized part of a cell

Ornithology – study of birds

Paleontology – study of ancient organisms

Parasitology – study of parasites

Photosynthesis – the process of converting water and carbon dioxide (in the presence of sunlight) into energy

Physiology – study of body function

Pigment – light-aborbsing molecules

Prokaryote – organism without a nucleus

Scientific Law – explains what happens under given circumstances.

Scientific Method –  process by which science experiments are designed and run.  Includes forming a hypothesis and coming to a conclusion.

Scientific Theory – an attempt to explain how or why something happens. This can be backed by lots of evidence, and is not indicative of its validity.

Spontaneous Generation – a theory of life, popular centuries ago, that suggested living organisms came to life from nonliving matter.

Stimulus – a change (for example, in an environment) that directly influences the activity of an organism.

Tissue – a group of specialized cells working together

Variable –  the group in an experiment that you are testing. Compared to the control group, the variable with have results that need to be recorded and analyzed.

Virology – study of viruses

Zoology – study of animals