Bio WGU study for OA c190
Adaptation- - ANS-The adjustment or changes in behavior, physiology, and structure of
an organism to become more suited to an environment.
Aerobic- - ANS-A process that requires oxygen.
Allele -An alternative form of a gene. An example would be genes that encode eye
color—some encode blue eyes (one allele), while others encode brown, green, or hazel
eye colors (other alleles). - ANS-
amino acids - - ANS-A small organic molecule with the structure of an amino group, a
carboxylic acid group, and an "R" group, which are all bonded to a single central carbon
atom. The difference between the "R" group is what distinguishes one amino acid from
another. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
Anaerobic- - ANS-A process that occurs without oxygen.
Anaphase- - ANS-A stage within the mitosis phase of cell division (also known as cell
reproduction). Anaphase starts when sister chromatids separate from each other and
ends when each set of separated, sister chromatids arrives at the opposite poles of the
cell.
anaphase I- - ANS-The third stage of Meiosis I—the two homologous chromosomes
separate and migrate toward opposite poles.
anaphase II- - ANS-The third stage in Meiosis II—the centromeres separate and the
sister chromatids (now individual chromosomes) move toward the opposite poles of the
cell.
artificial selection- - ANS-Deliberate mating between two individuals who were selected
based on desired traits.
asexual reproduction - - ANS-A type of reproduction where genetically identical
offspring are created from a single parent. This type of reproduction does not utilize
meiosis or gametes. Bacteria
and fungi are examples of organisms that reproduce in this manner. - ANS-
,Atom- - ANS-The basic unit of matter that cannot be further broken down without losing
its unique properties. One atom consists of a dense nucleus surrounded by a cloud of
electrons.
Autosomal- - ANS-Describes a trait associated with alleles located on autosomes (non
sex chromosomes).
autosomal chromosome- - ANS-A chromosome not involved in sex determination.
biogeochemical cycle- - ANS-The processes that transfer chemical elements between
biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem. There are several main cycles: the
water cycle, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the phosphorus cycle.
Biome- - ANS-A large naturally occurring community of plants and animals occupying a
major habitat. Examples include tropical forest and arctic tundra.
Biomes- - ANS-A pattern of distribution of ecosystems across the globe, where similar
environmental conditions lead to similar animal and plant adaptations. Examples of
biomes include tropical rainforests, deserts, and tundra.
biosphere- - ANS-All areas on, within, and around the planet Earth that are capable of
supporting life.
Calvin cycle (Calvin-Ben - ANS-son cycle or light-independent reaction)- The set of
chemical reactions that take place in chloroplasts during photosynthesis. The cycle is
light-independent because it takes place after the energy has been captured from
sunlight. Also called Calvin-Benson Cycle, Benson-Calvin Cycle.
Carbohydrates- - ANS-The extracellular surface of the cell membrane is decorated with
carbohydrate groups attached to lipids and proteins. These short carbohydrates play a
role in giving a cell its identity (i.e., distinguishing self from non-self) and are the
distinguishing factor in human blood types.
carbon cycle- - ANS-The biogeochemical cycle through which carbon flows between the
atmosphere, water, land, and ecosystems.
cell cycle- - ANS-A series of phases in the life of the cell through which it grows and
divides.
,cell wall- - ANS-Protective and reinforcing structure found in certain cells, situated
outside the plasma membrane. Bacterial cell walls are mainly built of peptidoglycan,
although they may also contain lipidic molecules. Among eukaryotes, plants and fungi
possess cell walls, made of cellulose and chitin, respectively.
cellular respiration- - ANS-Use of oxygen to release energy from nutrients; also called
aerobic respiration.
Centromere- - ANS-A specific section of a chromosome where spindle fibers attach
during cell division; also the connection point of sister chromatids.
Chlorophyll- - ANS-A plant pigment used to absorb light energy for photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll gives plants their green color because it absorbs red and blue light
particularly well, while reflecting green.
Chloroplast- - ANS-An organelle found in plants and photosynthetic protists
(single-celled eukaryotic organisms) that contain pigments such as chlorophyl. Its
primary function is to capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy through
the process of photosynthesis. Chloroplast absorbs sunlight energy and uses the
energy to power the synthesis of organic food molecules (sugars). A chloroplast
contains its own DNA as a single circular chromosome.
Sister Chromatid - - ANS-One of two identical copies of a chromosome duplicated
during the S phase of the cell cycle. A centromere connects two sister chromatids
together. When joined together, sister chromatids compose one chromosome.
Chromatids are separated from each other during mitosis or meiosis II.
Citric acid cycle- - ANS-The 2nd stage of aerobic cellular respiration that occurs when
acetyl CoA combines with a four-carbon molecule and goes through a cycle of
reactions, ultimately producing ATP, NADH, FADH2, and CO2.
climate change- - ANS-It is the full range of climatic disruptions that have occurred as a
probable result of human alteration of the atmosphere. In other words, it is recent
climate warming—and weirdness—that is probably caused by human activities and
technology use.
Codominance- - ANS-A form of dominance where both alleles of a gene pair in a
heterozygote are fully expressed. This results in offspring with a phenotype that is
neither dominant nor recessive. A typical example showing codominance is the ABO
blood group system.
, Codons- - ANS-A sequence of three nucleotides in an mRNA molecule that specifies
which amino acid should be added to a growing polypeptide chain.
Commensalism- - ANS-A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the
other does not, but also is not harmed.
Competition- - ANS-A type of interspecific interaction where both species are harmed.
complementary base pairing- - ANS-Describes the hydrogen bonding that occurs
between specific nucleotides on opposing strands of DNA or RNA. In DNA, adenine is
paired with thymine, and guanine is paired with cytosine. When RNA is made from
DNA, adenine is paired with uracil, and guanine is paired with cytosine.
Consumers- - ANS-An organism that must eat or absorb complex food molecules
derived from the bodies of other organisms. Consumers get their energy and nutrients
from such food molecules. Humans and other animals are consumers, as are fungi and
most bacteria.
covalent bonds- - ANS-Covalent bonds represent the sharing of the electrons
(negatively charged subatomic particles between atoms). The number of covalent
bonds that can form is dictated by the number of unpaired electrons in the outer valence
shell of the atom.
Cytoplasm- - ANS-The substance that fills the inside contents of a cell between the
plasma membrane and the nucleus. Contains a semifluid medium, composed mainly of
water, and organelles (organelles are present only if it is a eukaryotic cell).
Cytoskeleton- - ANS-A eukaryotic cell structure formed by a series of protein filaments.
The cytoskeleton is a scaffold for the cell structure and a framework for many cellular
activities, including movement and cell division.
Decomposer- - ANS-Bacteria and fungi that colonize dead material and absorb food
molecules from it.
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)- - ANS-A nucleic acid polymer that contains the genetic
instructions for all living organisms. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that
are intertwined in a double helix.