Vocabulary Chapter 7
Energy: Ability to do work or cause change
Photosynthesis: A series of reactions where plants, algae and some bacteria
absorb sunlight to make food and store energy.
Enzymes: Protein made by an organism that is used as a catalyst in specific
biochemical reactions.
Catalyze: To speed up a reaction.
Cellular respiration: A series of reactions where a living cell breaks down
carbohydrates or other organic compounds to release energy.
Chemical energy: Energy stored in a chemical bond
Chemical equation: Mathematical model for a chemical reaction
Reactant: The substance that goes into a reaction
Product: The substance that comes out of a chemical reaction
Endothermic reaction: A reaction that absorbs energy.
Exothermic reaction: A reaction that releases energy.
Aerobic respiration: Cellular respiration that requires oxygen
Anaerobic respiration: Cellular respiration that does not require oxygen.
Producer: Organism that makes its own food
Consumer: Organism that eats other organisms
Herbivore: Animal that eats plants.
Omnivore: Animal that eats plants and animals.
Carnivore: Animal that eats other animals.
Heterotroph: Organism that obtains energy from other organisms-living or
dead. (Animals, fungi and bacteria)
Autotroph: Organism that obtain energy and matter from non-living things
like the sun, air. (Plants, algae and some bacteria)
Metabolism: A term for all collective chemical activities and changes that
take place in a cell or organism.
Biosynthesis: A synthesis reaction where smaller molecules are built into
larger more complex ones.
Digestion: A decomposition reaction where larger, more complex molecules
are broken down into more simple molecules.
Carbon….its what’s for dinner!