IB Biology Vocabulary by Topic – Standard Level
Try and find definitions for the words listed below
Topic 1: Statistical Analysis
1. error bars
2. range (of data)
3. mean
4. standard deviation
5. values
6. sample
7. normally
distributed
8. t-test
9. significance
10. correlation
11. causation/ causal
relationship
12. variables
Topic 2 Cells
2.1 Cell Theory
1. cell theory
2. cell
3. unicellular
4. metabolism
5. nutrition
6. molecule
7. cell membrane
8. virus
9. bacteria
10. organelle
11. SI units
12. magnification
13. resolution
14. surface area to
volume ratio
15. multicellular
16. emergent
properties
17. differentiation
18. stem cells
2.2 Prokaryotic Cells
19. prokaryote
20. ultrastructure
21. Escherichia coli (E.
coli)
22. cell wall
23. plasma membrane
24. cytoplasm
25. pilli
26. flagella
27. ribosomes
28. nucleoid
29. naked DNA
30. electron
micrograph
31. binary fission
2.3 Eukaryotic cells
32. free ribosomes
33. rough endoplasmic
reticulum (ER
34. smooth endoplasmic
reticulum (ER)
35. lysosome
36. Golgi apparatus
37. mitochondrion
38. nucleus
39. nuclear envelope
40. cytoplasm
41. 70S ribosomes
42. 80S ribosomes
43. compartmentalization
44. animal cell vs. plant
cell
45. extracellular
components
46. cell wall
47. glycoproteins
48. extracellular matrix
2.4 Membranes
49. plasma membrane
50. phospholipid
bilayer
51. cholesterol
52. glycoproteins
53. integral proteins
54. peripheral proteins
55. hydrophobic
56. hydrophilic
57. phospholipid
58. membrane proteins
59. hormone binding
sites
60. immobilized
enzymes
61. cell adhesion
62. cell-to-cell
communication
63. channels for
passive transport
64. pumps for active
transport
65. passive transport
66. active transport
67. diffusion
68. osmosis
69. simple diffusion
70. facilitated diffusion
71. membrane fluidity
72. endocytosis
73. exocytosis
2.5 Cell Division
74. cell cycle
75. interphase
76. G1
77. S
78. G2
79. mitosis
80. cytokinesis
81. tumor
82. cancer
83. protein synthesis
84. DNA replication
85. Prophase
86. Metaphase
87. Anaphase
88. Telophase
89. supercoiling of
chromosomes
90. spindle
microtubules
91. centromeres
92. chromosomes
93. poles
94. nuclear
membranes
Topic 3: The Chemistry of Life
3.1 Chemical Elements and Water
1. element
2. carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen
3. sulfur, calcium,
phosphorus, iron,
sodium
4. polarity
5. hydrogen bond
6. thermal
7. cohesive
8. solvent
9. coolant
10. medium (for
metabolic
reactions/
transport)
11. element
3.2 Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins
12. organic
13. inorganic
14. amino acid
15. glucose
16. ribose
17. fatty acid
18. monosaccharide
19. disaccharide
20. polysaccharide
21. glucose
22. galactose
23. fructose
24. maltose
25. lactose
26. sucrose
27. starch
28. glycogen
29. cellulose
30. condensation/
dehydration
synthesis
31. hydrolysis
32. glycerol
33. triglycerides
34. polypeptides
35. lipid
36. carbohydrate
37. protein
38. nucleic acid
3.3 DNA Structure
39. DNA
40. nucleotide
41. deoxyribose
42. nitrogen base
43. phosphate
44. adenine
45. guanine
46. cytosine
47. thymine
48. covalent bond
49. complementary
50. hydrogen bond
51. double helix
3.4 DNA Replication
52. replication
53. helicase
54. DNA polymerase
55. semi-conservative
3.5 Transcription and Translation
56. RNA
57. transcription
58. RNA polymerase
59. genetic code
60. base triplets
61. translation
62. polypeptide
63. messenger RNA
(mRNA)
64. transfer RNA
(tRNA)
65. codon
66. anticodon
67. ribosome
68. amino acid
3.6 Enzymes
69. enzyme
70. active site
71. enzyme-substrate
specificity
72. pH
73. substrate
concentration
74. induced fit model
75. denaturation
76. lactase
3.7 Cell Respiration
77. cell respiration
78. ATP
79. glycolysis
80. pyruvate
81. anaerobic
82. lactate
83. ethanol
84. carbon dioxide
3.8 Photosynthesis
85. photosynthesis
86. energy
87. wavelengths
88. chlorophyll
89. pigment
90. absorption
91. photolysis
92. carbon fixation
93. biomass
Topic 4: Genetics
4.1 Chromosomes, genes, alleles and mutations
1. gene
2. allele
3. genome
4. heritable
5. gene mutation
6. base substitution
7. sickle-cell anemia
4.2 Meiosis
8. meiosis
9. reduction division
10. diploid
11. haploid
12. homologous
chromosome
13. crossing over
14. Stages of meiosis
a. Prophase I
b. Metaphase I
c. Anaphase I
d. Telophase I
e. Prophase II
f. Metaphase
II
g. Anaphase II
h. Telophase II
15. cytokinesis
16. non-disjunction
17. Down syndrome
(trisomy 21)
18. karyotype
19. chorionic villus
sampling
20. amniocentesis
21. pre-natal
4.3 Theoretical genetics
22. genotype
23. phenotype
24. allele
25. dominant allele
26. recessive allele
27. codominant alleles
28. locus
29. homozygous
30. heterozygous
31. carrier
32. test cross
33. monohybrid cross
34. Punnett square
35. multiple alleles
36. ABO blood groups
37. sex chromosomes
38. sex linkage
39. X-linked
40. colour blindness
41. hemophilia
42. pedigree
4.4 Genetic engineering and biotechnology
43. Polymerase chain
reaction (PCR)
44. gel electrophoresis
45. DNA profiling
46. electric field
47. paternity
48. forensics
49. Human Genome
Project
50. gene transfer
51. genetic engineering
52. host cell
53. restriction enzymes
(endonucleases)
54. DNA ligase
55. plasmid
56. recombinant
57. gene cloning
58. genetically
modified
59. clone
60. reproductive
cloning
61. therapeutic cloning
Topic 5: Ecology and evolution
5.1 Communities and ecosystems
1. species
2. habitat
3. population
4. community
5. ecosystem
6. ecology
7. autotroph
8. heterotroph
9. consumers
10. detritivores
11. saptrotrophs
12. food chain
13. food web
14. trophic level
15. energy flow
16. energy transformations
17. pyramids of energy
18. nutrients
19. decomposers
a. saprotrophic
bacteria
b. fungi
5.2 The greenhouse effect
20. carbon cycle
21. biosphere
22. photosynthesis
23. respiration
24. fossilization
25. combustion
26. carbon dioxide
27. methane
28. oxides of nitrogen
29. precautionary
principle
30. the greenhouse
effect
31. global warming
32. detritus
33. permafrost
5.3 Populations
34. population
35. natality
36. immigration
37. mortality
38. emigration
39. sigmoid (S-shaped)
population growth
curve
40. exponential growth
phase
41. transitional phase
42. plateau phase
5.4 Evolution
43. evolution
44. Charles Darwin
45. selection pressure
46. evidence
47. fossil record
48. selective breeding
49. homologous
structures
50. population
51. offspring
52. struggle for survival
53. variation
54. species
55. sexual
reproduction
56. natural selection
57. antibiotic
resistance
58. heritable variations
5.5 Classification
59. binomial
nomenclature
60. Carolus Linnaeus
61. hierarchy of taxa
62. kingdom
63. phylum
64. class
65. order
66. family
67. genus
68. species
69. bryophyta
70. filicinophyta
71. coniferophyta
72. angiospermophyta
73. porifera
74. cnidaria
75. platyhelminthes
76. annelida
77. mollusca
78. arthropoda
79. invertebrate
80. dichotomous key
Topic 6: Human health and physiology
6.1 Digestion
1. digestion
2. amylase
3. protease
4. lipase
5. mouth
6. oesophagus
7. stomach
8. small intestine
9. large intestine
(colon)
10. anus
11. liver
12. pancreas
13. gall bladder
14. absorption
15. assimilation
16. villus
6.2 The transport system
17. heart
18. atria
19. ventricles
20. blood vessels
21. valves
22. atrio-ventricular valves
23. semilunar valves
24. coronary arteries
25. myogenic muscle
contraction
26. pacemaker
27. medulla of the brain
28. epinephrine
29. arteries
30. capillaries
31. veins
32. plasma
33. erythrocytes
34. leucocytes
a. phagocytes
b. lymphocytes
35. platelets
36. urea
6.3 Defence against infectious disease
37. pathogen
38. virus
39. antibiotics
40. mucous
membranes
41. phagocytic
leucocytes
42. ingest
43. antigens
44. antibodies
45. HIV
46. immune system
6.4 Gas exchange
47. ventilation
48. gas exchange
49. cell respiration
50. trachea
51. lungs
52. bronchi
53. bronchioles
54. alveoli
55. capillaries
56. intercostal muscles
57. diaphragm
6.5 Nerves, hormones and homeostasis
58. central nervous
system (CNS)
59. peripheral nerves
60. sensory neurons
61. electrical impulses
62. motor neuron
63. dendrites
64. cell body
65. axon
66. myelin sheath
67. nodes of Ranvier
68. motor end plates
69. receptors
70. relay neurons
71. effectors
72. resting potential
73. action potential
74. depolarization
75. repolarization
76. sodium ions
77. potassium ions
78. synaptic
transmission
79. neurotransmitter
80. endocrine system
81. glands
82. hormones
83. homeostasis
84. negative feedback
85. hypothalamus
86. sweat glands
87. skin arterioles
88. shivering
89. glucagon
90. insulin
91. alpha cells
92. beta cells
93. type I diabetes
94. type II diabetes
6.6 Reproduction
95. menstrual cycle
96. FSH
97. LH
98. oestrogen
99. progesterone
100.
ovulation
101.
endometrium
102.
testosterone
103.
pre-natal
104. in vitro
fertilization
Option E: Neurobiology and Behaviour
E.1 Stimulus and Response
1. stimulus
2. response
3. reflex arc
4. pain withdrawal
reflex
5. white matter
6. grey matter
7. dorsal root
ganglion
8. ventral root
ganglion
9. instinct
10. fixed action
pattern
E.2 Perception of Stimuli
11. thermoreceptor
12. mechanoreceptor
13. chemoreceptor
14. photoreceptor
15. electroreceptor
16. sclera
17. cornea
18. conjunctiva
19. eyelid
20. choroid
21. aqueous humour
22. pupil
23. lens
24. iris
25. vitreous humour
26. retina
27. fovea
28. optic nerve
29. blind spot
30. rod cell
31. cone cell
32. bipolar neuron
33. stereoscopic vision
34. contralateral
processing
35. optical chiasm
36. occipital lobe
37. visual cortex
38. edge enhancement
39. receptive field
40. pinna
41. eardrum
42. bones of the middle
ear
43. oval window
44. round window
45. semicircular canals
46. auditory nerve
47. cochlea
E.3 Innate and Learned Behaviour
48. innate
49. learned
50. positive taxis
51. negative taxis
52. chemotaxis
53. thermotaxis
54. kinesis
55. orthokinesis
56. klinokinesis
57. non-associative
learning
58. associative
learning
59. habituation
60. sensitization
61. classical
conditioning
62. unconditioned
response
63. neutral stimulus
64. Pavlov’s Dog
65. operant
conditioning
66. Skinner box
67. positive
reinforcement
68. negative
reinforcement
69. imprinting
70. sensitive period
71. template song
E.4 Neurotransmitters and Synapses
72. presynaptic neuron
73. post synaptic neuron
74. excitatory
75. inhibitory
76. neurotransmitter
77. acetylcholine
78. dopamine
79. GABA
80. Depolarization
81. Hyperpolarization
82. axon hillock
83. temporal summation
84. spatial summation
85. psychoactive drug
86. addiction
87. reward centre
88. euphoria
89. genetic
predisposition
Option F: Microbes and Biotechnology
F.1 Diversity of Microbes
1. eubacteria
2. archaebacteria
3. prokaryota
4. chemosynthetic
autotroph
5. photosynthetic
autotroph
6. heterotroph
7. methanogenic
8. halophilic
9. thermoacidophilic
10. extremophile
11. bacillus
12. coccus
13. streptococcus
14. staphylococcus
15. vibrio
16. spirillum
17. polar flagellae
18. peritrichous flagellae
19. fimbriae
20. endospore
21. bacterial capsule
22. desiccation
23. virulence factor
24. Vibrio fischeri
25. Bioluminescence
26. Symbiont
27. quorum sensing
28. autoinducers
29. biofilm
30. bacterial aggregates
31. peptidoglycan
32. Gram positive
33. Gram negative
34. Virus
35. obligate parasite
36. virion
37. capsid
38. envelope
39. ligand
40. helical
41. polyhedral
42. enveloped
43. bacteriophage
44. retrovirus
45. reverse transcriptase
46. intron
47. cDNA
F.2 Microbes and the environment
48. nitrogen fixation
49. ammonification
50. nitrification
51. denitrification
52. nitrogen cycle
53. sewage
54. eutrophication
55. algal bloom
56. BOD
57. reed bed
58. biomass
59. acetogenesis
60. methanogenesis
61. nitrogen fixation
62. ammonification
63. nitrification
64. denitrification
65. BOD
66. reed bed
67. biomass
F.3 Microbes and biotechnology
68. SCID
69. gene therapy
70. vector
71. germ line
therapy
72. somatic cell
therapy
F.4: Microbes and food production
1. soy sauce
2. fermentation
3. fermenter
4. food
preservation
5. knead
6. dough
7. yeast
8. barley
9. hops
10. malting
11. wort
12. mash tun
73. soy sauce
74. fermentation
75. fermenter
76. food
preservation
77. knead
78. dough
79. yeast
80. barley
81. hops