NEASON
Unit 2 Vocabulary
1. Photosynthesis- the process by which some organisms use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to
produce sugar and oxygen
2. Chlorophyll- green pigment that captures the energy of sunlight
3. Stomata- tiny pores that allow carbon dioxide to enter the leaf; stoma is the singular form of stomata
4. Guard cells- surround the stoma; open and close the stomata
5. Transpiration- the loss of water from plant leaves through openings called stomata
6. Chloroplast- organelles where the chlorophyll is found
7. Glucose- sugar made by plants during photosynthesis
8. Carbon dioxide- gas taken in by the plant that will combine with hydrogen to produce glucose
9. Radiant energy- energy from the sun; converted to chemical energy during photosynthesis
10. Chemical energy- a form of potential energy that is released during a chemical reaction.
11. Light energy- radiant energy from the Sun that is needed by plants in photosynthesis
12. Oxygen- gas that is produced during photosynthesis and given off by the plant
13. Biomass-total mass of living organisms in a given area
14. Trophic level-the position that an organism occupies in a food chain
15. Producer-an organism that makes its own food through the process of photosynthesis
16. Consumer-an organism that must eat other organisms to get the energy it needs to survive
17. Decomposer-an organism that breaks down dead organisms in order to get the energy they need to
survive
18. Cellular Respiration- the process of producing ATP in the cell from oxygen and glucose; releases carbon
dioxide and water
19. Mutualism-a relationship between two organisms of different species in which both organisms benefit
20. Commensalism- a relationship between two organisms of different species in which one organism
benefits and the other is unaffected
21. Parasitism - a relationship between two organisms of different species in which one organism benefits
and the other is harmed; predator/prey relationship