Topic 1 Vocabulary
Active transport - the process by which cells use energy to transport molecules through
the cell membrane from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration
Amino acids – the building blocks of proteins
Cell - the basic units of structure and function in living things
Cell membrane - the thin boundary between the cell and its environment
Cell respiration - the process in which nutrients are broken apart, releasing the chemical
energy stored in them
Chloroplast the green organelle that contains chlorophyll; where photosynthesis takes
place
Circulation - when substances are carried throughout the body
Cytoplasm - the jellylike substance inside the cell; contains transport materials,
specialized structures, and a site for many chemical reactions
Digestion - large molecules are broken down into simpler molecules
Diffusion - the movement of molecules across a membrane from areas of high
concentration to areas of low concentration; no energy is required
Enzymes - proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in living things
Excretion - the removal of all the waste produced by the cells of the body
Homeostasis - the maintenance of internal stability
Hormone - chemicals produced in the endocrine glands; used for communication
Immunity - the ability to fight off diseases
Inorganic - molecules that do NOT contain BOTH carbon and hydrogen
Metabolism - all the chemical reactions that occur in an organism
Mitochondria - organelles that use enzymes to extract energy form nutrients in a process
call cellular respiration; where energy is made
Nucleus - controls the cells activities, where DNA is located in the cell
Organ - different tissues combined to perform one of the life processes
Organ system - several organs may work together to perform one of the life processes
Organelle - specialized structures found in cells that have specific life maintenance
functions
Organic - Molecules that contain BOTH carbon and hydrogen
Receptor molecule - proteins found in the cell membrane that receive chemical messages
Respiration - process that uses oxygen to break down food molecules (sugar) to release
energy
Reproduction - the process in which organisms produce new organisms of the same type
Ribosome - organelle where proteins are made
Simple sugars - the results of digested starches, small sugar molecules such as glucose
Synthesis - combining simple substances into complex substances, to make
Tissue - group of cells working together to perform a function
Vacuole - storage sacs found inside the cell