Nature of Life Unit Vocabulary
Name: ____________________________
Per: ______
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Term
Definition
1.
Autotroph
A cell or organism which produces nutrients (glucose) through the
process of photosynthesis.
2.
Heterotroph
A cell or organism which cannot produce nutrients and must
obtain nutrients from another source.
3.
Producer
A cell or organism which produces nutrients (glucose) through the
process of photosynthesis. Producers serve as a source of
nutrients for other organisms which consume them.
4.
Consumer
A cell or organism which cannot produce nutrients and must
obtain nutrients from another source.
5.
Microorganism
(Microbe)
Microscopic organism.
6.
Prokaryotic
Cell
(Prokaryote)
A single-celled organism which does not contain a nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles.
7.
Unicellular
Organism consisting (made up) of a single cell.
8.
Multicellular
Organism consisting (made up) of more than one cell.
Monera
Kingdom of prokaryotes which lack a nucleus or other membranebound organelles. Also called Bacteria. Monera are either
Archaebacteria or Eubacteria.
9.
10. Bacteria
11. Virus
12. Fungi (Fungus)
13. Protista
Prokaryotes which lack a nucleus or other membrane-bound
organelles. Bacteria are either Archaebacteria or Eubacteria.
An infectious agent which can only replicate (copy) itself inside a
living cell. A virus is not alive and must invade a living cell to keep
itself alive and to replicate itself.
Kingdom of organisms which includes mushrooms, yeast, and
molds. Fungi obtain energy by decomposing other organisms.
(singular = fungus)
Kingdom of simple eukaryotic microorganisms. A protist is any
eukaryotic organism that is not a plant, animal or fungus. Most
protists are unicellular.
14. Community
Groups of two or more different types of organisms living together
within the same area where they may interact with each other.
15. Pathogen
An organism which causes disease in other organisms. The term
pathogen most is commonly used to refer to infectious organisms.
Nature of Life Unit Vocabulary
Food
Preservation
Food preservation refers to any one of a number of techniques
used to prevent food from spoiling,
17. Dehydration
Process of preserving food by removing any water or moisture
from the food through evaporation.
18. Salting
Process of preserving food by using salt to draw out moisture and
create an environment unwelcoming to bacteria.
19. Pickling
Process of preserving food by soaking the food in brine (a solution
of salt water) to produce acid; or soaking and storing food in an
acid solution, usually vinegar.
20. Irradiation
The process of preserving food by exposing it to radiation to
destroy microorganisms, viruses, or insects that might be present.
21. Pasteurization
Process of preserving food or liquid by heating it to a high
temperature for a short time to kill pathogenic bacteria.
Pasteurized foods must be refrigerated to prevent activation of
bacteria.
22. Canning
Process of preserving food in which food is heated to a high
temperature to kill microbes and sealed in a sterile container.
16.
23.
Refrigeration/
Freezing
24. Fermentation
25.
Chemical
Preservatives
Process of preserving food in which the food is cooled below the
“danger zone” (40ºF). Refrigeration slows microbe activity, while
freezing stops/prevents microbe activity.
Process of preserving food by allowing helpful microbes to
change (ferment) the food. This produces alcohol or acid in the
food. The alcohol or acid kills microbes or prevents their growth.
Process of preserving food by adding chemicals which kill or slow
down the activity of microbes. Chemical preservatives include
benzoates, sulfites, and nitrites.