Biology Chapter Overview

The organ that pumps blood throughout the body.

Blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart from the body.

The process by which the digestive and circulatory systems work together to deliver nutrients and remove waste.

The process of breaking down food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the body.

A substance found in food that provides nourishment and energy for the body.

A state of poor health caused by a lack of essential nutrients in the diet.

Essential nutrients that the body cannot produce itself and must be obtained from food.

The process by which organisms obtain and utilize energy from their environment. This includes processes like photosynthesis in plants and cellular respiration in animals.

The creation of new cells or organisms to ensure the continuation of a species.

The process of building and repairing body parts using nutrients and energy.

The intricate chemical reactions that occur within an organism to sustain life. This includes breaking down food for energy, building new molecules, and removing waste products.

The process of making new substances or molecules within an organism, often using energy and raw materials from the environment.

The ability of organisms to adjust their structure, behavior, or physiology to survive and thrive in their specific environment.

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. This occurs in chloroplasts and requires carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight.

The breakdown of glucose in the presence of oxygen to release chemical energy for cellular activities. This occurs in mitochondria and produces carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.

The effect of a pesticide’s toxicity increasing in organisms as you move up a food chain.

The buildup of nutrients in an aquatic ecosystem, often caused by excess nitrates from fertilizers.

The process of heat being trapped in the Earth's atmosphere by gases like carbon dioxide, leading to a warming effect.

The theory that the Earth's average temperature is increasing over time due to the buildup of greenhouse gases caused by human activities.

The ability of pests to develop resistance to pesticides over time, making the pesticides ineffective.

The body's primary energy source. It is essential for various bodily functions and is mainly obtained from carbohydrates.

Proteins are essential for building and repairing tissues, regulating chemical processes within the body, and providing energy when carbohydrates or fats are insufficient.

Fats serve as an energy reserve when carbohydrate levels are low. They also help with various bodily functions.

Vitamins are essential for various bodily functions. They are categorized based on their solubility in either fat or water.

Minerals are vital for various life functions and are obtained from a variety of foods.

Water is essential for all bodily functions and plays a critical role in maintaining fluid balance.

A diet that includes a wide range of foods is the best way to ensure adequate intake of all essential nutrients.

The Canadian Food Guide provides recommendations on the recommended number of servings from each food group to ensure a balanced diet.

Only about 10% of the total energy originally consumed at each level is available to the organism that eats it in the next level. The other 90% is lost as heat to unusable forms of energy. This explains why ecosystems have fewer organisms at higher trophic levels.

The continuous cycling of matter in an ecosystem. All matter is recycled naturally, and no new matter enters the system. This ensures that the elements necessary for life remain in circulation.

This process involves the evaporation of water from bodies of water and organisms, condensation into clouds, and precipitation back to the earth. It maintains freshwater environments and supports life on land.

This cycle involves the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen during photosynthesis (by plants) and cellular respiration (by organisms). Decomposers contribute by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

This cycle involves the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms by bacteria and lightning. Nitrogen is essential for plant growth and eventually recycled by decomposers.

A biological community made up of all living things in a specific area.

A system that includes all living organisms (biotic) and non-living factors (abiotic) in a specific area.

The non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, sunlight, water, and soil. They influence the types of organisms that can survive in a given environment.

A type of refrigerant used in refrigerators that was discovered to harm the ozone layer, which protects us from the harmful UV rays of the sun.