Biology key terms

A relationship in which one factor contributes directly to an effect through a biological mechanism.

A relationship in which a change in one factor produces or contributes to a change in an outcome.

The basic building block of a living organism; cells carry out the processes needed for life.

The part of a neurone containing the nucleus and most of the cell's organelles.

The growth of cells under controlled conditions outside the body.

The ordered series of stages through which a cell grows, copies its DNA and divides to form two cells.

The process by which an unspecialised cell becomes a specialised cell with structures suited to a particular function.

The production of new cells from an existing parent cell.

An increase in the length of an existing plant cell, usually as water enters and enlarges its vacuole.

A thin boundary surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell.

Liquid inside plant cells containing dissolved substances; in phloem, sap containing dissolved sugars passes between cells through pores in their end walls.

A process in cells that releases energy from organic compounds for life processes.

A carbohydrate used to make strong plant cell walls.

A rigid layer outside the cell membrane; it surrounds the cell membrane in bacterial cells.

The brain and spinal cord, which receive information and coordinate responses.

The brain and spinal cord, which process information and coordinate responses.

The region at the back of the brain that coordinates muscle movement and helps maintain balance.

The highly folded outer layer of the cerebrum, involved in conscious thought, memory, language and intelligence.

The two large, folded halves at the top and front of the brain that control conscious thought, memory, language, sensory awareness and voluntary movement.

The large, upper part of the brain responsible for higher-order processes including conscious thought, intelligence, memory and personality.

A non-communicable disease in which cells of the cervix grow and divide uncontrollably.

The difference between the initial and final values of a measured quantity, taken in the appropriate direction; for example, substrate used is initial amount minus final amount.

The final mass minus the initial mass; it is positive for a gain and negative for a loss.

The difference between two rates of decay, showing how much faster or slower decay has become.

A feature of an organism, such as disease resistance, milk yield or temperament.

A substance that helps protect the body by killing or breaking down pathogens.

Energy associated with the arrangement of particles in a substance or reacting system, which can be transferred during a chemical reaction.