PANDEMIC: A worldwide outbreak of an infectious disease. Examples include Bubonic Plague, 1918 Spanish Flu, and HIV/AIDS.
PARASITE: An organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and takes nutrients from it. Examples include tape worms and hook worms.
PARASITISM: A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits and the other is harmed.
PASSIVE TRANSPORT: A form of transport that moves substances from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration. This form of transport DOES NOT requires energy (ATP). We can also say that passive transport move substances with the concentration gradient. Passive transport is like trying to swim with the current, rolling a ball downhill, or sliding down a slide.
There are three forms of passive transport: 1) osmosis 2) diffusion 3) facilitated diffusion
There are three forms of passive transport: 1) osmosis 2) diffusion 3) facilitated diffusion
PATHOGEN: Anything that can cause sickness. Examples: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists that cause disease
PEDIGREE: Graphic representation of genetic inheritance to map traits. It looks like a family tree!
PEPSIN: An enzyme found in the stomach that speeds up the digestion of proteins in food. It is most effective in acidic environments.
PERIOD: (Geology) A unit of geologic time that divides up each era. An example of a period is the Quaternary Period.
PERIOD: (Chemistry) A horizontal row on the periodic table.
PERMEABLE: Allows something (such as water) to pass through
pH: A measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale goes from 0 - 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic.
PHENOTYPE: The physical appearance of a trait, like if eyes are brown or blue. You can determine a organism's phenotype by looking at them!
PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU): A recessive genetic disorder that causes a buildup of phenylalanine in the brain.
PHOSPHATES: A form of phosphorous that can be found in water. They can be introduced into the water supply through sewage and fertilizers. Excess (too many) phosphates can cause eutrophication.
PHOSPHOLIPID: A component (part) of the cell membrane. It has a polar phosphate head, and non-polar fatty acid tails.
PHOSPHOLIPID BILAYER: See cell membrane
PHOTOSYNTHESIS: A process of using light energy (sunlight) to make food (sugars) in chloroplast.
The chemical formula is: CO2 + LIGHT + H20 --> C6H12O6 + O2
(carbon dioxide) (sunlight) (water) (glucose) (oxygen)
The chemical formula is: CO2 + LIGHT + H20 --> C6H12O6 + O2
(carbon dioxide) (sunlight) (water) (glucose) (oxygen)
PHYLOGENY: The evolutionary history of a species.
PHYLUM: The taxonomic grouping of similar classes.
PHYSICAL PROPERTY: A characteristic that can be observed without changing the identify of a substance. For example, melting point, boiling point, density, conductivity, malleability, luster, etc.
PHYSICAL CHANGE: A change that does not change the identify of a substance. For example, melting, boiling, freezing, or dissolving.
PIGMENT: Molecules that can absorb specific wavelengths of light. Examples: chlorophyll and melanin
PIONEER SPECIES: The very first species that colonize barren land during succession.
PLANTS: One of the six kingdoms of life. Plants are autotrophic (photosynthetic) , mutlicellular eukaryotes.
PLASMA MEMBRANE: See cell membrane
PLATE TECTONICS THEORY: A scientific theory that states that the earth's crust is divided into pieces (plates) that are floating on top of the mantle. Convection currents in the mantle cause the plates to move and collide with one another. Deep ocean trenches, mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes are all a result of plate movement.
POLARITY (POLAR): When electrons are not shared equally between two atoms, some atoms have a slight positive charge and some atoms have a slight negative charge.
POLYMER: A large molecule made up of many monomers.
POPULATION: A group of organisms all of the same species that can interbreed and live in the same place at the same time.
PREDATOR: An organism that eats another organism.
PREY: An organism that is eaten by another organism.
PRIMARY SUCCESSION: The colonization of barren land by a pioneer species.
PRODUCER: See autotroph
PRODUCT: What you get from a chemical reaction
PROKARYOTE: A type of cell. These cells are simple and small, and have non membrane-bound organelles, like a nucleus. They are unicellular, and are only found in bacteria. "PRO-NO!"
PROPHASE: The first phase of mitosis, where DNA condenses into chromosomes and the nuclear envelope disappears.
PROTEIN: A macromolecule (polymer) that is composed of amino acids (monomer). Proteins can serve as catalysts (enzymes) or provide support and structure for tissues and organs.
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: The process of making proteins at the ribosome using mRNA and tRNA.
DNA --> mRNA --> PROTEIN
Protein synthesis is composed of two steps: 1) Transcription 2) Translation
DNA --> mRNA --> PROTEIN
Protein synthesis is composed of two steps: 1) Transcription 2) Translation
PROTIST (PROTISTA): One of the six kingdoms of life. Protists are unicellular eukaryotes. Some are autotrophic like algae. Some are heterotrophic like amoebas.
PROTON: The positively charged part(s) of an atom located in the middle of the atom.
PSEUDOPODIA: In protozoans (amoebas), cytoplasm-containing extensions of the plasma membrane that aid in locomotion and feeding.