Life Sciences

• The independent variable is the one that the researcher intentionally changes or controls. The dependent variable is the factor that the research measures.
• Unicellular


  An organism consisting of only one cell
• Multicellular


  An organism made up of many cells
• Biodiversity


  The variety of organisms found in an area or on Earth
• Virus


  Acellular, obligate parasite that requires a host to reproduce
• Key virus terminology


  • Capsid
  • Acellular
  • Obligate
  • Parasite
  • Host
  • Pathogenic
  • Bacteriophage
  • Nucleoid
• Bacteria


  Prokaryotic organisms found everywhere on Earth, some are pathogenic while most are useful
• Key bacteria terminology


  • Prokaryotic
  • Eukaryotic
  • Flagellum
  • Autotrophic
  • Heterotrophic
  • Saprophytic
  • Binary fission
  • Endospore
  • Plasmid
• Protista


  Aquatic organisms including phytoplankton and zooplankton, some are sessile
• Key protista terminology


  • Aquatic
  • Phytoplankton
  • Zooplankton
  • Sessile
• Fungi


  Kingdom including moulds, yeasts, mildews, rusts, toadstools and mushrooms
• Key fungi terminology


  • Chitin
  • Hyphae
  • Mycelium
  • Multinucleate
  • Rhizoids
  • Budding
• Decomposers


  Organisms that break down dead plant and animal (organic) material, e.g. bacteria and fungi
• Saprophytes


  Organisms that live off dead organic matter
• Types of symbiotic relationships

  • Mutualism
  • Commensalism
  • Parasitism
  • Lichens
  • Ruminant
  • Mycorrhiza
• Key disease terminology


  • Pathogen
  • Vector
  • Host
  • Epidemic
  • Pandemic
• Key immunity terminology


  • Lymphocyte
  • Antigen
  • Antibody
  • Phagocytosis
  • Lysosome
  • Vaccine
  • Antibiotic
  • Insulin
• Key plant division terminology

  • Multicellular
  • Eukaryotic
  • Autotrophic
  • Phylogenetic diagram/cladogram
  • Thallus
  • Rhizoids
  • Gametophyte
  • Sporophyte
  • Sporangium
  • Zygote
  • Haploid
  • Diploid
• Key pteridophyte terminology


  • Frond
  • Rhizome
  • Adventitious roots
  • Sori
• Key angiosperm terminology


  • Fibrous/adventitious root system
  • Tap root system
  • Calyx
  • Corolla
  • Receptacle
  • Perianth
  • Stamen
  • Pistil
  • Fruit
• Key seed terminology


  • Radicle
  • Plumule
  • Monocotyledons
  • Dicotyledons
• Key animal terminology


  • Phylogenetic tree
  • Phylum
  • Taxonomist
• Key body plan features

  • Body symmetry and cephalisation
  • Tissue layers
  • Number of gut openings
  • Presence of a body cavity
• Cephalisation


  The presence of a definite head that contains sense organs in animals
• Sessile


  Organisms that are immobile and attached to one place for life
• Gut


  Portions of the alimentary canal
• Diploblastic


  Having two tissue layers
• Triploblastic


  Having three tissue layers
• Coelom


  A body cavity
• Hydrostatic


  Relating to the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium
• Photosynthesis


  A chemical process by which carbohydrates (glucose) is produced using radiant energy
• Chloroplast


  • Organelle in plants, site for photosynthesis
  • Contains chlorophyll, green pigment needed for photosynthesis
• Thylakoids


  • Part of the chloroplast that contains chlorophyll
  • Light dependent phase of photosynthesis takes place here
• Stroma


  • Liquid part of the chloroplast
  • Light independent phase of photosynthesis takes place here
• Photosynthesis


  1. Light dependent phase: light is required

  2. Light independent phase: no light is required
• Photolysis


  Splitting of water molecules into oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms
• Phosphorylation


  Formation of energy transporting molecules called ATP
• Calvin cycle


  Cyclical process during light independent phase of photosynthesis
• Glucose


  Carbohydrate formed during photosynthesis
• Starch


  Stored form of glucose in plants