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GLOSSARY FOR KS345 A Alkali Metals Group 1 of the periodic table. Atomic Mass Relative Atomic Mass: The mass of one atom of an element compared with onetwelfth of the mass of one atom of carbon-12. Atomic Number The number of protons (and therefore electrons) in an atom. Atom A single unit of an element. Acid A substance with a pH of less than 7. Abdomen The posterior of the three body regions of an adult insect. Antennae In arthropods, paired feelers used for sensing. Allele One of 2 or more forms of a gene. Adaptation When organisms change to suit their environment. Amphibian Four-legged creatures that live on land and in water. Anaerobic Without oxygen. Aerobic With oxygen. Arachnid A class of eight-legged arthropods. Anthropod Organisms with jointed feet, exoskeletons, and segmented bodies. B Block The periodic table is split up into four blocks: s, d, p and f, based on the element's characteristic orbital. Base A substance with a pH of more than 7. Bacteria Single celled Prokaryote organisms and have a wide range of shapes. Bunsen Burner A heat source used in laboratories, comprising a gas flame. Bulb The part of a plant that stores energy. Bee Insect of the Apoidea family, which pollinate flowers and make honey. Butterfly An insect of the order Lepidoptera, with four parts to its lifecycle. Bird Warm-blooded egg laying vertebrate. Breed A group of domestic animals or plants that distinguish it from others of the same species. Bread A staple food, made by baking a dough of flour, water and additional ingredients (e.g. yeast and salt). Beekeeper A person who keeps bees. Bumblebee A group of social bees. A large bee of the genus Bombus. Bulb Part of a plant that stores energy during dormant periods. C Carbon Dioxide A gas found in air used in photosynthesis and breathed out by animals. Chlorophyll The chemical in plants responsible for absorbing sunlight. Chloroplasts Small organelles in the cells of plants containing chlorophyll. Caterpillar The larval form of a moth. Cocoon Protective cases of fibrous material spun by insect larvae for the pupal stage. Compound Eye An eye consisting of repeated units, each acting as a visual receptor. Compost Decomposed organic matter which is used as fertiliser and soil amendment. Cockroach A beetle of the order Blattaria. Cells The basic structure of all organisms. A membrane bound structure, containing biomolecules. Chromosomes A structure within the cell that carries genetic information. Code A programming pattern found in living organisms' DNA. Carnivore An organism that gets its energy from eating animal tissue. Competition When organisms in or between the same species compete for the same resources. Consumer An organism that can't make its own food supply. Classification A way of distinguishing between organisms. Conifer A cone-bearing woody plant. Crustacean Shelled organisms that are relatives of insects. Carpel The female reproductive organ of plants, typically contains one or more ovules. D DNA The molecule that contains the genetic code in all organisms. Double Helix Strands of DNA held together by bases to form a ladder pattern. Diploid A cell with two sets of chromosomes - 46 in humans, one set from the father and one set from the mother. Disease An abnormal condition of an organism which interrupts the normal bodily functions. E Electron A negatively charged particle. Electrons orbit the atomic nucleus in energy levels. Element A substance which cannot be broken down into any simpler substance by chemical means. Element Pure chemical substance made from one atom type. Explosion A violent release of energy caused by a reaction. Exoskeleton An external shell on an invertebrate. Egg Female reproductive body, containing the ovum and albumen. Egg case may be a shell. Ethanol A simple alcohol Extinction When a species ceases to exist F Flower The part of a plant which produces seeds. Fruit The plant structure that contains seeds. Fertiliser A mixture that is added to soil to help the growth of plants. Food Chain Linear sequence in which organisms feed on one another. Food Web A map of the feeding connections in a habitat/ecological community. Feathers Forms the plumage of a bird. Fish An aquatic vertebrate. Fungi An organism that breaks down dead material. Kingdom Fungi, seperate from plants, animals and bacteria. Flowers The seed bearing part of a plant, consisting of reproductive organs, petals and calyx. G Gene A length of DNA which codes for a single protein. Green The colour of grass and tree leaves! Group The elements in a column of the periodic table. Gas A substance of neither fixed volume nor fixed shape e.g. Steam. Germinate Growth of an embryonic plant contained in a seed. Results in a seedling. Glucose A common sugar with 6 Carbons, 12 Hydrogens and 6 Oxygen atoms. H Habitat An area inhabited by a particular species of organisms. Herbivore Organism that gets its energy from eating plant material. Head The part of a bee with the eyes and antennae. Hive A place where a group of bees live. Honey A sweet substance made from nectar by bees. Haploid A cell with only half the number of chromosomes (23 in humans) e.g. one set from the mother. Hair Roots have hairs which collect water and nutrients. Halogens Group 7 of the periodic table. I Insect A class within arthropods that have a chitinaus exoskeleton, three body segments, compound eyes, six legs and two antennae. Inverterbrate An organism with no backbone. J K L Locus The position of an allele within the chromosome. Ladybird Brightly coloured beetle of the family Coccinerllidae. Leaf The organ of a plant specialising in photosynthesis. Liquid A substance of fixed volume but not of fixed shape e.g. Water. Lifecycle For example, the stages that an insect goes through in its life. M Molecules A group of two or more atoms bonded together. In biology, also refers to proteins, carbohydrates etc. Membrane The lipid bilayer surrounding a cell. Mollusc A phylum (subset) of invertebrates. Mushroom The fruiting body of a fungus. Mosquito A small insect of the family Culicidae whose mouthparts are adapted for piercing skin. Moth Of the order Lepidoptera. Nocturnal insect with feathery antennae. Mendeleev Dmitri Mendeleev is generally noted as the creator of the modern periodic table. His theory was to leave room for elements not yet discovered. Microscope An instrument used to look closely at small items. N Nectar A sweet liquid made by flowers. Nutrients Chemical substances essential to the growth and health of organisms. Nitrogen The most abundant gas in air, essential in fertilisers. Neutron A neutral (uncharged) particle in the atomic nucleus. It's mass is approximately 1 atomic unit. Noble Gases Group 8 (or 0) of the periodic table, low reactivity. O Omnivore An organism that eats both plants and animals. Oxygen The gas essential to animal life made by plants and produced by plants in photosynthesis. Orbital The region in an atom where an electron is most likely to be found. Organism A living thing. P Pollen Sac A pouch on a bee that holds pollen. Pollination The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma in plants, enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Proboscis The long tongue-like organ of an insect. Plant An organism which doesn't move, and produces its own food supply. Belongs to kingdom Plantae. Predator An organism that eats other organisms. Protein A linear polymer built from small amino acids. Prey An organism which is eaten by a predator. Pupa The non-feeding stage between larvae and adult in the metamorphosis insects. Pollen Powdery grains that contain the male reproductive cells of plants. Palisade Large cells found in leaves containing chloroplasts. Phloem The tube in a plant which carries sugar and nutrients. Phosphorous An element which is essential to photosynthesis. Photosynthesis The process by which plants convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. Potassium A metal element which is essential in fertilisers. Petal Brightly coloured modified leaves, used to attract pollinators. Pollinator A biotic agent, e.g. a bee that carried pollen from the anthers to the stigmas. Periodic Table A table arranging every element in order of atomic number. Period A horizontal row of the periodic table. Proton A positively charged particle in the atomic nucleus. It's mass is approximately 1 atomic unit. Pest General term for organisms which may cause illness or damage materials those are important to humans, e.g. locusts eating crops. Q R Reptile Scaly, cold-blooded vertebrates. Royal Jelly A honey bee secretion used to feed larvae and queen bees. Root The organ of a plant that takes in water and nutrients from the soil or air. Reaction When one or more substances are transformed into others. S Species A group of organisms able to interbreed. Sting A defence mechanism in bees. Snail Mollusc of the class Gastropoda with a spiral shell and retractile foot, with a distinct head. Spider An invertebrate with eight legs and two body segements of the order Araneae. Slug A snail-like invertebrate, of the class Gastropoda, with one foot and no shell. Seed The part of a plant that can grow into a new plant. Seedling Young plant that develops out of a plant embryo from a seed. Shoot A small stem. Soil A combination of minerals and organic matter. Composed of broken rock altered by chemical and environmental processes. Spore The way that fungi and some plants reproduce. Stamen The male reproductive organ, that produces pollen in plants. Stem The above ground structure in a plant that supports leaves and flowers. Has vascular tissue. Stigma In flowers, part of the female reproductive organs that take in pollen. Sunlight The total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun. Salt Produced with water when an acid reacts with a base. Solid A substance of definite shape and volume e.g. Ice. Solution When a solid (solute) is dissolved in a liquid (solvent). Synthetic An element too unstable to occur naturally on Earth. T Temperature A measure of heat intensity within a substance. Thorax The part of the body between the head and abdomen. U V Vertebrate An organism with a backbone. Virus An infectious agent that is unable to grow or reproduce outside of a host cell. W Wasp Flying stinging insects related to bees and ants of the order Hymenoptera. Wings The organs on an insect designed to aid flight. Woodland An area of forest, which can be a habitat. Waggle Dance The dance by bees used to communicate what food they have found. X Xylem The tube in a plant which carries water and minerals. Y Yeast A micro-organism used in bread-making and alcoholic beverages. Z