Life and Living Glossary

absorption: food molecules pass into the bloodstream
alimentary canal: the tube that runs from your mouth to your anus where food is digested, nutrients are absorbed and solid waste is egested
alveoli: clusters of tiny air sacs in the lung that together provide a very large surface area
antibiotic: a medicine that kills bacteria
anus: the opening at the lower alimentary canal through which waste is eliminated from the body
arteries: blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart
atrium: the upper left and right chambers of the heart
auditory: of or relating to the sense of hearing
balanced diet: a way of eating that includes adequate amounts of the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth and activity in their correct proportions
birth control: the limitation or control of the number of children that a couple or a woman want to conceive by the planned use of contraceptive techniques
bladder: the membranous, balloon-like sac in our bodies in which urine is collected for excretion
blood: the red liquid in the blood vessels of the body that transports nutrients and oxygen to cells and removes waste and carbon dioxide from the cells
blood pressure: the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system against the walls of the blood vessels
blood vessels: tube-like structures that carry blood to and from tissues and organs
bowing: bending
brain: the organ in the skull made of soft nervous tissue that coordinates activities, senses and intelligence
breathing: taking air into the body through the mouth, trachea, bronchi and lungs and releasing carbon dioxide-rich air from the lungs, trachea and mouth
brittle: hard but easily broken or shattered
bronchi: the two large air tubes going into each lung from the trachea
bronchioles: smaller, branched air passages in the lungs
capillary: the smallest branching blood vessels that that form a network between cells and join arteries to veins; diffusion between blood and cells occurs here
carbohydrates: nutrients from plants, such as sugar and starch, that serve as a major source of energy in animals' diets
carbon dioxide: a colourless, odourless gas that is released from the chemical breakdown of food during cellular respiration
cartilage: firm, whitish, flexible connective tissue found in joints, outer ear, larynx, nose and in rings around the trachea
cell: the structural and functional unit of all living organisms; the smallest living part of plants and animals
cell membrane: the selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell
cell wall: tough, usually flexible layer that surrounds a plant's cell membrane; supports and protects the plant cell
cellular respiration: process whereby organic substances (from food) combine with oxygen in order to release energy; carbon dioxide and water are by-products
cellulose: a special type of carbohydrate made up of many glucose molecules that that are packed very tightly together, so it doesn't dissolve in water; provides support in plants
cervix: the neck of the uterus
chemical digestion: breaking food into molecules that can dissolve in the blood and be transported to the cells using chemical agents (enzymes)
chloroplast: a cell organelle found in plants that contains chlorophyll and can therefore photosynthesise
cilia: small hair-like extensions in specialised cells in the lining of the nose and all breathing tubes that trap and remove dust and germs from the body
closed blood system: blood never leaves blood vessels
collagen: a strong, flexible protein in connective tissue that cannot stretch
conception: moment of fertilization when the male sperm and the female ovum fuse together and a new individual is formed
conduct: to carry impulses from one neuron the next
contraception: any method that prevents pregnancy
contract: to get smaller or shorter
contraction: the shortening (tensing) of a muscle; term used to refer to the forceful tensing of the uterus muscles during childbirth
cover slip: a small glass square which is placed over the specimen on a slide to view under a microscope
cytoplasm: the gel-like material found within a plant or animal cell that is enclosed by the cell membrane but excluding the cell nucleus
degenerative: a worsening in function over time
dehydration: when the body loses too much water
deoxygenate: to remove oxygen
deprived: not given enough of something
diaphragm: the dome-shaped muscle that separates the thorax from the abdomen; it plays a major role in breathing
diet: what a person (or an animal) regularly eats or drinks
differentiation: process by which a less specialised cell type becomes more structurally specialised to perform certain functions
diffuse: move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration through a permeable membrane
diffusion: the movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to a region of low concentration
digest: break into pieces that are small enough to dissolve in the bloodstream and be absorbed into the cytoplasm
digestion: breaking up food into small soluble parts that can be absorbed
dissolve: when a solid breaks down into smaller and smaller particles until it mixes completely with a liquid (goes into solution)
DNA: DeoxyriboNucleic Acid; molecule that stores information on how to make proteins and what characteristics the organism inherited from its parents
egestion: passing out solid, undigested waste
ejaculation/ ejaculate: the release of sperm from the penis
embryo: a very young, developing baby
emulsion: a mixture of two liquids that normally do not mix together, such as oil and water
enzymes: special proteins that help reactions to take place in the body of the organism
erection: the enlarged state or condition of tissues around the penis
eukaryote: an organism that has genetic material inside a nucleus
excrete: to remove metabolic waste products and carbon dioxide from the body
excretion: removing harmful wastes that were made in the body and need to be removed from the body
exhale: letting air rich in carbon dioxide out of the body through the mouth or nose, breathing out
Fallopian tube (oviduct): a tube extending from the ovary to the uterus to transport a mature ovum
faeces: the waste from your body formed from undigested food in the intestines and passed out through the anus
fats: a nutrient that is very high in energy and doesn't mix with water and is found in oils and greasy foods
fertilization: when a sperm fuses with an egg
fibre: the cell walls of plant material that we eat that cannot be digested by humans
flaccid: soft and hanging loosely
foreskin: a layer of skin that covers and protects the head of the penis
fracture: crack or break
frame structure: a structure made by connecting beams and columns
gamete cells: another name for 'sex cells' that fuse during fertilization
gaseous exchange: the process in the lungs when oxygen enters the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is removed; at cellular level when oxygen is removed from the bloodstream and enters the cells and carbon dioxide is removed from cells and enters the bloodstream
gastric: of or relating to the stomach
gestation (pregnancy): the period (9 months) of development in the uterus from conception to birth
glucose: a simple sugar molecule that is produced during photosynthesis and is the main source of energy for living organisms
haemoglobin: a red iron-rich protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood
heart: the organ responsible for pumping blood throughout the body
heart chamber: any of the four spaces of the mammalian heart
hereditary: characteristics that are transmitted from the parent to the offspring
hormone: the body's chemical messengers that travel in the bloodstream to tissues and organs to affect many different reactions in the body
implantation: the attachment of the fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus of the mother
impulse: an electrical signal travelling along a nerve cell
infection: when bacteria or viruses invade and multiply in the body's tissues and cells causing disease and illness
ingestion: taking food into the mouth and body
inhale: taking air rich in oxygen into the body through the mouth or nose, breathing in
inherited: genetic characteristics received from the parent
integrate: to make into a whole by bringing all the parts together; unify
iodine solution: a brownish-orangy liquid that is used as an antiseptic and dye; it changes colour in the presence of starch
jaundice: yellowing of the eyes and skins common in liver conditions
joint: the place where two or more bones meet
kidney: organ in the abdomen that filters the blood and produces urine
ligament: a short band of tough, flexible, fibrous connective tissue that connects two bones or cartilage, or holds together a joint
labour: the process or effort of childbirth; the time during which this takes place
locomotion: movement or the ability to move from one place to another
lungs: the organs used for breathing and gaseous exchange
medium: a solution in which cells or organelles are suspended and in which reactions take place
membrane: a thin flexible sheet or skin that acts as a boundary around a cell or cell organelle
menopause: the changes that occur in an an older female (around age 50) body when she is no longer able to reproduce
menstrual cycle: a recurring series of bodily changes in women that occurs roughly every 28 days in which the lining of the uterus thickens in preparation for the possible implantation of a fertilized egg; when that doesn't happen the lining of the uterus breaks down and is discharged as menstrual blood
metabolic: relating to the chemical processes and changes that happen within the cells of plants and animals
metabolic waste products: any unwanted substance produced by the various body processes
metabolize: any build-up or break-down process in the body
microscope: an optical instrument used for viewing very small objects not often visible to the naked eye
microscopic: so small that it can only be seen under a microscope
mineral salts: chemical elements in food needed for growth and development, like, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorous etc.
minerals: the elements (like iron, sulfur and clacium) that are essential to animals and plants
mitochondria: a cell organelle that uses oxygen and food molecules to release energy for the cell
mucus: a slimy substance secreted by the mucous membranes and glands (in the nose for instance) for lubrication and protection
multicellular organisms: organisms that have many cells
muscle: a type of tissue in the body that can contract to produce movement
nerve: a whitish bundle of neuron fibres that transmits impulses between the nerve centres in the brain and spinal cord and various parts of the body
network: a structure that interconnects many different parts
neuron: a specialized nerve cell that transmits nerve impulses
nuclear membrane: a double-layered membrane that separates the content of the nucleus from the cytoplasm
nucleolus: small dense round structure in the nucleus of a cell
nucleus: structure with a membrane around it that contains the cell's hereditary information and controls the cell's growth and reproduction
nutrients: components of food that provide the body with energy or supply the building blocks for growth and repair
oestrogen: the female sex hormone that causes the development of many of the female secondary sex characteristics
optic: of or relating to the eye or vision
organelle(s): specialised structures inside the cytoplasm of the cell that perform functions for the cell
organism: an individual animal, plant or single-celled life form
ovary: the organ that produces the female ova (egg cells), as well as the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone
ovulation: the process whereby a mature ovum or egg cell gets released from the ovaries
ovum: the female egg cell produced in the ovaries of a woman
oxygen: a colourless, odourless reactive gas is used in cell respiration of all organisms
oxygenate: to supply with oxygen
penis: one of the male sex organs
peristalsis: the wave-like contraction and relaxation of the walls of the alimentary canal that helps move food forward
pharynx: throat
population growth rate: growth of a population over time seen as the change in the number of individuals (of any species) in a population per unit of time
prokaryote: a type of organism that does not have a separate nucleus but has its hereditary material in the cytoplasm
protein: group of biological molecules that provide structure and enable chemical reactions
puberty: the time between childhood and adulthood when the sex organs mature with accompanying changes in the body that prepare the person's body for reproduction
pulse: the rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is pumped through them by the heart
red blood cells: specialised cells in the bloodstream that contain haemoglobin and therefore can carry oxygen
reproduction: any process by which organisms produce offspring
respiration: the chemical process in cells that releases energy from food molecules by using oxygen and forming carbon dioxide as a waste product
rupture: break or burst open
saliva: the watery substance in the mouth that covers chewed food, moistens the mouth
scrotum: the external sac of skin that encloses the testes in males
selectively permeable: a feature and a function of the cell membrane that allows it to regulate the substances that enter and leave the cell
self-propulsion: having the ability to move itself
semen: the fluid that is produced in the male reproductive organs, containing sperm and other chemicals suspended in a liquid medium
sexual intercourse: how the male sperm is introduced into a woman's body when the penis is placed inside the vagina
slide: a small glass plate on which we mount specimens to examine under a microscope
small intestine:the part of the alimentary canal between the stomach and large intestine where most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place
specialised: able to perform a particular function
species: the most basic biological classification of organisms; organisms that are capable of mating with one another to produce FERTILE offspring
specimen: a sample or small part of a larger organism that we want to examine or analyse; it can also mean an object or organism that was selected and presented as part of a collection or series
sperm: the male sex cell produced by the testes
sperm duct (vas deferens): the tube that connects the testes to the ejaculation duct
stem cell: a special undifferentiated cell that can become any of the other cell types
stimulus: any change that is detected inside or outside the body, to which we need to react
stomach: the wider part after the oesophagus where food is stored for a short while; proteins are digested here
starch: a large storage molecule in plants that is made from many glucose molecules joined together
sugars: group of sweet-tasting simple carbohydrates that are made by plants during photosynthesis
surrogacy: when a person or animal acts as a substitute for another third person; when a woman carries and delivers a child for another couple or person
synthesis: the process by which organic molecules are made inside organisms
temperature: how much heat is present in an object, substance or body; the degree of internal heat of someone's body
tendons: an inelastic cord of strong fibres made of collagen tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone
testes: male glands that produce sperm cells and male hormones
testosterone: the male sex hormone that causes physical changes during puberty and controls the production of sperm
toxic: poisonous
trachea: (windpipe) the tube that carries air from the mouth and nose to the bronchial tubes in the lungs
transmit: send out a message
transport: move from one part of the body to another
turgid: swollen or bulging outwards
ulcer: an open sore in the alimentary canal
umbilical cord: the cord or tube-like structure that connects the foetus at the abdomen with the placenta of the mother and transports nourishment and oxygen to the foetus and removes waste
unicellular: consisting of a single cell
urea: a metabolic waste product that is formed when protein is broken down in the liver
ureter: the duct (tube) that joins the kidney and bladder and allows urine to pass from the kidney to the bladder
urethra: the thin tube that allows urine to flow from the bladder to the outside
urinate: to excrete or pass urine out of the body
uterus: the hollow muscular organ in the pelvic area of female mammals in which the fertilized egg implants and develops (also known as the womb)
vacuoles: a fluid-filled bag in the cytoplasm of most plant cells
vagina: an elastic muscular tube or canal that connects the neck of the uterus (cervix) with the external opening
variation: a change or slight difference
veins: blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart
ventricles: the lower left and right chambers of the heart
vision: the ability to see
vitamins: organic substances essential to normal growth and development in the body and found naturally in plant and animal products
wet mount: when you mount a specimen on a slide using a drop of liquid
womb: another non-technical term for uterus
zygote: the result of two gametes that fuse; a fertilised ovum

5.3 Summary

Table of Contents

7.1 Elements and compounds