GCE O LEVEL

BIOLOGY IMPORTANT
DEFINITIONS

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 Movement of water molecules from a region higher water potential
OSMOSIS to a region of lower water potential across a semi-permeable
membrane.
movement of water molecules into the cytoplasm of the cell through
END OSMOSIS
cell membrane
movement of water molecules out of the cytoplasm of the cell
EXO OSMOSIS
through cell membrane
Random movement of molecules from a region of concentration to a
DIFFUSION
region of lower concentration.
The movement of molecules / ions from a region of lower
ACTIVE TRANSPORT concentration to a region of higher concentration against a
concentration gradient by using energy from respiration.

ENZYME specific protein which act as biological catalyst

SUBSTRATE the chemical compound the enzyme work on
ACTIVE SITE it is a part of enzyme to which substrate molecules attach
END PRODUCT the result of a reaction

scientific study of food and the different ways in which organisms

NUTRITION
feed
NUTRIENTS the ingredients present in the food

AUTOTROPHIC NUTRITION the process by which organism make their own food
the process by which organism depend upon other organisms for
HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION
feed
the process by which organisms make their own food using water,
PHOTOSYNTHETIC NUTRITION
carbon dioxide and light energy which is absorbed by the chlorophyll
the process by which organisms make their own food using energy
CHEMOSYNTHETIC NUTRITION
from chemical reactions in the absence of light
PARASITIC NUTRITION organism which live in or living other organisms
ECTO PARASITIC NUTRITION organism that live outside a host
ENDO PARASITIC NUTRITION organism that live inside a host
SAPROPHYTIC NUTRITION organism obtain food fro dead organic remain
a very close relationship between 2 organisms , where both
SYMBIOTIC NUTRITION
organisms benefit
HLOZOIC NUTRITION organism feed from other organisms in solid form

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HERBIVORES organism feed only on plants
CARNIVORES organism on flesh of other animals
OMNIVORSE organism feed on both plants and animals

mature of food saliva and cheek cell are bacteria that form sticky film
PLAGUE
over the teeth
INGESTION the act of taking food into the mouth
chopping and grinding food with teeth and muscular churning of
MECHANICAL DIGESTION
food as in the stomach
break down of large insoluble food molecules into simple one with
CHEMICALDIGESTION
the help of enzyme
ABSORBTION taking the digested food into the blood stream across the gut wall
ASSIMILATION using the absorbed food in metabolic process
the removal of indigested food from the alimentary canal trough the
EGESTION
anus

the process by which green plants make their own food using water,
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
carbon dioxide and light energy which is absorbed by the chlorophyll
CAPILARITY movement of liquid in the narrow tube
TRANSPIRATION PULL it is a suction force exerted as a result of transpiration
the loss of excess water from the leaves through the stomata in the
TRANSPIRATION
form of water vapour into the atmosphere
if the transpiration rate is higher than the rate of water uptake from
WILTING
the soil, the cells lose their turgidity and plants wilt
TRANS LOCATION transported food materials from leaves to other organs

the movement of substances like nutrients and gases with in blood

CIRCULATION vessels and cavities throughout the organisms [or] the continuous
movement of blood around the body
HAEMOGLOBIN a red protein which transport oxygen in the blood
ATHEROMA the blockage of blood vessels due to the cholesterol deposit
THROMBOSIS the formation of a solid blood clot inside the blood vessels
a sudden stoppage of heart beat/ blood vessels around the heart
HEART FAILURE
become blocked with plaque
a blood clot in the brain, the blood clot suddenly block an artery
STROKES inside the brain, that causes the region to stop working and resulting
paralysis, loss of memory
ANAEMIA lack of iron in the blood .low RBC count

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LEUKIEMIA WBC increase widely causing anaemia
HEART MUR MUR abnormal heart beat caused by valve problem
HOMOPHILIA bleeder's disease
PAE MAKER an artificial device for stimulating and regulating the heart muscle

RESPIRATION release of energy from food substances in cells

AEROBI RESPIRATION breakdown of glucose in the presence of oxygen to release energy
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION breakdown of glucose in the absence of oxygen to release energy
ENERGY ability / capacity to do work
BREATHING take air into the lungs and send it out again
INSPIRATION the process of taking air in
EXIRATION the process of taking air out
EXTERNAL RESPIRATION gas exchange between air and blood
INTERNAL RESPIRATION gas exchange between blood and tissue
CELLULAR RESPIRATION oxygen used to produce ATP, carbon dioxide as waste
ASTHMA severe allergic reactions characterized by the constriction of bronchioles
BRONCHITIS inflammation of lining of bronchioles

EMPHYSEMA condition in which the alveoli deteriorate, causing the lungs to lose their
elasticity

PNEUMONIA condition in which the alveoli become filled with fluid preventing the
exchange of gases
LUNG CANCER irregular and uncontrolled growth of tumour in the lung tissue

SUPPORT the skeleton and its role in holding the structure and giving its shape

MOVEMENT the change in the position of one part of the body in relation to another
part
LOCOMOTION the movement of the entire body from one place to another
TENDON Tough and non-elastic tissue. Connect muscle to bone
LIGAMENTS strong elastic band of connective tissue connect bone to bone

CARTILAGE soft slippery, slightly elastic tissue which cover the head of bones acting as
a shock absorber
JOINTS the point where two or more bones come together
FIXED JOINT joints between two bones that ties against each other
PARTIALLY MOVABLE JOINT allows only little movement of bones. Found in vertebral column
SYNOVIAL JOINT allows complete movement of bones
BALL & SOCKET JOINT allows movement of bones in all directions.eg : shoulder, hip
HINGE JOINT Allow movement of bones in only one direction. Eg:elbow, knee
PIVOT JOINT allow rotation movement from side to side as in the head

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ANTAGONESTIC MUSCLE when 2 muscles work together and providing opposing force

EXCRETION removal of nitrogenous waste from the body

ULTRA FILTRATION the process by which the fluid is filtered out of the blood by the glomerulus
SELECTIVE RE-ABSORPTION the process of absorbing back the substance needed by the body

KIDNEY FAILURE this may happen if the kidney is infected or sometimes after a sever shock,
perhaps a car accident

TRANSPANTATION a healthy kidney can be used to replace a kidney which has to function
normally

HOMEOSTASIS maintenance of constant internal environment

OSMOREGULATION maintain water balance of the body

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM a system which automatically bring about a correction regardless which
side of the optimum that change has occurred

VASODILATION over heating

VASO CONSTRICTION over cooling
HYPOTHERMIA lowering of body temperature
STIMULUS this is your change inside or outside the body
RECEPTORS these sense organs detect stimulus
CO-ORDINATES receiving information from stimulus
EFFECTORS these are controlled by co-ordinators
RESPONSE a behaviour provokes by the stimulus
SYNAPSE the gap between 2 neurons

REFLEX ACTION a rapid and automatic response to a stimulus by an organ without

conscious thought
REFLEX ARC the nervous pathway of such as reflex action

ACCOMODATION the ability of the lenses to change shape and focus an object at different
distance
HORMONES a chemical messenger which co-ordinate the body activity
DIABETES a disease caused by slowing down of insulin production

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DRUG an externally administered substance substance which modifies /affect
chemical reaction in the body

ABUSED DRUG if the drug is taken simply for enjoyment often in large amount it can lead
to addiction
SIDE EFFECT a different unknown or undesirable reaction to the drug
TOLERANCE occurs when the body develop a resistance to the effect of a drug
PHYSICAL DEENDENCE the addict must continue to take the drug

PSYCOLOICAL DEPENDENCE occurs when a person develops a craving for a particular drug which
eventually become a habit

MICRO-ORGANISMS organisms which are invisible to naked eye and which can only be seen
through a microscope
UNICELLULAR-ORGANISMS organisms which are made up of only one cell
MULTI-CELLULAR ORGANISMS organisms which are made up of many cells

SAPROPHYTISM the process by which organisms such as bacteria obtain food by feeding on
dead decaying organic matter

PARASTISM the process by which organisms such as bacteria live in or on other

organism called as a "host" and depend on that organism for food

DENITRIFICATION the process by which organisms such as bacteria converting nitrates and
nitrites into nitrogen
NITRIFICATION the process of converting nitrogen into nitrates and nitrites
ANTIBIOTICS drugs used to kill bacteria
use of genetic knowledge to artificially manipulate gene/ process of taking
GENETIC ENGENEERING gene and segment of DNA from one species to and putting them into
another species

BIO TECHNOLOGY application of bio technology system, organism, process to manufacturing

and service industries

PRODUCERS these are green plants which synthesize food by photosynthesis

CONSUMERS these are animals that are directly or indirectly depending on producers
PRIMARY CONSUMERS Directly depend on plat. Eg: giraffe
SECONDARY CONSUMERS Feed on herbivore. Eg: lion
TERTIARY CONSUMERS Feed on secondary consumers. Eg: eagle
DECOMPOSERS microbes that depend on dead decaying organic matter

FOOD CHAIN series of organism through which food energy is transferred with repeated
eating and being eaten

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FOOD WEB two or more food chain interlinked together
FOOD CYCLE formed when decomposers are added to the food chain
TROPHIC LEVEL energy level in an eco-system

ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID the graphical representation of nutritional relationship and the energy flow
from one trophic level to other in an eco-system

BIOMASS
total mass of living material per unit area of land r per unit volume of water

PYRAMID OF IO MASS it is a diagram of traditional pyramid shape wider at bottom showing mass
of organisms (plants and animals) at each trophic level

REPRODUCTION the production of new individual from more or less similar in form to
parent
ASEXUA REPRODUCTION the production of genetically identical offspring’s from one parent
CLONE all genetically identical organisms produced by asexual reproduction
VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION produce new individual asexually without gametes

STOLON a shoot that bend to the ground grow horizontally above the ground and
produce root and shoot at nodes
RHIZOME underground horizontal stem

BULB a shoot stem with fleshy leaves bases that function as food storage organs
during dormancy
STEM TUBERS a swollen flesh usually underground stem of a point

CUTTING it is possible to produce a new individual from certain plants by putting the
cut end of a shoot into water or moist earth

TISSUE CULTURE it is a technique for keeping live cells or tissue of living organism after their
removal from an organism
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION the fusion of male and female nuclei to form a zygote
POLLINATION the transfer of pollen grain from anther to stigma

SELF-POLLINATION when the anther and stigma are either in the same flower or different
flower in the same plant

CROSS-POLLINATION when the anther and stigma are in flowers on different plants of the same
species

FERTILISATION the fusion of male nuclei with the female gametes for the formation of
zygote
GAMETES sex cells of living organisms
HAPLOID only one set of chromosome
DIPLOID two sets of chromosome

MITOSIS process by which the nucleus divides to produce two identical daughter
cells which have the same number chromosomes as the parent cell

MEIOSIS process by which the nucleus divides to produce four daughter cells with
only half the number chromosomes as the parent cell

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