Educator

Scientific Glossary

Adenine – one of the bases used to make DNA and joins only with thymine.
Aerobic – when the body make energy using glucose and oxygen.
Amino Acids – a molecule that contains carbon, oxygen, sulphur, hydrogen and nitrogen. Amino acids link up to make proteins.
Anaerobic – When energy is made without oxygen and the body uses just glucose. This is when lactic acid is made.
Aseptic – Sterile, clean and without any germs.
Bases – The four chemicals used to make DNA. They are adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.
Capillary – the smallest blood vessel in the body.
Coding – Instructions used to make amino acids.
Cramp – The pain caused by the build up of lactic acid when the body is overworked.
Cytosine – One of then bases used to make DNA and joins up only with guanine.
Diffusion – When a substance moves from somewhere where it is concentrated to where it is less concentrated. So it moves from where there is plenty of it to where there is less.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) – What makes up chromosomes and is made up of the four bases. They are the genetic code.
Double Helix – The shape of DNA, two twisted strands.
Guanine – One of then bases used to make DNA and joins up only with cytosine.
Insulin – A hormone made by the body in the pancreas and used to control sugar levels.
Lactic Acid – Made by cells when energy is made without oxygen. This is in anaerobic respiration, when the glucose is not broken down completely.
Respiration – When energy is made using glucose.
Thymine – One of then bases used to make DNA and joins up only with adenine.
Cancer Cell – A cell that divides out of control to eventually form a tumour
Cell division – When a cell splits to make new cells.
Diploid – A cell nucleus with two pairs of chromosomes.
Gametes – Sex cells; eggs / ova and sperms.
Haploid – A cell nucleus with only one set of chromosomes instead of the pair.
Hormones – Chemical messages sent around the body.
Mitosis – Cell division which makes exact copies of the original cell.
Meiosis – Cell division which only happens in sex cells which then have 23 chromosomes instead of 23 pairs.
Biosphere – The part of earth which can support life.
Combustion – The process when fuel is burnt to make heat energy; makes carbon dioxide.
Biodiversity – The many different types of life in a habitat or ecosystem.
Coppicing – Cutting young trees to cause side shoots to grow.

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