Life Science

MCAS REVIEW
Classification of Organisms
Taxonomy the science of describing,
classifying, and naming living things

Carolus Linnaeus the Swedish

scientist who founded modern taxonomy
Classification System
Kingdom (most general way to group organisms)
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species (most specific way to group
organisms)
The Five-Kingdom Classification
System
Monera
Protista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia
Monera Eubacteria (modern bacteria)
& Archaebacteria (ancient bacteria)

include bacteria and blue-green algae

have no nuclei
oldest & most numerous organisms on
Earth
Protista
include amoebas and euglenas
single cells and microscopic
have nuclei but lack any specialized
tissues and organs
commonly called protozoa
Fungi
includes mushrooms, yeasts, and molds
yeasts are unicellular, but the rest are
multicellular
decompose other organisms and are
important to maintain a healthy ecosystem
Plantae
includes mosses, ferns, flowers, and trees
(multicellular organisms)
most red, brown, and green algae (single-
celled organisms)
can make their own food by
photosynthesis
cannot move about freely
Animalia
includes sponges, jellyfish, worms,
shellfish, starfish, insects, fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and
humans
multicellular organisms
get energy by eating other organisms
are able to move about freely
Key words

invertebrate animal without a backbone

vertebrate animal with a backbone
Structure and Function of Cells
All organisms are made up of cells.
Cells are the building blocks of life.

Key words
unicellular just one cell
multicellular many cells
organelles tiny structures in cells
Cell Organelles and their Functions
cell membrane plant & animal a semi permeable membrane that controls
movement of molecules into and out of the cell
nucleus plant & animal the control center of the cell; contains chromosomes
that carry the genes
nuclear plant & animal a semi permeable membrane; encloses and protects
membrane the nucleus
vacuoles plant & animal storage sac that contains fluids, pigments, and other
substances
mitochondria plant & animal the powerhouse of the cell; releases energy to
support all cell activities
endoplasmic plant & animal system of tubules inside the cytoplasm for transport
reticulum of materials
cytoplasm plant & animal clear, thick fluid that holds all the organelles in a cell

ribosomes plant & animal contain enzymes that help make proteins

chloroplasts plant contain chlorophyll; where photosynthesis happens

cell wall plant the outer non-living cellulose structure that helps the
cell keep its shape
Key Terms
Mitosis the process of one cell dividing
into two equal and identical cells; makes
body cells

Meiosis the process of one cell divides

two times to make sex cells with half the
number of chromosomes of a body cell
Photosynthesis
the process that plants use to capture energy
from the sun and change it into food
happens in the chloroplast
chlorophyll, a green pigment in leaves, converts
sunlight into food
carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight energy is
turned into sugar or food (glucose) and oxygen
Cellular respiration
the process used by complex organisms,
such as humans, to get energy from food
happens in the mitochondrion
food-sugar (glucose), oxygen is turned
into carbon dioxide, water, and energy
(ATP)
Reproduction and Heredity

Reproduction involves creating an entire

organism
Two
Methods
Asexual of Reproduction
reproduction

Sexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction
the offspring (young) has only one parent
the offspring are clones of their single
parent by mitosis (exact copies of the
original cell)
algae, bacteria, strawberries (runners),
tubers (white potatoes), bulbs (tulips,
onions), regeneration (planaria, starfish)
Sexual reproduction
the offspring has two parents
the offspring form when a sperm and an egg
join by a process called fertilization
offspring have some of the traits of both parents
and other traits not visible in the parents but
nonetheless present offspring
the offspring have genetic material from both
parents
The nucleus -
contains the organisms genetic material
contains 46 chromosomes (threadlike
strands of DNA that carry the code or
genes telling the traits the organisms will
have)
Gametes
are the sex cells (eggs and sperm)
contain 23 chromosome (half the number
of chromosomes found in a body cell)
made in the reproductive organs
made by a process called meiosis (the
number of chromosomes in the gamete is
reduced by half)
Key Terms
dominant trait the trait that appears in an offspring when
two different genes are mixed
recessive trait the trait that does not appear when two
different genes are mixed; for a recessive trait to be seen,
two recessive genes must be present
zygote is the single cell formed when the egg and sperm
unite; a fertilized egg
embryo is the name of the fertilized egg once it begins
dividing by mitosis
variation differences in traits among individuals of a
species
Systems of Living Things
organized
differentiated
Organization of Living Things
cells
tissues
organs
organ system
organism
Organ Systems and their Functions
Circulatory the blood carries food, oxygen, and nutrients to all areas of
the body
Digestive breaks down food and absorbs nutrients
Endocrine uses chemical hormones to control other body systems
Excretory gathers the wastes from the digestive, respiratory, and
circulatory systems and discharges them from the body
Immune protects us from disease - using the skin as a barrier to the
outside world and using white blood cells and antibodies
Muscular allows body movement, maintains posture, moves food
Nervous controls and coordinates; carries nerve messages to and
from the brain and spinal cord and rest of the body
Reproductive takes its signals from certain hormones to make sex cells to
allow offspring to be produced
Respiratory brings oxygen in and removes carbon dioxide from body
Skeletal Protects, supports, allows movement, makes blood cells,
and stores minerals
Evolution and Biodiversity
evolution the process in which inherited characteristics within a
population change over generations such that new species sometimes
arise

heredity your characteristics that make up your physical body are

handed down to your through the genetic material from your ancestors

variation differences in traits among individuals of a species

adaptations a characteristic or trait that improves an individuals ability

to survive and reproduce

natural selection or survival of the fittest the most fit organisms will
survive and reproduce and pass their good traits to their offspring
Organisms and
ecology the study the
of the Environment
relationship of living things to
the environment

ecosystem the living community of organisms and their

nonliving environment

food chain a way of showing the order in which food

energy passes from one organism to another

food web two or more food chains

niche the job or role an organism plays

competition when organisms struggle with one another

to get the things they need to survive
Key Terms
prey the animal that is eaten
predator an animal that eats other animals
parasite an organism that lives off another
organism
host the organism that provides a home for
another organism
socialization when a species live together in
groups to care and protect their young; primates,
whales
cooperation when organisms work together;
wolves, lions, whales
Symbiosis

organisms from different species work

together in groups and form
partnerships that help the organisms
involved
Three types of Symbiosis:
mutualism a form of symbiosis in which
both organisms benefit
commensalism a form of symbiosis in which
one organism benefits and the other is not
harmed
parasitism a form of symbiosis in which one
organism benefits and the other is harmed
Food Levels
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers

These food levels are used to show how

far an organism is from the primary source
of all food energy, the Sun. The closer an
organisms food source is to the Sun, the
more numerous the organism.
Producers

make their own food

all green plants, phytoplankton
(microorganisms in the ocean), algae
Consumers eat other organisms
primary consumers (herbivores) - eat only
plants or parts of plants

secondary consumers (carnivores) eat

herbivores or other carnivores

omnivores (primary & secondary

consumers) - eat both plant & animals
Decomposers
break down dead organisms
recycle nutrients
bacteria, earthworms, and fungi
Changes in Ecosystems
abiotic nonliving over Time
factors in the environment

biotic factors living factors in the environment

biome a large area of land that has the same

climate

biodiversity the variety in the types of

organisms that live in an area

catastrophic disturbance unexpected events

such as volcanic eruption, forest fires
Key Terms
eutrophication when extra nutrients get into a
river, lake, or bay, they cause unusual algae
growth. When too many aquatic organisms, such
as algae, grow in a body of water, they deplete
the level of oxygen in the water so that other
organisms cannot live
phototropism the tendency of plants to bend or
lean toward light in order to get the most energy
from photosynthesis
succession a series of changes in a living
community
climax community a stable community at the
end of succession