| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| constants | a variable that stays the same during an experiment |
| alleles | term used for the different forms of genes |
| recessive | a trait that appears only when both alleles are present |
| genetics | study of heredity |
| nucleus | control center of the cell |
| cell membrane | controls what goes in and out of a cell |
| tissues | formed when similar types of cells work together |
| muscle tissue | the tissue that helps your body move |
| mitochondria | organelle where cellular respiration takes place |
| chloroplast | organelle where photosynthesis takes place |
| community | made up of all the populations in an area |
| biosphere | all places where organisms live on earth |
| asthenosphere | plasticlike layer below the lithosphere |
| continental drift | idea that continents move slowly across Earth's surface |
| pangaea | large, ancient landmass that consisted of all the continents on earth |
| lithosphere | composed of the crust and the upper mantle |
| plate tectonics | explains the locations of mountains, volcanoes, and trenches |
| mantle | layer of earth that contains the asthenosphere |
| divergent boundary | boundary formed when plates that move apart |
| convergent boundary | boundary formed when plates come together |
| transform boundary | boundary formed when plates slide past one another |
| independent variable | variable that is changed on purpose |
| dependent variable | factor that is being measured |
| control | variable that is treated the same as the experimental group except the independent variable is not applied; used for comparison |
| microorganisms | causes infectious diseases |
| prokaryotic cell | cell without membrane bound structures |
| eukaryotic cell | cell with membrane bound structures |
| epithelial tissue | tissue that covers the outer surface of the body |
| genetic engineering | biological and chemical methods to change the arrangement of DNA that makes up a gene |
| selective breeding | the process by which desired traits of certain plants and animals are selected and passed on to future generations |
