Key Terms Definitions

Biology Knowledge Organiser

B1 - Cell structure and transport Cell The basic unit of all forms of life.

Eukaryotic Cells with a genetic material enclosed in a nucleus – e.g. plant

Cells and animal cells.
Eukaryotic Cells
Prokaryotic Bacterial cells; these don’t have a nucleus to enclose their
Eukaryotic cells include all plant and animal cells. Their most important feature is that they have Cells genetic material.
a nucleus, unlike prokaryotic cells. Cell The border of all types of cell. The cell membrane separates
Membrane the inside of the cell from the environment. It controls the
movement of substances into and out of the cell.
Sub-cellular A part of a cell. (Sub- means less than – so these are the
structure component parts of cells.) Also known as organelles.
Nucleus The enclosure for genetic material found in plant and animal
cells. It controls the activities of the cell.
Permanent vacuole
Cytoplasm The interior of a cell, where most of the chemical reactions
ribosomes needed for life take place.
Mitochondria The sub-cellular structure where aerobic respiration takes
mitochondria
place.
Ribosome The sub-cellular structure where proteins are made
(synthesised)
Chloroplast A sub-cellular structure responsible for photosynthesis – only
Cell membrane found in plant cells and algal cells.
Prokaryotic Cells
Permanent A sub-cellular structure only found in plant and algal cells – it
Bacteria are prokaryotic cells (all bacteria are Vacuole is filled with cell sap (a store of nutrients for the cell).
Cell wall
single-celled organisms). The most important
differences to eukaryotic cells are that they are Cell Wall A sub-cellular structure that is never found in animal cells. It
smaller and their genetic material (DNA) is not is made of cellulose, it is outside the cell membrane and it
enclosed in a nucleus. Cytoplasm strengthens the cell.
DNA DNA The molecule that holds the genetic information in a cell. In
Prokaryotic cells have DNA in a loop, and, in
eukaryotic cells, it is one linear strand. In prokaryotic cells,
addition to the main loop of DNA, they have small
Plasmid the DNA forms a loop.
loops of DNA called plasmids.
Ribosome Plasmid A small loop of extra DNA, only found in prokaryotic cells.
Plasmids allow bacteria to swap genetic
information between them. Flagellum (tail)
 Key Terms Definitions
Biology Knowledge Organiser
B1 - Cell structure and transport Multicellular This describes an organism that is made of lots of cells –
such as animals or plants.
Specialised Cell Almost all cells in multicellular organisms have a particular
Multicellular Organisms job, or function.

You are a multicellular organism, just like all animals, plants and many types of fungus. But, not Tissue A group of cells with similar structures and functions – i.e. a
all your cells are the same. Cells become specialised by differentiation, which means they group of specialised cells.
develop new features to help them perform a specific function. E.g. sperm cells and root hair
cells. Organ An organ is a collection (or aggregation) of tissues
performing a specific function.
Organ System Organs don’t operate alone: they work together to form
organ systems.
Organism An organism has many organ systems, all contributing to its
(again) survival.

Tissues are formed when cells with similar structures and functions work together. For example: Light A usual school microscope is a light microscope. You can see
muscle tissue in animals; phloem tissue in plants. microscope large sub-cellular structures like a nucleus with it, but not a
lot more detail than that.
Organs are formed from multiple tissues working together. For example: the stomach in animals;
Magnification This is the measure of how much a microscope can enlarge
the leaf in plants.
the object you are viewing through it.
Organ systems are formed when multiple organs work together. For example: the digestive Resolution This is the measure of the level of detail you can see with a
system in animals; the vascular (transport) system in plants.
microscope.
Electron A type of microscope with much high magnification and
Microscopy microscope resolution than a light microscope. Essential for discovering
the smaller sub-cellular structures.
Use of a microscope is called microscopy. Microscopes allowed scientists to discover cells and
find all the sub-cellular structures. Equation Meanings of terms in equation
Because cells and their parts are very small, it is not useful to measure them in metres. Instead,
we use small divisions of the metre as follows: The image Is how it looks
𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 through the microscope. The
Centimetre = 1/100 metre (10-2). A centimetre is 1 one hundredth of a metre. (cm) 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = real object is what you are
Millimetre = 1/1000 metre (10-3). A millimetre is 1 one thousandth of a metre. (mm) 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 looking at. The image and object
Micrometre = 1/1 000 000 (10-6). A micrometre is 1 one millionth of a metre. (µm) must be measured with the
Nanometre = 1/1 000 000 000 (10-9) A nanometre is 1 one billionth of a metre. (nm) same unit, e.g. both in µm ornm.

Electron microscopes were a vital invention for understanding cells. They have higher
magnification and more resolving power than light microscopes, so they let you see smaller
structures.
 Key Terms Definitions
Biology Knowledge Organiser
B1 - Cell structure and transport The net (overall) movement of particles from a higher
concentration to a lower concentration. Diffusion happens
Diffusion across cell membranes. It does not require any energy from
the cell.
Exchange and Transport
The difference in concentration of a substance between two
Concentration
To stay alive, all organisms must exchange substances with their environment. This means they places. A ‘steeper’ concentration gradient means there is a
gradient
must transport into cells the substances they need from the environment and transport out bigger difference in concentration.
waste products to the environment. The surface area divided by the volume of an organism,
Surface area to
organ or cell. Generally, the smaller something is, the larger
Substances can be transported into or out of cells by: diffusion, osmosis or active transport. volume ratio
the surface area to volume ratio.

Diffusion Exchange
A place, such as the walls of the small intestine, where
exchange of substances takes place e.g. by diffusion across
surface
Diffusion allows many substances to move into or out of cells. it.
Thanks to the random motion of particles in liquids and gases,
particles will spread out until the concentration is equal Diffusion The distance over which a substance must diffuse. A thin
throughout. If there is a cell membrane that lets the substance pathway wall or membrane is a short diffusion pathway.
through (is permeable) in the way, it doesn’t matter. Overall, the
net movement of the substance will be from higher to lower Osmosis only describes the movement of water. It is the
concentration, as the diagram shows. diffusion of water from a dilute solution to a more
Osmosis
concentrated solution across a partially permeable
Diffusion is the process by which oxygen is transported into the membrane.
bloodstream, and carbon dioxide is transported out (in the lungs, or
gills of fish). It is also how the waste product urea moves from cells Partially A membrane that only allows some substances through –
into the bloodstream, before removal in the urine. permeable others are prevented from travelling through.
membrane
The rate of diffusion is affected by:
1. the steepness of the concentration gradient The movement of substances against the concentration
Active
2. the temperature (a higher temperature increases the rate of gradient – from lower to higher concentration. This requires
transport
diffusion as particles have more kinetic energy) energy from respiration.
3. The surface area of the membrane (a larger surface area of cell
membrane increases the rate of diffusion into/out of a cell).

Active transport
Osmosis Active transport is so-named because it requires energy. A good example of
where it happens is in plant roots. Root hair cells (see specialised cells topic)
Osmosis is the movement of water from a more dilute solution (more ‘watery’) to a more absorb mineral ions (like magnesium ions and nitrate ions) from the very dilute
concentrated solution (less ‘watery’) across a partially permeable membrane, such as a cell solution in the soil by active transport. They need ions like these for healthy
growth. An example in animals is absorption of sugar from the intestine into
membrane. Osmosis causes cells to swell up if they are placed in a dilute solution, or shrivel up if
the blood – the blood has a higher sugar concentration so active transport is
they are placed in a concentrated solution (a solution of salt, for instance, or sugar). needed. The sugar is needed by all cells in the body for respiration.
 Definitions
Biology Knowledge Organiser Key Terms

B1 - Cell structure and transport Small intestine

The organ in the digestive system where products of
digestion are absorbed into the bloodstream.
The organs were gas exchange takes place. The air sacs
Lungs
where gases are actually exchanged are called alveoli.
The organs in fish where gas exchange takes place. Oxygen
Gills is absorbed from the water into the blood, and carbon
dioxide is transferred to the water.

Leaves The plant organs responsible for gas exchange.

Technical term for breathing in and out. Breathing in brings

fresh air, with a relatively high oxygen concentration, into
Ventilation the lungs, and breathing out removes the air with a
relatively high concentration of carbon dioxide (and low
concentration of oxygen).

Specialised exchange surfaces

To be effective at exchanging substances with the environment, any exchange surface must have
a large surface area, and a thin wall/membrane for a short diffusion pathway. In animals, a
constant blood supply also increases effectiveness, and in the lungs, ventilation (breathing in and
out) increases effectiveness by refreshing the concentration gradient with each breath.
Gas
Gas exchange in lungs
exchange
in gills
Exchange in animals and plants
Gas exchange in many animals, including us, happens in the lungs. The structures in the lungs where it
happens are the alveoli. There are millions of these tiny air sacs, so in total their surface area is gigantic.
They also have a short diffusion pathway, a good blood supply and air supply due to ventilation. (look at Gas exchange in leaves
the diagram of one alveolus) Substance exchange in roo

In fish, gills are where gas exchange takes place (see diagram). Again, a huge surface area increases the
efficiency of gas exchange, along with a short diffusion pathway and good blood supply. The huge surface
area comes from the division of gills into very thin plates of tissue called lamellae. This also creates the
short diffusion pathway.

In plants, the roots absorb water and mineral ions. The root hair cells have long projections that increase
the surface area of this exchange surface, and shorten the diffusion pathway. The leaves are responsible for
gas exchange, including oxygen out and water vapour out, and carbon dioxide in. Being flat and broad
increases the effectiveness of the leaves as exchange surfaces, by increasing the surface area and
shortening the diffusion pathway. In leaves, exchange happens through microscopic holes called stomata.