Cells Mind Map
← CellsCell theory, the parts of a cell and their jobs, how cells divide, and how cells build tissues, organs, and organisms.
- cellThe smallest unit of life. All living things are made of one or more of them.Your body is made of trillions of cells.
- cell theoryThe idea that all living things are made of cells, cells are the basic unit of life, and new cells come from existing cells.Cell theory says no cell appears out of nothing.
- organismAny living thing.A mushroom, a tree, and a dog are each an organism.
- unicellularMade of only one cell.Bacteria are unicellular.
- multicellularMade of many cells.Plants and animals are multicellular.
- microscopeA tool that makes tiny things look bigger so you can see them.We used a microscope to see onion cells.
- organelleA tiny part inside a cell that has a special job.The nucleus is the largest organelle in many cells.
- cell membraneThe thin, flexible layer around a cell that controls what goes in and out.Water passes through the cell membrane.
- cell wallA stiff layer outside the membrane of plant cells that gives support and shape.The cell wall helps a plant stand upright.
- nucleusThe control center of a cell. It holds the cell’s DNA.The nucleus looked like a dark dot in the cell.
- cytoplasmThe material inside a cell’s membrane but outside its nucleus, including fluid and many cell structures.Organelles float in the cytoplasm.
- mitochondriaOrganelles that release energy from food for the cell to use.Muscle cells have many mitochondria because they need lots of energy.
- chloroplastAn organelle in plant and algal cells where light energy is used to make sugars.A chloroplast is green because of chlorophyll.
- vacuoleA sac in a cell that stores water, food, or waste.A plant cell has one large vacuole full of water.
- nutrientA substance that living things need for growth, repair, or other life processes.Roots take in water and nutrient minerals from the soil.
- wasteMaterial that a cell or body no longer needs and gets rid of.Cells release carbon dioxide as waste.
- diffusionParticles spreading from where there are many of them to where there are fewer.Oxygen moves into the cell by diffusion.
- cellular respirationProcesses that release usable energy from food molecules; the oxygen-using form produces carbon dioxide and water.Cellular respiration happens in your cells all day and night.
- photosynthesisA process in which plants, algae, and some bacteria use light energy to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen.Photosynthesis happens in the green parts of a plant.
- cell divisionOne cell splitting to make two new cells.Cell division lets a cut on your skin heal.
- mitosisDivision of a cell’s nucleus that separates copied chromosomes into two nuclei with the same chromosome set.During mitosis, the copied chromosomes move apart.
- growthAn increase in size, often from making more cells.Growth in a tree happens when its cells divide.
- repairFixing or replacing damaged parts.New skin cells repair a scrape.
- levels of organizationThe order of living things from smallest to largest: cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism.Levels of organization go from cells all the way up to a whole organism.
- tissueA group of similar cells that work together to do one job.Muscle tissue helps you move.
- organA group of tissues that work together to do a job.The heart is an organ that pumps blood.
- organ systemA group of organs that work together to do a major job in the body.The digestive organ system breaks down food.
- structureThe shape of something and how its parts are put together.The long structure of a nerve cell helps it carry signals.
- functionThe job something does.The function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen.