Biology STAAR Vocab UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Science - CORRECT ANSWER - An organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence
about the natural world.
Hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant
amount of data
Prokaryote - CORRECT ANSWER - A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and
membrane bound organelles
Eukaryote - CORRECT ANSWER - A cell that contains a nucleus and membrane bound
organelles
Homeostasis - CORRECT ANSWER - A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant
internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a
particular level
Virus - CORRECT ANSWER - A piece of code that is capable of copying itself and
typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data
Cells - CORRECT ANSWER - Basic unit of life
HIV - CORRECT ANSWER - A virus that attacks and destroys the human immune
system.
, Influenza - CORRECT ANSWER - Abrupt onset of fever, chills, severe malaise, cough,
coryza, myalgias. Transmitted via aerosol droplets.
DNA Replication - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA unzips into two parts and splits with the
cell. In it's new home each side of the DNA strand attack to matching nucleotides to create 2
exact copies. It is important in puberty and other times of growth as it is the reproducing of your
cells.
Sugar-Phosphate Backbone - CORRECT ANSWER - The alternating chain of sugar and
phosphate to which the DNA and RNA nitrogenous bases are attached
Nitrogen Base - CORRECT ANSWER - a DNA nucleotide containing nitrogen, a sugar
molecule, and a phosphate group
Nucleotide - CORRECT ANSWER - A building block of DNA, consisting of a five-
carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
Trait - CORRECT ANSWER - A characteristic that an organism can pass on to its
offspring through its genes.
Genetic Code - CORRECT ANSWER - Collection of codons of mRNA, each of which
directs the incorporation of a particular amino acid into a protein during protein synthesis
Transcription - CORRECT ANSWER - (genetics) the organic process whereby the DNA
sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA
Translation - CORRECT ANSWER - (genetics) the process whereby genetic information
coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the
cytoplasm
Codon - CORRECT ANSWER - A specific sequence of three adjacent bases on a strand of
DNA or RNA that provides genetic code information for a particular amino acid
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Science - CORRECT ANSWER - An organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence
about the natural world.
Hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER - A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER - A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant
amount of data
Prokaryote - CORRECT ANSWER - A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and
membrane bound organelles
Eukaryote - CORRECT ANSWER - A cell that contains a nucleus and membrane bound
organelles
Homeostasis - CORRECT ANSWER - A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant
internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a
particular level
Virus - CORRECT ANSWER - A piece of code that is capable of copying itself and
typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data
Cells - CORRECT ANSWER - Basic unit of life
HIV - CORRECT ANSWER - A virus that attacks and destroys the human immune
system.
, Influenza - CORRECT ANSWER - Abrupt onset of fever, chills, severe malaise, cough,
coryza, myalgias. Transmitted via aerosol droplets.
DNA Replication - CORRECT ANSWER - DNA unzips into two parts and splits with the
cell. In it's new home each side of the DNA strand attack to matching nucleotides to create 2
exact copies. It is important in puberty and other times of growth as it is the reproducing of your
cells.
Sugar-Phosphate Backbone - CORRECT ANSWER - The alternating chain of sugar and
phosphate to which the DNA and RNA nitrogenous bases are attached
Nitrogen Base - CORRECT ANSWER - a DNA nucleotide containing nitrogen, a sugar
molecule, and a phosphate group
Nucleotide - CORRECT ANSWER - A building block of DNA, consisting of a five-
carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
Trait - CORRECT ANSWER - A characteristic that an organism can pass on to its
offspring through its genes.
Genetic Code - CORRECT ANSWER - Collection of codons of mRNA, each of which
directs the incorporation of a particular amino acid into a protein during protein synthesis
Transcription - CORRECT ANSWER - (genetics) the organic process whereby the DNA
sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA
Translation - CORRECT ANSWER - (genetics) the process whereby genetic information
coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the
cytoplasm
Codon - CORRECT ANSWER - A specific sequence of three adjacent bases on a strand of
DNA or RNA that provides genetic code information for a particular amino acid
