Biology STAAR Vocab UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is science? - CORRECT ANSWER - Use of evidence to construct testable
explanations and predictions of natural phenomena
What is a hypothesis? - CORRECT ANSWER - Tentative and testable statement that must
be capable of being supported by observational evidence
What is a theory? - CORRECT ANSWER - Well-established and highly reliable
explanation that has been tested by many scientists and may change as new information emerges
What is an atom? - CORRECT ANSWER - The building blocks of molecules and matter -
has a certain number of protons, neutrons, and electrons
What is a molecule? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of 2 or more atoms bonded
together covalently
What is an organelle? - CORRECT ANSWER - A part of a cell that performs a specific
function (like energy conversions in mitochondria)
What is a cell? - CORRECT ANSWER - The smallest unit of living things that is still
considered living - has a cell membrane and (often) other organelles
What is a tissue? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of similar cells that have similar
functions working together in an organism
What is an organ? - CORRECT ANSWER - A body part that consists of different tissues
combining to perform a particular task
,What is an organ system? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of organs in the body that
work together to perform a task (such as digestion - the digestive system)
What is an organism? - CORRECT ANSWER - A living thing - may be as simple as a
single-celled bacteria or as complex as animals
What is a biomolecule? - CORRECT ANSWER - A molecule (chemical compound) that is
important for life. Most contain C, H, and O, and are polymers of smaller subunits.
What is a monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER - The simplest unit of a repeating unit.
What is a polymer? - CORRECT ANSWER - A long chain composed of repeating
chemical subunits (monomers) - includes proteins, DNA, etc)
What is a monosaccharide? - CORRECT ANSWER - The building blocks of
carbohydrates - a simple sugar.
What is a carbohydrate? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that is used for energy
and made up of sugars (monosaccharides).
What is a lipid? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that is used for energy storage
and insulation/protection. Made of triglycerides (fatty acid chain and glycerol backbone).
What are amino acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Building blocks of proteins with
different R groups.
What is a protein? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule made from amino acids that
speeds up chemical reactions.
What is a nucleic acid? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that carries genetic
information, including DNA and RNA.
, What is glucose? - CORRECT ANSWER - The basic sugar broken down in cells for
energy.
What is ATP? - CORRECT ANSWER - Adenosine Triphosphate, a compound that stores
energy for cells.
What is an enzyme? - CORRECT ANSWER - A protein that speeds up chemical reactions
in cells.
What is a vacuole? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in cells that stores water,
nutrients, and minerals.
What is a chloroplast? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in plant cells that does
photosynthesis.
What is a mitochondria? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic cells that
converts glucose to ATP.
What is a cell membrane? - CORRECT ANSWER - A semipermeable membrane that
separates a cell from its external environment.
What is a nucleus? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic cells that holds
DNA and controls cell activities.
What is the endoplasmic reticulum? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic
cells that transports molecules and does protein synthesis.
What is a ribosome? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle present in all cells that does
protein synthesis.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is science? - CORRECT ANSWER - Use of evidence to construct testable
explanations and predictions of natural phenomena
What is a hypothesis? - CORRECT ANSWER - Tentative and testable statement that must
be capable of being supported by observational evidence
What is a theory? - CORRECT ANSWER - Well-established and highly reliable
explanation that has been tested by many scientists and may change as new information emerges
What is an atom? - CORRECT ANSWER - The building blocks of molecules and matter -
has a certain number of protons, neutrons, and electrons
What is a molecule? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of 2 or more atoms bonded
together covalently
What is an organelle? - CORRECT ANSWER - A part of a cell that performs a specific
function (like energy conversions in mitochondria)
What is a cell? - CORRECT ANSWER - The smallest unit of living things that is still
considered living - has a cell membrane and (often) other organelles
What is a tissue? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of similar cells that have similar
functions working together in an organism
What is an organ? - CORRECT ANSWER - A body part that consists of different tissues
combining to perform a particular task
,What is an organ system? - CORRECT ANSWER - A group of organs in the body that
work together to perform a task (such as digestion - the digestive system)
What is an organism? - CORRECT ANSWER - A living thing - may be as simple as a
single-celled bacteria or as complex as animals
What is a biomolecule? - CORRECT ANSWER - A molecule (chemical compound) that is
important for life. Most contain C, H, and O, and are polymers of smaller subunits.
What is a monomer? - CORRECT ANSWER - The simplest unit of a repeating unit.
What is a polymer? - CORRECT ANSWER - A long chain composed of repeating
chemical subunits (monomers) - includes proteins, DNA, etc)
What is a monosaccharide? - CORRECT ANSWER - The building blocks of
carbohydrates - a simple sugar.
What is a carbohydrate? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that is used for energy
and made up of sugars (monosaccharides).
What is a lipid? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that is used for energy storage
and insulation/protection. Made of triglycerides (fatty acid chain and glycerol backbone).
What are amino acids? - CORRECT ANSWER - Building blocks of proteins with
different R groups.
What is a protein? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule made from amino acids that
speeds up chemical reactions.
What is a nucleic acid? - CORRECT ANSWER - A biomolecule that carries genetic
information, including DNA and RNA.
, What is glucose? - CORRECT ANSWER - The basic sugar broken down in cells for
energy.
What is ATP? - CORRECT ANSWER - Adenosine Triphosphate, a compound that stores
energy for cells.
What is an enzyme? - CORRECT ANSWER - A protein that speeds up chemical reactions
in cells.
What is a vacuole? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in cells that stores water,
nutrients, and minerals.
What is a chloroplast? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in plant cells that does
photosynthesis.
What is a mitochondria? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic cells that
converts glucose to ATP.
What is a cell membrane? - CORRECT ANSWER - A semipermeable membrane that
separates a cell from its external environment.
What is a nucleus? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic cells that holds
DNA and controls cell activities.
What is the endoplasmic reticulum? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle in eukaryotic
cells that transports molecules and does protein synthesis.
What is a ribosome? - CORRECT ANSWER - An organelle present in all cells that does
protein synthesis.
