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OpenStem
@openstem · Joined Jul 2026
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Flashcards10 cards
What is a trait?1 / 10
A trait is a feature or characteristic of a living thing — like eye colour, height, or a skill such as swimming.
Biology · L2 · Inherited vs. Learned Traits
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Biology · L2 · Inherited vs. Learned TraitsFlashcards9 cards
Why do children often look a little like each of their parents?1 / 9
Because offspring get a mix of traits from both parents — some features come from mum, some from dad, and some are a blend of both.
Biology · L2 · Family Resemblance Basics
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Biology · L2 · Family Resemblance BasicsFlashcards9 cards
What is a kingdom, in biology?1 / 9
A kingdom is one of the largest groups scientists use to sort living things. Every living thing on Earth belongs to one of five kingdoms, based on features they share.
Biology · L2 · The Five Kingdoms
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Biology · L2 · The Five KingdomsFlashcards8 cards
What does 'classification' mean in biology?1 / 8
Classification means sorting living things into groups based on features they share, such as how they get food, how many cells they have, or what their bodies are made of.
Biology · L2 · Why We Classify Living Things
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Biology · L2 · Why We Classify Living ThingsFlashcards10 cards
What is a microorganism?1 / 10
A microorganism is a living thing so small you need a microscope to see it. Bacteria, viruses, and many fungi are all microorganisms.
Biology · L2 · Bacteria: Helpful and Harmful
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Biology · L2 · Bacteria: Helpful and HarmfulFlashcards10 cards
What is a virus?1 / 10
A virus is a microscopic particle that can only reproduce by invading a living cell. On its own, outside a host, a virus cannot grow or make copies of itself.
Biology · L2 · Viruses and Fungi
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Biology · L2 · Viruses and FungiFlashcards10 cards
What is the main job of a plant's roots?1 / 10
Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil, and they anchor the plant firmly in place so it doesn't fall over or get blown away.
Biology · L2 · Roots, Stems, and Leaves
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Biology · L2 · Roots, Stems, and LeavesFlashcards10 cards
What is the main job of a flower?1 / 10
A flower is the part of a plant where reproduction happens — it produces the seeds that will grow into new plants.
Biology · L2 · Flowers, Pollination, and Seeds
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Biology · L2 · Flowers, Pollination, and SeedsFlashcards10 cards
What is an organism?1 / 10
An organism is any single living thing — one oak tree, one rabbit, one bacterium. It is the smallest unit we talk about when describing ecosystems.
Biology · L2 · Ecosystem Vocabulary: Smallest to Biggest
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Biology · L2 · Ecosystem Vocabulary: Smallest to BiggestFlashcards10 cards
What is a biome?1 / 10
A biome is a large region of the world defined by its climate, and home to the particular plants and animals adapted to survive there.
Biology · L2 · Major Biomes of the World
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Biology · L2 · Major Biomes of the WorldFlashcards10 cards
What is a physical adaptation?1 / 10
A physical adaptation is a body feature an organism is born with that helps it survive in its environment, such as its color, shape, or body parts.
Biology · L2 · Physical Adaptations
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Biology · L2 · Physical AdaptationsFlashcards10 cards
What is a behavioral adaptation?1 / 10
A behavioral adaptation is something an animal does — an action or behavior, rather than a body feature — that helps it survive or reproduce in its environment.
Biology · L2 · Behavioral Adaptations
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Biology · L2 · Behavioral AdaptationsFlashcards10 cards
What is the first stage of human life, right after birth?1 / 10
Infancy. An infant is a baby, usually from birth to about age one or two, who grows and changes very quickly.
Biology · L2 · The Stages of Human Life
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Biology · L2 · The Stages of Human LifeFlashcards9 cards
Do all animals take the same amount of time to grow into adults?1 / 9
No. Different animal species grow up at very different speeds — some reach adulthood in weeks, while others take many years.
Biology · L2 · Comparing Growth Across Animals
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Biology · L2 · Comparing Growth Across AnimalsFlashcards10 cards
What is a germ?1 / 10
A germ is a general name for a tiny living thing that can cause disease. Bacteria and viruses are the two most common kinds of germs.
Biology · L2 · Germs: Bacteria and Viruses
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Biology · L2 · Germs: Bacteria and VirusesFlashcards10 cards
What is the immune system?1 / 10
The immune system is the group of body parts and cells that work together to defend your body against germs and other harmful invaders.
Biology · L2 · Your Body's Defenses
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Biology · L2 · Your Body's DefensesFlashcards9 cards
What is the cornea, and what does it do?1 / 9
The cornea is the clear, curved covering at the very front of the eye. It bends (refracts) light as it enters, starting the process of focusing an image.
Biology · L2 · The Eye: Structure and Vision
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Biology · L2 · The Eye: Structure and VisionFlashcards9 cards
What is the eardrum?1 / 9
The eardrum is a thin, tightly stretched membrane at the end of the ear canal. It vibrates when sound waves hit it, passing those vibrations deeper into the ear.
Biology · L2 · The Ear, Skin, and Other Senses
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Biology · L2 · The Ear, Skin, and Other SensesFlashcards10 cards
Is skin actually an organ? Why or why not?1 / 10
Yes — skin is the body's largest organ. It is made of living tissue with specific jobs to do, just like the heart or stomach, so scientists count it as an organ.
Biology · L2 · The Skin: An Organ That Protects and Cools
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Biology · L2 · The Skin: An Organ That Protects and CoolsFlashcards10 cards
What is the kidneys' main job?1 / 10
The kidneys filter waste and extra water out of the blood, forming urine to carry that waste out of the body.
Biology · L2 · Kidneys and the Urinary System
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Biology · L2 · Kidneys and the Urinary SystemFlashcards10 cards
What is a hormone?1 / 10
A hormone is a chemical messenger. A gland makes it and releases it into the blood, which carries it around the body to the cells and organs it affects.
Biology · L2 · What Are Hormones?
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Biology · L2 · What Are Hormones?Flashcards10 cards
What does the pancreas do in the endocrine system?1 / 10
The pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which controls the level of sugar in the blood.
Biology · L2 · Key Glands and Their Jobs
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Biology · L2 · Key Glands and Their JobsFlashcards10 cards
What is puberty?1 / 10
Puberty is the stage of life when a child's body gradually changes into an adult body. It includes growing taller, developing new physical features, and the reproductive system maturing so that it becomes capable of reproduction later in life.
Biology · L2 · Puberty and Growing Up
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Biology · L2 · Puberty and Growing UpFlashcards8 cards
In simple terms, what is the reproductive system's job in the body?1 / 8
Its job is to make reproduction possible — that is, to allow living things to produce offspring, which is how a species continues from one generation to the next.
Biology · L2 · The Reproductive System's Basic Job
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Biology · L2 · The Reproductive System's Basic JobFlashcards10 cards
What is a pigment?1 / 10
A pigment is a chemical that absorbs some colors of light and reflects others. The color a pigment reflects is the color we see.
Biology · L2 · Chlorophyll and the Hidden Pigments
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Biology · L2 · Chlorophyll and the Hidden PigmentsFlashcards8 cards
What two environmental changes trigger a leaf to start changing color in autumn?1 / 8
Shorter days (less sunlight) and cooler temperatures signal to the tree that autumn has arrived and it is time to stop making chlorophyll.
Biology · L2 · Why Leaves Change Color in Autumn
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Biology · L2 · Why Leaves Change Color in AutumnFlashcards9 cards
What is animal communication?1 / 9
Animal communication is the sending and receiving of signals between animals that share information, such as where food is, whether danger is near, or who wants to be a mate.
Biology · L2 · Sound and Movement Signals in Animals
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Biology · L2 · Sound and Movement Signals in AnimalsFlashcards9 cards
What is body language, as a form of animal communication?1 / 9
Body language is a message an animal sends through its posture, movements, or facial expression, without using sound at all.
Biology · L2 · Body Language and Visual Signals in Animals
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Biology · L2 · Body Language and Visual Signals in AnimalsFlashcards10 cards
What is a nutrient?1 / 10
A nutrient is a substance in food that your body uses to grow, get energy, repair itself, and stay healthy. Different foods provide different nutrients, which is why eating a variety of foods matters.
Biology · L2 · The Six Nutrient Groups
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Biology · L2 · The Six Nutrient GroupsFlashcards10 cards
What does it mean to eat a "balanced diet"?1 / 10
A balanced diet means eating a variety of foods from all the different food groups, in the right amounts, so your body gets every nutrient it needs — not too much of one thing and not too little of another.
Biology · L2 · Building a Balanced Meal
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Biology · L2 · Building a Balanced Meal