Vocabulary
Key Concepts
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
100
Metabolism
the body’s use of molecules for energy and growth
100
A functioning human body has molecules from _________ (glucose and amino acid) and molecules from __________ (oxygen) in its cells.
food, air
100
Why does Elisa feel tired all the time?
Elisa’s cells are not getting the molecules from food like glucose and amino acids and oxygen molecules from air that she needs, into her cells.
100
What is happening in Elisa’s body that could be preventing molecules from getting to her cells?
Elisa has diabetes. Elisa’s cells are getting enough oxygen and amino acids, but not enough glucose.
100
How do molecules in the cells of the body release energy?
Glucose and oxygen combine in cells to release energy.
200
Molecules
a group of atoms joined together in a particular way
200
Cells can only use _____________ that are small enough to enter a cell.
molecules
200
An athlete thinks that she can exercise as long as she eats different types of food because her body just needs different types of food molecules to work properly. Is the athlete correct?
No, all cells need molecules from food and molecules from air to work properly.
200
Marisol has been chewing and swallowing her food, but her digestive system is not doing what it usually does. Why is this a problem for her ability to exercise?
Her cells will not work well because molecules from her food are not being broken down small enough to get to her cells.
200
Doctors tested a patient and found her cells contained normal levels of amino acids, normal levels of oxygen molecules, and low levels of glucose molecules. Will this patient be able to exercise normally?
No, her cells need glucose to react with oxygen to release energy.
300
Glucose
a molecule that organisms can use to release energy, and that is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms
300
The _____________ system brings in oxygen molecules from the ___________
respiratory, air
300
What is one way doctors will be able to tell whether an ocean scientist's body is healthy enough to do all her tasks while she is in the submarine?
The doctors could see if her cells are getting the molecules they need from food and air.
300
Which of these patients’ bodies are NOT working well enough to exercise normally? 
R. Frost and A. Kim
300
A patient has been eating healthy foods, but his digestive system is not doing what it usually does. Can this patient still exercise normally?
No, molecules from food are not getting broken down small enough to get inside his cells.
400
Oxygen
a molecule that organisms get from the air or water around them and use to release energy
400
The ___________ system brings in food and breaks it down into smaller molecules, such as __________ and ____________.
digestive, glucose and amino acids
400
If a person is breathing normally, which of the following could prevent him from using his body to exercise normally?
not eating enough food, because cells need molecules from both food and air to work
400
Raoul feels tired, so his doctor gave him a test and found that Raoul’s cells contained glucose molecules, but they did not contain enough oxygen molecules. Does this explain why Raoul feels tired?
Yes, his respiratory system is working, but his digestive system is not getting energy from combining glucose molecules.
400
Doctors tested a patient and found his cells contained normal levels of glucose molecules and amino acid molecules, and low levels of oxygen molecules. Will this patient be able to exercise normally?
No, his respiratory system is not working; his cells need oxygen to react with glucose, which releases energy.
500
Mitochondria
the power house of the cell; where energy is made
500
The ____________ system transports glucose, oxygen, and amino acid molecules to every _________ in the body
circulatory, cell
500
Rico, a scuba diver, uses breathing gear to help him breathe air underwater. He always gets enough sleep and eats a good breakfast before a dive. What could happen if his breathing gear broke during a dive and he could not breathe as much air as usual?
It would be difficult to swim, because his cells cannot work without molecules from air.
500
The test report above shows the level of molecules in different parts of the patient's body. What does this test indicate about how her body systems are working?
Her body systems are working properly.
500
Two teams of scientists hiked 10 kilometers to different study sites. Before their hike, the Valley team ate a lunch of mostly protein. The Mountain team ate a lunch of a mix of starch and protein, but hiked at high altitude, where there is much less oxygen. Which team probably had an easier time hiking?
Neither team had an easy time hiking; the Valley team’s cells needed more glucose from broken-down starch for a reaction, and the Mountain team’s cells needed more oxygen from air.
600
Amino Acid
molecules that are the building blocks of proteins
600
In a functioning human body, body systems work together to deliver ___________, ___________, and ____________ molecules to the cells in the body
glucose, amino acid, and oxygen
600
The space exploration program has hired you for advice on how to keep astronauts healthy in the space shuttle. How can the program's doctors make sure the astronauts’ bodies work well enough to exercise in space?
The doctors could make sure the astronauts’ cells are getting the molecules they need from food and air.
600
Some types of syrup are almost entirely made of glucose molecules. If a person ate some syrup like this, what would happen to her ability to exercise? Would their digestive system work harder?
Nothing would happen to her ability to exercise, but her digestive system would not work as hard, since glucose is already small enough to get to her cells.
600
Doctors tested a patient and found that his cells contained normal levels of oxygen and glucose molecules, and no starch molecules. Will this patient be able to exercise normally?
Yes, the glucose and oxygen molecules can react together to release energy for the body to function.
700
Proteins
large molecules made up of amino acids that perform important functions inside living things
700
A problem with a body ________ can result in fewer oxygen, glucose, and/or amino acid molecules getting to the body’s ____________.
system, cell
700
Some problems with the digestive system make it very difficult for the body to digest enough food. Why would it be harder to exercise when you have a digestion problem like this?
Your cells would have molecules from air, but would not get enough molecules from food.
700
The test report above shows the level of molecules in different parts of the patient’s body. How would you expect this patient to do on an exercise test? 
Poorly; his digestive system is not breaking down molecules from food into glucose.
700
Two soccer teams, the Bears and the Panthers, played games at the same time in two different locations. The Bears game was played at sea level, where there is a normal amount of oxygen. Before their game, the players on the Bears ate a lunch of mostly starch. The Panthers game was played at very high altitude, where there is less oxygen. The players on the Panthers ate a lunch of starch and protein. Which team probably did better in their game?
The Bears probably did better because their cells released energy from oxygen reacting with glucose, which was broken down from starch in the digestive system.
800
Stratch
A type of energy storage molecule made of many glucose molecules connected together
800
In order to release energy, cells need both _________ and _________ molecules.
glucose and oxygen
800
A student thinks that the human body only works properly when cells are getting molecules from food and molecules from air. Is the student correct?
Yes, the body only works when cells get molecules from food and molecules from air.
800
Stella’s respiratory system is not working well. Why is this a problem for her ability to exercise?
Her cells will not work well when they have low levels of oxygen.
800
Doctors tested a patient to find out what molecules were in her cells. Her cells contained normal levels of oxygen molecules, low levels of amino acid molecules, and low levels of glucose molecules. Will this patient be able to exercise normally?
No, her cells need glucose to react with oxygen to release enough energy to exercise.
900
Chemical Reaction
a process in which atoms rearrange to form new substances
900
Inside the cell, the atoms that make up glucose and oxygen can be rearranged to make different molecules. This chemical reaction is called ______________ and releases ____________.
cellular respiration, energy
900
Asthma is a condition in which it can be very hard for a person to breathe in enough air. Would it also be difficult for someone with asthma to exercise?
Yes, it will be difficult for a person with asthma to exercise because his cells need molecules from air.
900
Jamal has been feeling tired a lot, so his doctor gave him a test that found that Jamal’s cells contained normal levels of oxygen and low levels of glucose. Does this explain why Jamal has been feeling tired?
Yes, Jamal's respiratory system is working, but his digestive system is not breaking down starch molecules into glucose for his cells.
900
A patient has been eating healthy foods, but her respiratory system is not working as well as it usually does. Can this patient still exercise normally?
No, her cells do not have enough oxygen to react with glucose and release energy.
1000
Cellular Respiration
the chemical reaction between oxygen and glucose that releases energy into cells
1000
Cells can grow and repair themselves by combining _____________ molecules to form larger __________ molecules. This growth and repair requires _________ release from cellular respiration
amino acid, protein, energy
1000
What body system and molecule(s) are affected by Asthma?
Respiratory system, oxygen
1000
What body system and molecule(s) are affected by Anemia?
Circulatory system, oxygen
1000
What body system(s) and molecule(s) are affected by an injury to the pancreas?
Digestive system, glucose and amino acid