Ch. 6 Vocabulary words

Organelle-meaning "mini-organ"; each part of a cell with a specific job to do
Plasma membrane-a thin outer covering of both animal and plant cells, and it defines the boundary of the cell and regulates the traffic of chemicals between the cell and its surroundings.
Nucleus-houses the cell's genetic material in the form of DNA
Cytoplasm-the entire region of the cell between the nucleus and the plasma membrane; consists of various organelles suspended in a fluid
Cell wall-protects the plant cell and maintains its shape
Prokaryotic cell-lacks a nucleus and most other organelles; includes bacteria and another group of organisms called the archaea
Eukaryotic cell-has a nucleus surrounded by its own membrane, and has other internal organelles bounded by membranes; protists, fungi, plants, and animals consist of eukaryotic cells
Diffusion-the net movement of the particles of a substance from where they are more concentrated to where they are less concentrated
Equilibrium-balance
Selectively permeable membrane-allows some substances to cross the membrane more easily than others and blocks the passge of some substances altogether.