Year 7 Science: Cells Revised May, 2021

Cells: Vocabulary
Word Meaning

Microscope Instrument used to make very small things look bigger

Cell The smallest unit of a living thing that can remain alive; the ‘building blocks’ of a
living thing

Organelle Smaller, specialised structure within a cell

Nucleus Large, dark component in a cell which controls what it does; contains DNA

Cell membrane Thin layer that surrounds a cell; it controls what goes in and out of the cell

Cytosol The jelly-like fluid that fills a cell

Cytoplasm The cytosol and the organelles in it

Mitochondrion Organelle which carries out cellular respiration to provide energy for cell
(plural is mitochondria)

Ribosome Tiny organelle which makes proteins

Vacuole Organelle that may store food, water or wastes

Aerobic cellular respiration A chemical reaction with oxygen that releases energy stored in glucose

Unicellular organism A living thing made up of only one cell

Multicellular organism A living thing made up of many cells

Tissue A group of identical cells which perform the same function

Organ A group of tissues that work together to complete a common task

Organ system A group of organs that work together to achieve a common purpose
Year 7 Science: Cells Revised May, 2021

Cells: Vocabulary
Word Meaning
Microscope Instrument used to make very small things look bigger

Cell The smallest unit of a living thing that can remain alive; the ‘building blocks’ of a
living thing

Organelle Smaller, specialised structure within a cell

Nucleus Large, dark component in a cell which controls what it does; contains DNA

Cell membrane Thin layer that surrounds a cell; it controls what goes in and out of the cell

Cytosol The jelly-like fluid that fills a cell

Cytoplasm The cytosol and the organelles in it

Mitochondrion Organelle which carries out cellular respiration to provide energy for cell
(plural is mitochondria)

Ribosome Tiny organelle which makes proteins

Vacuole Organelle that may store food, water or wastes

Aerobic cellular respiration A chemical reaction with oxygen that releases energy stored in glucose

Unicellular organism A living thing made up of only one cell

Multicellular organism A living thing made up of many cells

Tissue A group of identical cells which perform the same function

Organ A group of tissues that work together to complete a common task

Organ system A group of organs that work together to achieve a common purpose