Health Science Glossary

Hi, my name is mashal. I live in Laval. I go to Montmorency College and my field of study is Health Science. My glossary could be usefull for a large number  of students not only in Health Science but in other  programmes, because it covers a large number of subjects. For example, Chemisrty, Biologie, Mathematic and physic. These subjects are very usfull to a lot of students.

cell

the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, typically microscopic and consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane. Microscopic organisms typically consist of a single cell, which is either eukaryotic or prokaryotic.

DNA

deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.

atom

the basic unit of a chemical element.

molecule

a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.

energy

the property of matter and radiation that is manifest as a capacity to perform work (such as causing motion or the interaction of molecules).

chromosome

a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.

periodic table

a table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number, usually in rows, so that elements with similar atomic structure (and hence similar chemical properties) appear in vertical columns.

gravity

the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. For most purposes Newton's laws of gravity apply, with minor modifications to take the general theory of relativity into account.

radioactivity

the emission of ionizing radiation or particles caused by the spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei.

laboratory

a room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or teaching, or for the manufacture of drugs or chemicals.

fossil

the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.

gene

(in informal use) a unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.

protein

any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that consist of large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms, especially as structural components of body tissues such as muscle, hair, collagen, etc., and as enzymes and antibodies.

carbohydrate

any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose. They contain hydrogen and oxygen in the same ratio as water (2:1) and typically can be broken down to release energy in the animal body.

fat

any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat.

mineral

an inorganic substance needed by the human body for good health.

pi

the numerical value of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter (approximately 3.14159).

neuron

a specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.

hemoglobin

a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood of vertebrates. Its molecule comprises four subunits, each containing an iron atom bound to a heme group.

 vitamin

any of a group of organic compounds that are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.

optical

operating in or employing the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

tissue

any of the distinct types of material of which animals or plants are made, consisting of specialized cells and their products.

organe

part of an organism that is typically self-contained and has a specific vital function, such as the heart or liver in humans.

particle

a hypothetical object having mass but no physical size.

temperature

the degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object, especially as expressed according to a comparative scale and shown by a thermometer or perceived by touch.

pressure

the continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by something in contact with it.

lava

hot molten or semifluid rock erupted from a volcano or fissure, or solid rock resulting from cooling of this.

proton

a stable subatomic particle occurring in all atomic nuclei, with a positive electric charge equal in magnitude to that of an electron, but of opposite sign.

Sources: Google dictionary