Chapter 1: Biology and the Tree of Life Review

Flashcards for reviewing Chapter 1: Biology and the Tree of Life, covering fundamental characteristics of life, key scientific definitions, the theory of evolution, and the classification of organisms.

What are the fundamental characteristics or properties of life?

The ability to replicate, process information, acquire and use energy, and are made of cells, and evolved by natural selection.

What is a scientific theory?

An explanation for a general phenomenon or observation that is supported by a large body of evidence.

What is a hypothesis?

A testable statement that explains a phenomenon or set of observations.

What is a prediction in scientific inquiry?

A measurable or observable result that must be correct if a hypothesis is valid.

What is the theory of evolution by natural selection?

A theory stating that species change over time due to differential survival and reproduction of individuals, resulting in descent with modification.

What is the effect of natural selection on a population?

It causes evolutionary changes by increasing the frequency of advantageous traits that enhance survival and reproduction within a population.

What are evolutionary changes?

Changes in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations, brought about by mechanisms like natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow.

What is a population in biology?

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time.

Define artificial selection.

A form of selection in which humans actively choose which traits should be passed onto offspring, often for desired characteristics in plants or animals.

What does fitness mean in biology?

The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce viable offspring relative to other individuals in the population.

What is speciation?

The evolutionary process by which new biological species arise.

What is the 'tree of life'?

A phylogenetic tree that illustrates the evolutionary relationships among all different forms of life on Earth.

What is phylogeny?

The evolutionary history of a group of organisms.

What are the three major domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya (Eukaryotes).

What is Taxonomy?

The scientific discipline focused on naming and classifying organisms.

What two parts make up the scientific name of an organism?

The genus and the species.