Exploring Concepts in Biology Exam 1

Organized, metabolism, reproduce & develop, respond to environment, evolve, homeostasis

What are the six characteristics of life?

cell

the smallest unit of life; structural & functional unit of an organism

tissue

group of cells with a specific function

cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, species, population, community, ecosystem, biosystem

Name the 10 tiers of organization of life from smallest to largest.

energy

the capacity to do work

egg fertilization

How do multicellular organisms reproduce?

cell division

How do unicellular organisms reproduce?

genes

units of information within DNA passed on to offspring

deoxyribonucleic acid

What does DNA stand for?

DNA

stores genetic information in the cell and in the organism

avoiding injury, getting food, or mating

What is behavior directed towards? (3 things)

homeostasis

maintaining a constant internal environment

adaptations

features making individual organisms better suited to a particular environment

natural selection

the differential reproductive success of adapted individuals; results in changes in the characteristics of a population over time

micro-evolution

the change in frequency of traits in populations and species over time

taxonomy

identifying, grouping, and naming organisms

systematics

the study of the evolutionary relationship among organisms

domain

largest classification category of organisms

Archaea, Bacteria, & Eukarya

What are the three domains?

Bacteria, Archaea, Protists, Plants, Fungi, & Animals

What are the six kingdoms?

unicellular, prokaryotic cells

What kind of cells do organisms within the domains Archaea & Bacteria have?

prokaryotic

organisms whose cells lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.; typically smaller and simpler than eukaryotic cells

eukaryotic organisms

organisms whose cells have a membrane-bound nucleus

eukaryotic cells

What kind of cells to organisms within the domain Eukarya have?

the membrane-bound nucleus

Where are genes found in eukaryotic cells?

domain, supergroup, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

List the nine classification groupings of organisms from largest to smallest.

domain bacteria

domain of unicellular, prokaryotic microorganisms that have a distinct cell structure; can be found in soil, water, the human body, etc.; absorb, photosynthesize, or chemosynthesis food

(domain) achaea

domain of unicellular, prokaryotic microorganisms that live in extreme environments like hot springs and deep-sea hydrothermal vents; absorb or chemosynthesize food

domain eukarya

domain of all organisms that have eukaryotic cells

kingdom protista

kingdom mostly of complex single cells (sometimes filaments, colonies, or even multicellular); absorb, photosynthesize, or ingest food; includes algae, protozoans, slime molds, & water molds

kingdom plantae

kingdom that includes multicellular (usually with specialized tissues), eukaryotic organisms with cell walls made of cellulose; photosynthesis to obtain energy

kingdom fungi

kingdom that includes eukaryotic organisms that are mostly multicellular filaments with specialized, complex cells; absorb food; important roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and symbiotic relationships; ex: molds, mushrooms, yeasts, and ringworms

kingdom animalia

kingdom that includes eukaryotic, multicellular (with specialized tissues containing complex cells) organisms; injest food; ex: sponges, worms, insects, fish, etc.

*Genus species*

How should one write a scientific name?

biology

the study of life

observation, hypothesis, experiment, conclusion

What are the four broad steps of the scientific method?

technology

We observe through our senses, but we can extend our observations past our natural abilities using ____________.

inductive reasoning

specific observation used to develop general explanations, ideas, or hypotheses

hypothesis

tentative explanation for a natural event; educated guess; presented falsifiable & testable statement

deductive reasoning

prediction based on “if, then” logic

experimental design

process of planning and conducting a scientific experiment in order to test a hypothesis or answer a research question; involves determining the experimental and responding variables, selecting a sample size, and creating a control group; want to minimize bias and maximize the validity and reliability of results

experimental variable

the factor tested in an experiment

responding variable

the change as a result of an experiment

control

the group not exposed to the experimental variable; helps eliminate the possibility that results could come from complicating variables

data

the results of an experiment

standard error

aka standard deviation; statistic that measures the uncertainty of a value

statistical significance

statistic that determines whether results were due to chance

scientific theory

supported by a broad range of observations, experiments, and data

theory of evolution

What is the unifying concept of biology?

climate change, extinction, & emerging and reemerging diseases

What are three challenges facing scientists today?

climate change

long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation patterns, wind patterns, and other aspects of the Earth's climate system due to human pollution

global warming

the rise in temperature because of an increase in atmospheric CO2 and other gases due to human pollution

greenhouse effect

a side-effect of global warming in which certain gases (CO2 & CH4) in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat from the sun, radiating excess heat back to Earth and leading to an increase in the planet's temperature

biodiversity

the total number and relative abundance of species, the variability of their genes, and the different ecosystems in which they live

8.7 million

How many species are estimated to live on Earth?

extinction

the death of a species or larger classification category

emerging diseases

diseases relatively new to humans

remerging diseases

diseases that have been around for some time but were not considered a health risk due to a relatively low level of incidence in humans until recently

matter

anything that takes up space and has mass

mass

the amount of substance in an object

elements

substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means; makes up all matter (living and nonliving)

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, & Sulfur

What are the six elements that make up 95% of organisms in weight? (Hint: CHNOPS)

Na (Sodium)

element that plays a big part in animals but not plants; found in sweat and transferring nerve impulses

atom

the smallest part of an element that displays the properties of the element

protons, neutrons, & electrons

What three things are atoms made of?

protons

positively charged molecules, found in nucleus

neutron

uncharged molecules, found in nucleus

electron

negatively charged molecules, move around nucleus

isotopes

atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons

when two or more atoms of the same element bond

When do molecules form?

when two or more atoms of different elements bond

When do compounds form?

linear

Molecules with two atoms are _________.

3D

Molecules have a ______ shape that determines their biological function.

hydrogen bonding

type of bonding that occurs when a hydrogen atom, bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine), is attracted to another electronegative atom in a different molecule due to the difference in electronegativity, resulting in a partial positive charge on the hydrogen and a partial negative charge on the first electronegative atom

polar molecule

a molecule that has a partial positive charge and a partial negative charge due to an uneven distribution of electrons; asymmetrical

nonpolar molecule

a molecule in which the distribution of electrons is symmetrical, resulting in no significant positive or negative charges on different ends of the molecule

70% to 90%

Organisms are composed of ___% to ____% water.

polar

Water is a _______ molecule.

calorie

the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water 1 degree Celsius

high

Water has a _______ heat capacity.

heat capacity

the amount of heat required to change the temperature of a given amount of matter by 1°C

high

Water has a ______ heat of vaporization.

540 (calories)

Converting one gram of the hottest water to a gas requires an input of ______ calories of heat energy.

solvent

a substance that is able to dissolve other substances

solvent

Is water a solvent or solute?

solute

a substance that is dissolved in a solution

solution

a liquid mixture in which the minor component (the solute) is uniformly distributed within the major component (the solvent)

Hydrophilic (molecules)

molecules that attract water

Hydrophobic (molecules)

molecules that do not attract water

cohesion

a molecules ability to cling to other molecules

adhesion

a molecule’s ability to cling to polar surfaces due to positive and negative poles

1) high heat capacity 2) high heat of vaporization 3) solvent 4) polar 5) cohesive & adhesive 6) high surface tension 7) solid form is less dense than liquid form

What are 7 properties of water?

4 (degrees Celsius)

Water is densest at _____ degrees Celsius.

top to the bottom

Bodies of water freeze from the ______ to the _______.

acids

substances that release hydrogen ions (H+) when dissociated in water; have a pH level below 7

bases

substances that either release hydroxide ions (OH-) or take up hydrogen ions (H+); have a pH level above 7

acidity

Most water has a little bit of _______ in it.

buffer

a chemical or combination of chemicals that keep pH within normal limits

7\.4

What is the normal pH level of human blood?

Bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and carbonic acid (H2CO3)

What two molecules buffer the human blood?