Ch 1: The Study of Life

Applied Science

A form of science that aims to solve real-world problems.

Asexual reproduction

Results in low genetic variability and is done by mitosis, binary fission.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, required energy for cells to grow, develop & reproduce.

Basic (pure) science

Science done regardless of if it can be applied to the real world.

Biological growth

Increases the size and/or number of cells.

Biology

The study of life and it’s interactions w/ one another & its environment.

Biosphere

Includes the relationship of all ecosystems. Studying this shows how impacting one ecosystem can affect others. (global warming, species extinctions)

Cell theory

1. All organisms are composed of cells

2. Have independent metabolisms

3. Can self-replicate

Cell

The most basic unit of life & the smallest biological unit that can exist on its own. These are also separated by the surrounding environment by plasma membrane.

Chloroplast

Involved in photosynthesis

Community

Populations that live together and interact.

Control group

The part of the experiment that doesn’t change

Deductive reasoning

Uses general principles in science to predict specific results.

Descriptive science

Based in inductive reasoning, this science uses observations of the natural world, exploration of new environments & discovery of new species.

Devolopment

Changes that take place during an organisms lifetime.

DNA

Genetic information passed down from parent to offspring. (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

Ecosystem

A community and the environment it’s in.

Energytransformation

Energy going from one form to another (cell respiration & fermentation)

Energy

This is required in order for the cell to move, live and regulate.

Eukaryotes

Multicellular & unicellular organisms like plants, animals, fungi & protists that have organelles enclosed by membranes & a nucleus with DNA.

Evolution

The change in DNA of a population of organisms due to change in the environment over time. Natural selection is only half of this.

Experimental group

Part of the experiment that changes. (differs from the control group by a variable)

Falsifiable

Proven false by experiments’.

Homeostasis

The regulation of an organism’s internal conditions

Hypothesis-based science

Based in deductive reasoning, it starts with a specific question or problem and a potential answer that can be tested.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation for observations or phenomena that is consistent w/ facts & can be tested (by yourself and others).

Inductive reasoning

Uses related observations to arrive to a general conclusion.

Life science

The study of living things.

Lithotroph

Energy coming from an inorganic molecule

Living?

Having an independent metabolism & being capable of reproducing.

Macromolecules

Large organic molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids & nucleic acids.

Metabolism

Regulated by special proteins called enzymes, these are all the chemical activities of the organism & all the chemical reactions that occur in the cell.

Mitochondria

Involved in cell respiration (production of ATP)

Molecules

Two or more atoms bonded together by one or more bonds.

Motility

The ability of an organism to move independently. (usually through cilia/flagella, pseudopodia or appendages)

Multicellular organisms

All plants & animals but some fungi & protists.

Natural Science

Fields of science that are related to the physical world.

Nucleus

Contains DNA

Organs

Tissues organized into functional structures.

Organ systems

Coordinated group of tissues and organs

Organelle

Structures inside of cells that have specific functions. (mainly in eukaryotes)

Organism

Individual living entities that are highly organized and composed of cells.

Organotroph

Energy coming from an organic molecule

Peer-reviewed journals

Papers that are [redacted] by other scientist in the field before its published. Publishing these results allow others to test it , furthering proving the idea.

Phototroph

Energy coming from the sun.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that represents the evolutionary relationship between various organisms based on their shared ancestry. (BAE)

Physical science

The study of nonliving matter, Ex. physics, astronomy, geology & chemistry.

Plasma membrane

Phospholipid bilayer that surrounds & protects the cell, regulates what enter & exists the cell & allows the cell to maintain homeostasis.

Population

Members of a species that live in the same area at the same time.

Prediction

Deductive product of a hypothesis.

Prokaryotic cells

Unicellular organisms in the bacteria & archaea domain that have no nucleus or membrane bound organelles.

Ribosomes

Involved in the synthesis of proteins. (lack a membrane)

Science

The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the natural and physical world.

Scientific method

A set of guidelines that must be followed so that results can be reproduced. (Observation, Research question or problem, Hypothesis, Testable predictions, Experiments, Analyze data, Conclusions)

Scientific Theory

Is an explanation of the natural world, that has been tested and is supported by substantial evidence.

Sexual reproduction

Results in high genetic variability & is done through the exchange of gametes (meiosis).

Stimuli

Organisms can respond to this either externally (photo, chemo) or internally (hormones).

Species

Populations capable of breeding w/ one another.

Systematics

Study of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

Taxonomy

Science of naming & classifying organisms.

Theory

A tested and confirmed explanation for observations or phenomena. It needs to be generally accepted but not agreed upon by everyone to be valid.

Tissue

Group of similar cells carrying out related functions. (Animals have muscles, plants have epidermis)

Unicellular organisms

Only prokaryotes and make up many fungi & protists.