intro to biology

scientific law

statement that describes what occurs under certain conditions in nature

scientific theory

broad explanation of events

independent variable

variable that manipulates the dependant variable, what the scientist is changing

dependent variable

variable that changes based upon the independent variable, the result, what the scientist is measuring

control variable

variable that stays the same

prokaryotes

unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus, bacteria and archaea

eukaryotes

multicellular (sometimes unicellular) organisms that contain a nucleus, eukarya

eukarya kingdoms

animalia, plantae, fungi, protista

taxonomy

science of classifying organism, helps us understand diversity and evolutionary history

properties of life

order, response to environment - stimuli, reproduction, adaptation, growth, regulation and homeostasis, energy and processing, evolution

bacteria

microscopic single-cell prokaryotic organisms that lack membrane bound organelles and a nucleus, can grow in any kind of environment

archaea

unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus, found in extreme environments

eukarya

unicellular or multicellular organisms that contain a nucleus

viruses

not made of cells, not eukaryote or prokaryote, no domain or kingdom, cannot replicate without help (but they have nucleic acids and can evolve)

protist

eukaryotic organisms that prefer aquatic and moist environments, motile, three appendages for movement: flagella, cilia, psuedopods

fungi

heterotrophic eukayotes that release nutrients and make nutritious food for other organisms, contain cell walls made of chitin, prefer aquatic or terrestrial environments, ex. yeast, mold, mushrooms

plants

eukaryotic autotrophs that have chloroplasts and cell walls, able to photosynthesize

animals

eukaryotic heterotrophic organisms that have no cell walls

cell wall

provide stucture and protection to plant cells, made of cellulose

hypothesis

prediction of a scientific experiment