WSC Biology 101 - Chapter 1 Review Questions

What is biology?

Biology is the study of living and dead organisms and how they are similar and different with each other.

Summarize the characteristics of living organisms into four major points.

1. Metabolism

2. Made up of cells

3. Contain and pass on genetic info

4. Ability to evolve, adapt

When did earth first form? How long has life been on earth? How long has multi-celled life been on earth? How long have Homo sapiens been on earth?

~4.5 billion years ago. Life has been on earth for 4 billion years. Multi-celled life has been on earth for about 1 billion years. Homo sapiens have been on earth for 500,000 years.

What are cells?

Basic unit of life, simple structures that make up organisms (prokaryotes: plasma membrane, cytoplasm, genetic material)

What type of cells are likely to have been the first cells present on earth? For how long on earth were these the only cells present?

Prokaryotes, for about 2 to 1.5 billion years

What biological process allowed for an increase in oxygen gas in the earth'satmosphere? Why was this increase in oxygen significant to life on earth?

Photosynthesis. This change allowed for aerobic respiration which helped to create larger organisms and they became more efficient at their jobs. It helped the evolution process of organisms.

What features characterize eukaryotic cells?

Internal membranes called organelles, help them to specialize in functions. They had a nucleus and also plasma membrane, cytoplasm, genetic material.

What did cellular specialization allow organisms to do?

It allowed organisms to specialize for certain tasks, making them more efficient in the process, they became bigger as well.

What is DNA? What is a gene? What is a genome?

DNA is a structure in cells that contains the genetic material of that cell. It is the reason for an organism's appearance and way of functionally. A gene is a specific part of the DNA strand. It is a hereditary trait. A genome is the total of DNA in an organism.

How is DNA life's blueprint? (explain transcription and translation)

DNA transcribes genetic info to RNA which sets up the framework for the creation of proteins. Through a process of translation the RNA synthesizes the amino acids in to proteins.

What is a 'population' and how do they evolve?

A particular group of the same organisms that interbreed. They can evolve through natural selection.

What makes up a species scientific name?

genus and species (called a binomial)

What are the three major groupings of current life? Why is life separated into these three domains?

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. The extent of difference between DNA of these groups brought them into three different domains. Where humans, for instance, are most closely really to organism in that specific group like fungi, for example.

How can all species on earth be genetically related? What evidence suggests this relationship?

Through a common ancestor, similarities between organisms.

What distinguishes science from other methods used to understand our world? Is science the only way to understand our world? Is science the best way tounderstand our world? Explain!

Science answer the question "How." It is used to objectively understand how our world came to be. It doesn't answer the question of why. It is a great method to understand but it is hard to say if it is the best method or not.

Why is biological research important to human society?

It helps humans to have more control of the environment, health, society through understanding of how the world works.