Biology Chapter 1: Evolution and the Process of Science

Flashcards covering evolution, domains of life, biological kingdoms, and the methodology of scientific inquiry.

Evolution

Descent with modification; the idea that living species are descendants of ancestral species that were different from the present-day ones and the change in genetic composition.

Domain Bacteria

One of the three domains of life, consisting of bacteria.

Domain Archaea

A domain of life consisting of prokaryotes often found in extreme environments, such as high temperatures.

Domain Eukarya

The domain of life that includes Kingdom Plantae, Kingdom Fungi, Protists, and Kingdom Animalia.

Kingdom Plantae

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotes that produce sugars and other food molecules by photosynthesis.

Kingdom Fungi

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotes that absorb dissolved nutrients from decomposing organic matter.

Kingdom Animalia

A kingdom of multicellular eukaryotes that obtain energy-providing nutrients by ingesting and digesting other organisms.

Natural Selection

The mechanism of evolution where only some traits get passed from parent to offspring to benefit survival, involving genetic variation and differential reproductive success.

Adaptive Radiation (or Divergent Evolution)

The process where species come from a common ancestor and spread out to survive, such as Darwin's finches.

Homologous Structures

Shared anatomy in different species, such as bat wings, human arms, and whale flippers, reflecting inheritance from a common ancestor.

Inquiry

The search for information and explanations of natural phenomena.

Quantitative Data

Numerical recordings of data often presented in tables and graphs.

Qualitative Data

Descriptions of what is observed, such as Jane Goodall's observations of chimpanzee behavior.

Inductive Reasoning

Deriving generalizations from a large number of specific observations; reasoning from the specific to the general.

Deductive Reasoning

Logic that flows from the general to the specific, often taking the form of "If… then…" predictions to test a hypothesis.

Independent Variable

The single factor being tested and manipulated in a controlled experiment.

Dependent Variable

The factor being measured in an experiment to determine the effect of the independent variable.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that does not contain the independent variable and is used for comparison to know the results of the experiment.

Theory

In science, a concept broader in scope than a hypothesis, general enough to lead to new testable hypotheses, and supported by a large body of evidence.

Interdependence of Science and Technology

The relationship where the goal of technology is to apply scientific knowledge for a specific purpose, and scientists use new technology in their research.

Emergent Properties

The concept reflective of the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Enzymes

Organic catalysts that regulate chemical reactions within cells.

Taxonomy

The branch of biology concerned with the naming and classifying of organisms.

Universality of the Genetic Code

A key piece of evidence providing proof of the common ancestry of all life.

Evolutionary Success

Determined by an organism's ability to leave offspring that survive to reproduce themselves.

Discovery Science

A method of scientific inquiry that describes natural structures and processes as accurately as possible through careful observation and inductive reasoning.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation that can be tested and is falsifiable.