Intro to Biology and Classification

Vocabulary flashcards covering Unit 1 biology concepts.

Biology

the scientific study of life

Organism

An individual living thing

Cell

The most basic unit of structure and function in all organisms.

DNA

Genetic code for instructions in living organisms.

Adaptation

Long-term response to stimuli in the environment.

Homeostasis

Ability of living organisms to maintain a stable internal environment.

Metabolism

Process by which organisms obtain and use energy.

Growth

Increase in size and mass of an organism over time.

Development

Organism becoming more complex over time.

Evolve

Species' ability to change over time.

Taxonomy

Scientific study of classifying living things.

Kingdom

Broadest category in the classification system.

Phylum

Category in the classification system below Kingdom.

Class

Category in the classification system below Phylum.

Order

Category in the classification system below Class.

Family

Category in the classification system below Order.

Genus

Category in the classification system below Family.

Species

Most specific category in the classification system.

Autotroph

Organism that can make its own food.

Heterotroph

Organism that cannot make its own food.

Prokaryotic

Type of cell without a nucleus.

Eukaryotic

Type of cell with a nucleus and organelles.

Unicellular

Organism composed of a single cell.

Multicellular

Organism composed of multiple cells.

Asexual Reproduction

Reproductive process involving one parent.

Sexual Reproduction

Reproductive process involving two parents.

Binomial Nomenclature

System of naming organisms with two names: genus and species.

Dichotomous

Key step by step approach to identify an organism using a series of paired descriptions.

Science

An organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world.

Scientific Method

A series of steps followed to solve problems including making observations, asking a question, forming a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, and drawing conclusions.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction of the answer to a question, written in the format: 'if [independent variable], then [dependent variable]'.

Variables

Factors in an experiment that can be changed, with the independent variable being manipulated and the dependent variable being observed.

Qualitative

A descriptive measurement using terms like 'more', 'large', or 'blue'.

Quantitative

A measurement with numbers, such as '5.63 centimeters' or '7.5 minutes'.

Control group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the independent variable, used for comparison.

Constants

Factors in an experiment that remain unchanged to isolate the effect of the independent variable.

Recording Data

The process of collecting and organizing data in a data table, ensuring proper labeling and units.

Graphing

A visual representation of data using graphs like bar graphs and line graphs to analyze results.

Bar graph

A type of graph used to compare data collected from different locations or sources.

Line graph

A type of graph used to represent continuous data over a single span of time.

Data table

A structured way of organizing data with columns for different conditions of the independent variable and rows for different trials.

Conclusion

A summary of the experiment including its purpose, hypothesis, procedure, variables, data summary, conclusions, uncertainties, and new questions.

Independent Variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

Dependent Variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.