Biology: Evolution, Taxonomy/Phylogeny, and Chemistry Concepts (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering evolution, taxonomy/phylogeny, emergent properties, biological hierarchy, basic chemistry concepts, isotopes, and isomerism as presented in the notes.

Evolution

Change over time in a population.

Lamarck

Proposed acquired characteristics as a mechanism for evolution (later overturned).

Darwin

Proposed natural selection as the mechanism of evolution; described in On the Origin of Species (1859).

Descent with modification

Idea that species descend from common ancestors with heritable variation.

Natural selection

Differential reproductive success due to variation among individuals.

On the Origin of Species

Darwin's 1859 book outlining evolution by natural selection.

Domain

The highest taxonomic rank in the classification of life.

Eukarya

Domain of organisms with eukaryotic cells.

Kingdom

Second-highest taxonomic rank in the classification system.

Animalia

Kingdom comprising animals.

Phylum

Taxonomic rank below kingdom.

Chordata

Phylum including animals with a notochord.

Class

Taxonomic rank below phylum.

Mammalia

Class consisting of mammals.

Order

Taxonomic rank below class.

Carnivora

Order that includes carnivorous mammals.

Family

Taxonomic rank below order.

Canidae

Family that includes dogs, wolves, and foxes.

Genus

Taxonomic rank below family.

Vulpes

Genus that includes true foxes.

Species

Basic unit of biological classification; group that can interbreed.

vulpes

Species epithet (lowercase) in the binomial name Vulpes vulpes.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationships among organisms.

Most recent common ancestor

The most recent ancestor shared by all members of a group.

Emergent properties

Novel properties that appear at higher levels of the biological hierarchy.

Atom

The basic unit of an element; composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Molecule

Two or more atoms bonded together.

Organelle

Specialized subunit within a cell with a specific function.

Cell

Fundamental unit of life.

Tissue

A group of similar cells performing a common function.

Organ

Structure composed of tissues that performs a specific function.

Organ system

Group of organs that work together to perform a larger function.

Organism

Individual living being.

Population

All individuals of a species living in a particular area.

Community

All populations of different species in a given area.

Ecosystem

Biological community and its physical environment.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems; Earth as a whole.

Estradiol

A form of estrogen; steroid hormone influencing female biology.

Testosterone

A steroid hormone influencing male traits and reproductive function.

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down by chemical means into simpler substances.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

Radioisotope

A radioactive isotope that undergoes decay.

Half-life

Time required for half of a radioactive substance to decay.

Carbon-12

Stable carbon isotope with 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

Carbon-13

Carbon isotope with 6 protons and 7 neutrons.

Carbon-14

Radioactive carbon isotope with 6 protons and 8 neutrons; used in dating.

Structural isomer

Isomers with the same formula but different covalent arrangement.

Cis-trans isomer

Isomers around a double bond with different spatial arrangement.

Enantiomer

Non-superimposable mirror-image isomer; chiral.

Chiral

Describes a molecule that is not superimposable on its mirror image.