Lecture 1 : Intro to Biology

What is Biology?

The scientific study of life

What is science?

The study and understanding of the natural world

Inductive Reasoning

Specific data point → generalization

Deductive Reasoning

Generalization → specific data points

Scientific Method

The process of inquiry used by scientist

Observations should be

qualitative or qualitative

A good hypothesis should be

Clear, explain the observations, can be tested, and lead to more predictions

Testing your hypothesis should include

controlled experiments and collecting data

What is a controlled experiment?

Experiments that only test one variable at a time

What is a control group?

When there is no independent variable involved during the experiment

What is a experimental group?

When the independent variable is present during the experiment

Independent Variable

Variables that change during the experiment and is typically on the x-axis

Dependent Variable

The outcome is measured at the end of the experiment and depends on the independent variable

Controlled variables

Where things stay the same throughout the experiment

What is the purpose of a controlled experiment?

To test only one variable only

What are the characteristics of life

Organisms must be complex and organized, respond and sense things, reproduce, maintain homeostasis, grow and develop, use energy, and evolve

Heterotrophs

Consume other organisms for energy

Autotrophs

Uses photosynthesis to obtain energy

What is Cellular Respiration?

It turns glucose or food into usable energy or ATP

What is photosynthesis?

Turns light energy into a form of glucose

Who performs photosynthesis?

most plants and some algae

How do plants get their energy?

They use photosynthesis to obtain glucose then cellular respirations to turn it into usable energy or ATP

Who performs cellular respiration?

Autotrophs and Heterotrophs

What is a cell?

Basic unit of life

What is unicellular?

made of one cell

What is multicellular?

made out of multiple cells

What is the main components of a call

cytosol, genetic material, nucleus, organelles, cell membrane

Prokaryotic cells

Lacks a nucleus, lacks a membrane-bound organelles, and DNA is free floating

Eukaryotic cells

Has a nucleus, membrane-bound organelles, and DNA is in the nucleus

What is emergent properties?

New characteristics that appear when small parts interact and arrange with each other

What is a gene?

portion of DNA that codes for a protein

What is an allele?

Different versions of the same genes

What is a genotype?

the genetic makeup of a organism

What is a phenotype?

observable physical and physiological traits

How many alleles do each person have for each gene?

2 alleles

How many alleles get passed on when reproduced?

1 from the male and 1 from the female