Chapter 1 Biology: The Study of Life

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions from Chapter 1: Biology: The Study of Life, including the characteristics of life, hierarchical biological organization, evolution, taxonomy, domains, and scientific methodology.

Biology

The scientific study of life.

Biodiversity

The diversity of life.

Cell

The basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms.

Emergent Property

A new property that acquired at each level of biological organization as biological complexity increases.

Atom

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

Molecule

A union of two or more atoms of the same or different elements.

Tissue

A group of cells with a common structure and function.

Organ

Composed of tissues functioning together for a specific task.

Organ System

Composed of several organs working together.

Organism

An individual biological entity; complex individuals contain organ systems.

Species

A group of similar, interbreeding organisms.

Population

All the members of a species (organisms of the same species) within a particular area.

Community

A collection of interacting populations in a particular area or environment.

Ecosystem

A community plus its physical environment.

Biosphere

The zone of air, land, and water where organisms exist.

Energy

The capacity to do work.

Metabolism

All the chemical reactions that occur in a cell.

Photosynthesis

A process that converts solar energy into the chemical energy of carbohydrates.

Producers

Organisms, such as plants and algae, that capture solar energy and perform photosynthesis.

Consumers

Organisms, such as animals and fungi, that obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of internal conditions within certain boundaries.

Adaptation

Any modification that makes an organism better able to function in a particular environment.

Evolution

The change in a population of organisms over time to become more suited to the environment.

Natural Selection

The evolutionary mechanism proposed by Charles Darwin in which some aspect of the environment selects which traits are more apt to be passed on to the next generation.

Mutations

Changes that fuel natural selection by introducing variations among members of a population.

Taxonomy

The discipline of biology that identifies, names, and classifies organisms according to certain rules.

Systematics

The study of evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Binomial Nomenclature

A two-part universal Latin-based naming system for organisms, consisting of the genus (capitalized) and the species designation (lowercase).

Domain Archaea

A domain containing unicellular prokaryotes that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and live in extreme environments probably similar to primitive Earth.

Domain Bacteria

A domain containing unicellular prokaryotes that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and live in all environments.

Domain Eukarya

A domain containing unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes that possess a membrane-bound nucleus.

Scientific Method

A standard series of steps used in gaining new knowledge through research.

Observation

The formal way of seeing what happens using the five senses, instruments, or prior studies.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation for what was observed; a testable educated guess.

Inductive Reasoning

Reasoning that uses creative thinking to combine isolated facts into a cohesive whole, often used to formulate a hypothesis.

Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning utilized to make a prediction or expected outcome of an experiment.

Experimental Variable

The factor being tested in an experiment that is deliberately changed; also called the independent variable.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that goes through all aspects of the procedure but is not exposed to the experimental variable.

Test Group

A group in an experiment that is exposed to the experimental variable.

Data

The observable and objective results of an experiment.

Scientific Theory

Concepts that join together two or more well-supported and related hypotheses, backed by a broad range of observations, experiments, and data.

Scientific Principle / Law

A widely accepted set of theories with no serious challenges to its validity.

Cell Theory

The biological theory stating that all organisms are composed of cells, and new cells come only from preexisting cells.