BIO150 Chapter 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, levels of biological organization, genetics, domains of life, evolution, and the scientific process from BIO150 Chapter 1.

Biology

The scientific study of life.

Order

A property of life characterized by a highly organized structure, such as a sunflower's spiral seed pattern.

Evolutionary Adaptation

A property of life involving traits that help organisms survive in their environment, such as a seahorse's camouflage.

Regulation

A property of life involving the control of internal conditions, such as a jackrabbit's large ears regulating heat.

Reproduction

A property of life referring to organisms producing offspring.

Energy Processing

A property of life involving using and transforming energy, such as a butterfly feeding on nectar.

Growth and Development

A property of life characterized by an organism increasing in size and complexity.

Response to Environment

A property of life involving reacting to stimuli, such as a Venus flytrap closing on prey.

Reductionism

A strategy in biology where complex systems are reduced to simpler components to make them more manageable to study.

Systems Biology

An approach that explores a biological system by analyzing the interactions among its parts.

Biosphere

All life on Earth and all places where life exists.

Ecosystem

All living organisms in an area along with the non-living components with which they interact.

Communities

An array of organisms inhabiting a particular ecosystem.

Population

All individuals of a species living within a specific area.

Organism

An individual living thing.

Organs and Organ Systems

Body parts consisting of multiple tissues that carry out particular functions.

Tissues

A group of cells working together for a specific function.

Cells

Life's fundamental unit of structure and function.

Organelles

Functional components within cells.

Molecules

A chemical structure consisting of two or more atoms.

Emergent Properties

Novel properties that emerge at each biological level and are absent from the preceding level, arising from the arrangement and interaction of parts as complexity increases.

Cell Theory

The theory that all living things are made of at least one cell and that the cell is the smallest unit of life capable of performing all required activities.

Prokaryotic Cell

A type of cell that is smaller, has no true nucleus, and contains fewer, simpler organelles.

Eukaryotic Cell

A type of cell that is larger, has a true nucleus, and contains many complex organelles.

Chromosomes

Structures that contain a cell's genetic material.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; the genetic material of an organism.

Genes

Units of inheritance consisting of stretches of DNA along a chromosome.

Gene Expression

The process of converting information from a gene to its cellular product (a functional protein).

Genome

An organism's entire set of genetic instructions.

Proteome

The entire set of proteins expressed by a cell, tissue, or organism.

Central Dogma

The pathway of gene expression represented as DNA → RNA → Protein.

Feedback Regulation

A process in which the output or product of a process regulates that very process.

Negative Feedback

A regulatory mechanism in which the response reduces the initial stimulus.

Positive Feedback

A regulatory mechanism in which the end product speeds up its own production.

Domain Bacteria

A domain of prokaryotic organisms comprising the most diverse and widespread prokaryotes.

Domain Archaea

A domain of prokaryotic organisms consisting of multiple kingdoms known for living in extreme environments.

Domain Eukarya

A domain comprising eukaryotic organisms that possess a true nucleus, divided into four kingdoms.

Kingdom Plantae

Multicellular eukaryotes that carry out photosynthesis and mostly live on land.

Kingdom Animalia

Multicellular eukaryotes that ingest other organisms.

Kingdom Fungi

Eukaryotic organisms characterized by absorbing nutrients from outside their bodies.

Protists

A collection of mostly unicellular eukaryotes and some simple multicellular relatives.

Descent with Modification

The principle that species living today are descendants of ancestral species.

Natural Selection

The mechanism for evolution driven by variation, heritability, and differential survival and reproduction.

Inquiry

The search for information and explanation of natural phenomena.

Qualitative Data

Data consisting of descriptions rather than measurements, such as field sketches or behavioral notes.

Quantitative Data

Data consisting of recorded measurements, often organized into tables and graphs.

Inductive Reasoning

A logical process of deriving generalizations from a large number of specific observations (Specific → General).

Deductive Reasoning

A logical process of applying a general principle to a specific case to make predictions (General → Specific).

Hypothesis

An explanation based on observations and assumptions that leads to a testable prediction.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that is not exposed to the experimental treatment and serves as a comparison.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that is exposed to the experimental treatment.

Independent Variable

The factor in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

The factor in an experiment that is measured to see if it is affected by the independent variable.

Scientific Theory

A broad, well-supported explanation for a wide range of phenomena that generates many testable hypotheses.