AP Bio: Chapter 1

based on Pearson

Emergent Properties

new properties that arise with each step higher into the hierarchy of life owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases

variable

a factor that varies in an experiment

Bacteria

one of two prokaryotic domains, the other being Archaea

bioinformatics

the use of computers, software and mathematical models to process and integrate biological information from large data sets

controlled experiment

experiment designed to compare an experimental group with a control group; ideally the two groups differ only in the factor being tested

technology

application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes often including industry or commerce but also including uses in basic research

DNA

nucleic acid molecule capable of being replicated and determines the inherited structure of a cell’s proteins

genome

the genetic material of an organism or virus; the complete complement of an organism’s or virus’ genes, including non-coding sequences of DNA.

genomics

systematic study of whole sets of genes and their interactions within a species, as well as genome comparisons between species

independent variable

the manipulated factor in an experiment

deductive reasoning

a type of logic where specific results are predicted from a general premise

Scientific Theory

an explanation broader in scope than a hypothesis, generates new hypotheses and is supported by a large body of evidence

science

an approach to understanding the natural world

proteonomics

the systematic study of sets of proteins and their properties including their abundance, chemical modifications and interactions,

data

recorded observations

community

all the organisms that inhabit a particular area; an assemblage of populations of different species living close enough together for potential interaction

climate change

a directional change in temperature, precipitation, or other aspect of the global climate that lasts for 3 decades or more

Eukarya

the domain that includes all eukaryotic organisms

ecosystem

all the organisms in a given area as well as the abiotic factors with which they interact; one or more communities and the physical environment around them

Archaea

one of two prokaryotic domains, the other being bacteria

gene expression

process by which the information coded in DNA directs the synthesis of proteins or, in some cases, RNAs that are not translated into proteins and instead function as RNAs

dependent variable

the factor of an experiment measured to see if it is influenced by changes in the other factor

producer

organism that produces organic compounds from CO2 by harnessing light energy or by oxidizing inorganic chemicals

model organism

a particular species chosen for research into broad biological principles because it is representative of a larger group and usually easy to grow in a lab

biosphere

entire portion of Earth inhabited by life; the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems

systems biology

an approach to studying biology that aims to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based on a study of the interactions among the system’s parts

gene

a discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence, DNA (or RNA in some viruses)

inductive reasoning

a type of logic where generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations

proteome

the entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell, tissue, or organism

evolution

Descent with modification; the idea that living species are descendants of ancestral species that were different from the present-day ones; also defined more narrowly as the change in the genetic composition of a population from generation to generation.

inquiry

the search for information and explanation, often focusing on specific questions

control group

group in a controlled experiment that lacks or is not given the specific factor being tested

experimental group

group in a controlled experiment that has or receives the specific factor being tested

hypothesis

narrower in scope than a theory; a testable explanation for a set of observations based on the available data and guided by inductive reasoning

population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area and interbreed resulting in fertile offspring

feedback regulation

the regulation of a process by its output or end product