Introduction to Biology Lecture Notes12

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the introductory concepts of biology, including historical figures, subdivisions of the field, unifying themes, and the nine characteristics of life.

Biology (Traditional Definition)

Derived from the Greek words "BIOS" (life) and "logos" (thought), it is defined as the study of life.

Biology (Redefined)

The study of living things and the things that were once alive, together with the matter and energy that surround them.

Big Bang Theory

The theory describing the origin of the universe as an explosion from a pin-sized state to a huge universe.

Early Earth Conditions

A period characterized by high temperature, poisonous gases, and no free oxygen or water before life evolved.

Robert Hooke

A scientist credited with first seeing cell walls around $1665$.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

A scientist who visualized living cells, which he called 'very little animalcules', around $1674$.

William Harvey

The first to describe the systemic circulation and properties of blood around $1628$.

Modern Biology Species Count

There are over $1,500,000$ (1.5 million) different species or kinds of organisms recognized today.

Botany

The study of plants.

Zoology

The study of animals.

Microbiology

The study of microscopic organisms.

Bacteriology

The study of bacteria.

Virology

The study of viruses.

Mycology

The study of fungi.

Entomology

The study of insects.

Ornithology

The study of birds.

Taxonomy

The approach to biology focused on the classification of organisms.

Morphology

The study of the external form and structure of organisms.

Anatomy

The study of the internal structure of organisms.

Physiology

The study of function in living systems.

Cytology

The study of cells.

Ecology

The study of the relationship of organisms to their environment.

Genetics

The study of inheritance.

Pathology

The study of diseases.

Cell Theory

The unifying theme stating that all organisms are made of cells.

Heredity

The process by which biological information is inherited from parents by offspring.

Locomotion

Self-propulsion by an organism, such as swimming, running, flying, or walking.

Mimosa pudica

Also known as the 'sensitive plant,' it is an example of plant movement via the opening of buds or reaction to touch.

Protoplasm

A complex mixture of substances like carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water that ensures the living condition of a cell.

Organism

A term for living things due to their capacity to organize material into protoplasm and cells.

Development

A series of changes that take place as an organism grows toward its final form, resulting in specialized parts.

Irritability

The characteristic of living things to respond to certain stimuli.

Adaptation

The process by which a type of organism becomes better suited to survive in its environment, such as hibernation or mimicry.

Mimicry

An adaptation where one species resembles another, such as the viceroy butterfly mimicking the coloration of the monarch butterfly.

Metabolism

The sum of all processes occurring in an organism, involving the exchange of matter and energy between and within the organism.

Anabolism

The phase of metabolism characterized by building up molecules.

Catabolism

The phase of metabolism characterized by breaking down food molecules.

Energy Pyramid Levels

The hierarchy of energy consumption: Primary Producers (plants), Primary Consumers (animals eating plants), Secondary Consumers, and Tertiary Consumers.