Introduction to Biology

These flashcards cover the basics of biology and the scientific study of life as introduced in Chapter 1 of your lecture notes.

What does the term 'biology' refer to?

Biology is the scientific study of life.

What does the suffix '-ology' signify in a word?

The suffix '-ology' means 'the study of'.

What are the two main categories of organisms based on how they obtain energy?

Autotrophs (producers) and heterotrophs (consumers).

What is the basic unit of life?

The cell is the basic unit of life.

What is homeostasis?

Homeostasis is the process that organisms use to maintain internal constancy.

Define a unicellular organism.

A unicellular organism is made up of a single cell.

Define a multicellular organism.

A multicellular organism is made up of multiple cells.

What are the five characteristics necessary for something to be considered alive?

It is organized, obtains and uses energy, maintains internal constancy, reproduces and grows, and has heredity and evolution.

What are autotrophs?

Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own energy from sunlight.

What are heterotrophs?

Heterotrophs are organisms that consume other organisms to obtain energy.

What is the importance of DNA in living organisms?

DNA carries heritable genetic information and is the recipe for producing proteins.

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and their interactions with their environment.

What distinguishes prokaryotic cells from eukaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells are smaller, simpler, and lack a nucleus, whereas eukaryotic cells are larger and contain a nucleus.

What is the scientific method?

The scientific method is a systematic process for conducting scientific research, including hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and peer review.

What is peer review?

Peer review is the evaluation of scientific work by other experts in the field before it is accepted for publication.

Why is genetic variation important in sexual reproduction?

Genetic variation increases the likelihood that some individuals in a population will survive environmental changes.

What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?

A hypothesis is a testable prediction, while a theory is a well-substantiated explanation backed by evidence.

What is emergent property?

Emergent property refers to a characteristic that an entity has that results from the organization of parts, not from the individual parts themselves.

Give an example of a prokaryotic organism.

Bacteria are an example of prokaryotic organisms.

What is the significance of maintaining internal constancy for living organisms?

It allows organisms to survive and function properly within certain environmental conditions.

What does the term 'evolution' refer to in biology?

Evolution refers to the change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.