Chapter 1 - Biology: The Science of Life

Vocabulary flashcards created from the Chapter 1 lecture notes on Biology: The Science of Life.

Cell

The smallest, most basic unit of life.

Tissues

Structures made up of similar cells.

Organ

A structure made up of tissues.

Organism

An individual formed by organ systems working together.

Population

The members of similar organisms within a particular area.

Species

All the populations of similar organisms that are capable of interbreeding.

Community

Populations of species that interact within a given area.

Ecosystem

Communities that interact with the physical environment.

Biosphere

The zone of air, land, and water at the surface of the earth where living organisms are found.

Food

Substances that serve as building blocks and energy sources for living organisms.

Energy

The capacity to do work.

Metabolism

All chemical reactions occurring in the cell.

Sun

The ultimate source of energy for nearly all life on Earth.

Photosynthesis

The process that transforms solar energy into chemical energy of nutrient molecules.

Homeostasis

An internal environment that acts within a set of physiological boundaries.

Embryo

An organism produced by the union of egg and sperm that grows according to genes inherited from parents.

Adaptations

Modifications that make organisms suited to their way of life.

High Elevation Adaptation in Humans

An adaptation in humans living at extreme elevations that reduces the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Evolution

A process by which populations accumulate adaptations over time to become more suited to their environment, simply meaning change.

Evolutionary Trees

Diagrams or traces that show the ancestry of life.

Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace

The two scientists who both independently came to the conclusion that evolution occurs by a process called natural selection.

Natural Selection

A process that results in a population adapted to the environment.

Descent with Modification

The phrase that sums up the process of evolution.

Hawaiian Honeycreepers

Birds that all evolved from one species of finch with an assortment of bills adapted to different types of food.

Taxonomy

The discipline of naming and classifying organisms according to certain rules.

Systematics

The discipline that classifies organisms according to a presumed evolutionary relationship.

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus.

Domain Archaea

A domain of unicellular prokaryotes lacking a membrane-bound nucleus, first discovered in extreme environments.

Domain Bacteria

A domain of unicellular prokaryotes lacking a membrane-bound nucleus that are found almost everywhere.

Domain Eukarya

A domain containing eukaryotic organisms whose cells contain a membrane-bound nucleus.

Protists

A very diverse group of single-celled and multicellular eukaryotes, including autotrophs and heterotrophs such as algae, protozoans, and water molds.

Plants

Multicellular, photosynthetic organisms such as flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Fungi

Organisms familiar as molds and mushrooms that decompose dead organisms.

Binomial Name

The two-word scientific name for each organism (e.g., Pisum Sativum) where the first word is the genus and the second word is the species.

Biology

The scientific study of life.

Scientific Method

An inquiry process that begins with an observation, followed by developing a hypothesis, performing experiments, and developing a conclusion.

Hypothesis

A possible explanation for an event.

Experimental Variable

The single condition or factor that is altered in an experiment while all other conditions remain constant.

Test Group

The group in an experiment that receives the experimental variable being tested.

Control Group

The group in an experiment where all conditions are constant except the experimental variable.

Scientific Theory

Accepted explanations for how the world works.

Cell Theory

The scientific theory stating that all living things are made up of cells, cells are basic units of life, and all new cells come from pre-existing cells.

Gene Theory

The scientific theory stating that units of heredity are passed down.

Theory of Evolution

The scientific theory stating that all the diversity of life on earth is a result of natural selection and there are no limits to what time and chance can create.

Scientific Journal

A publication where scientific studies are published following a peer review process that strengthens reliability.

Technology

The application of scientific knowledge for a practical purpose.

Climate Change

An imbalance in the chemical cycling of the element carbon, associated with the greenhouse effect, global warming, and ocean acidification.

Biodiversity

The total number and relative abundance of species, genetic variability, and different ecosystems they inhabit.

Extinction

The death of a species, which may affect up to $25\%$ of species by the end of the century.

Correlation vs Causation

The principle in data analysis that data may suggest a correlation without necessarily proving causation.