AP Biology - Chapters 1 and 2

The Science of AP Biology and Basic Chemistry/Properties of Water

Scientific Inquiry

The process by which scientists ask questions and seek answers through experimentation and observation to understand natural phenomena.

Components of the scientific methos

Observation, hypothesis, experiment (ideally controlled), collect data, and conclusion (share).

What do you never say in science?

Proves - in science you never prove anything.

What are the two observations in an experiment?

Qualitative and quantitative observations.

Qualatative

Data based on observations, based on senses and descriptive characteristics rather than numerical values.

Quantatative

Data based on numbers that are based on measurements

What are observations vs inferences?

Observations are direct statements based on sensory experience, while inferences are conclusions drawn from those observations based on data.

What is experimentation?

The scientific method.

Science is… (6)

-based on observation

-based on asking good questions

-messy

-cycical

-serendipitous

-cautious

Scientific theory

-explanitory

-based on more inference

-based on lots of evidence

-can change with new evidence

Scientific law

-concise, descriptive

-based more on observation

-can change upon new evidence

Scientific hypothesis

-hypothesis turns into theory or law

Properties of life

-Order

-Evolutionary adaptation

-Response to the environment

-Reproduction

-Growth and development

-Energy processing

-Regulation

Order

In structure and function

ex: call structure/human body system

Evolutionary adaptation

Change in traits of a population in response to a changing environment

ex: Darwin’s Finches

Reponse to the Environment

Change in an individual due to internal and external signals

Reproduction

Reproductive success in passing on its genes (heredity)

ex: Asexual vs sexual reproduction

Growth and Development

Growth in size and differential expression of genes

ex: Differenciation in cells

Energy Processing

Taking in and using energy (metabolism)

ex: People eating food

Metabolism

Sum of all our chemical reactions

Regulation

Homeostasis, need to maintain a constant internal environment

ex: Sweating, animals with big ears

Homeostasis

Regulating or keeping constant internal environment

What are the four big ideas of biology?

1) Evolution

2) Energy and matter flow

3) Information transmission

4) System and system interactions

What does the process of evolution do?

The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. In addition, the diversity of life arises by evolutionary change

Domains of life

1) Eukarya (Eukaryotes)

2) Archea (Prokaryotes)

3) Bacteria (Prokaryotes)

Kingdoms of life

1) Plantae

2) Fungi

3) Animalia

4) Protista

Evolutionary conservation

Explains the unity of living systems

ex: Cilia of paramecium and cilia of windpipe cell structures

Classification of living organisms

1) Domain

2) Kingdom

3) Phylum

4) Class

5) Order

6) Family

7) Genus

8) Species

Energy and matter flow

Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain homeostasis

What are systems?

Many different parts that interact to do a specific job

ex: yeast: eukaryotic system with genes that interact with one another

What does form fits function mean?

The shape and structure of an organism's body parts are well-suited to perform specific tasks or functions.

Examples of form fits function

1) WIngs - Large surface area to allow for flight

2) Bones - Bird bones are hollow to fly easier

3) Mitochondria - Folds increase surface area in order to make room for lots of ATP

Negative feedback

Feeds backwards: Maintains homeostasis

ex: thermostat set to 72 F runs more in summer vs the winter

Positive feedback

Feeds forward and aomplifies response (increases response to make it bigger and bigger)

ex: Production in breast milk

Infromation

Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to life processes: DNA is the molecular masis of inheritance

System and system interactions

Biological systems interact and in their interactions, they create ecological interactions

ex: Interactions between systems (organ systems within the body)

Interactions with physical environment (ecology and interactions with the abiotic environment)

What does gene expression do?

Directs the development of an organism

Population levels

Population, species, community, ecosystem, and biosphere

Emergent properties

Characteristics that arise in a system due to the interactions of its individual components, but are not properties of those components when considered in isolation

ex: cells are the same, but the way they are put together determines a human vs a giraffe

Levels of biological organization

Atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissue, organs, organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes, and the biosphere