Biology 1: Chapter 1 - Learning About Life

Flashcards covering the foundational definitions, scientific method steps, variables, and organizational properties of life from Biology 1 Chapter 1.

Biology

The scientific study of life, derived from the Greek words "bios" (life) and "-logy"/-ology" (scientific study of a subject).

Science

The systematic study of the observable world and how it works; an approach to learn about the natural world based on inquiry, derived from the Latin "scio, scire" meaning "to know."

Discovery Science/Observational Studies

The description of natural structures and processes based on observation and analysis of data.

The Scientific Method

A process consisting of a series of steps used to answer questions, based on evidence to logically solve problems, and not a rigid procedure.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation of a natural phenomenon or an educated guess.

Prediction

A statement about a condition that should occur if the hypothesis is correct.

Theory

A reliable explanation of important natural phenomena supported by extensive research, such as evolution by natural selection or cell theory.

Fact

A type of information considered to be objectively true based on current evidence.

Variable

A characteristic or event that differs among individuals or over time.

Independent variable

The condition or treatment controlled by the experimenter.

Dependent variable

The observed result that is influenced by the independent variable.

Experimental Constants

Aspects in the experiment that remain the same across all treatment groups and as trials are repeated.

Experiment

A test designed to support or falsify a prediction.

Sample size

The number of individuals that are part of an experiment.

Experimental group

A group of individuals that receive a certain treatment or have certain characteristics.

Control group

A group identical to an experimental group but without exposure to the independent variable.

Single-blind experiment

An experiment where information about the trial is withheld from the participants.

Double-blind experiment

An experiment where neither the participants nor the experimenters know which group is the control group, typically involving a third party.

Replication

The process of repeating a whole experiment to verify results.

Pseudoscience

A field that makes claims without experimentation, ignores conflicting evidence, uses personal stories as evidence, and produces results that cannot be reproduced.

Cell

The fundamental unit of life and the smallest unit of life.

Tissue

An organized array of cells that interact in a collective task.

Organ

A structural unit of interacting tissues, such as a flower.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

The molecule that carries hereditary information and guides development, growth, and reproduction.

Development

The multistep process by which the first cell of a new multicelled organism gives rise to an adult.

Growth

An increase in the number, size, and volume of cells.

Nutrient

A substance acquired from the environment and required for growth and survival.

Homeostasis

The ability of living organisms to maintain a stable internal body environment even in a fluctuating external environment.

Evolution

Heritable traits that enable members of a population to better adapt to a changing environment; Darwin explained this by the process of natural selection.

Emergent Properties

New properties that arise in each step upward in the hierarchy of life as a result of interactions between components and proper arrangement.

Taxonomic Classification

The hierarchy of organizing life consisting of: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and species.

Three Domains of Life

The broadest taxonomic categories: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Six Kingdoms of Life

The specialized categories of life: Bacteria, Archaea, Protists, Plants, Fungi, and Animals.