Biology Fundamentals: Characteristics of Life, Taxonomy, Cell Types, and the Scientific Method

Vocabulary flashcards covering characteristics of life, levels of biological organization, domain and kingdom taxonomy, cell structures, and the scientific method.

Characteristics of Life

The seven fundamental traits shared by living organisms: high organization (made of cells), ability to reproduce using DNA as genetic material, performance of metabolism, growth and development, response to stimuli, maintaining homeostasis, and adapting and evolving.

Metabolism

All the chemical reactions occurring within a cell.

Homeostasis

The ability of a living organism to maintain a constant internal environment.

Emergent Properties

New properties that arise at higher levels of biological organization due to the interaction and arrangement of parts.

Atom

The structural unit of matter, such as an oxygen atom ($O$).

Molecule

A chemical structure composed of two or more bonded atoms, such as water ($H_2O$), an oxygen molecule ($O_2$), or a hydrogen molecule ($H_2$).

Organelle

A specialized functional structure within a cell, such as a mitochondrion.

Cell

The fundamental structural and functional unit of life.

Tissue

A group of cells with similar structure performing a similar function, such as muscle tissue.

Organ

A body structure composed of different tissues working together, such as the stomach.

Organ System

A group of organs that cooperate to carry out major body functions, such as the digestive system.

Organism

An individual living entity, such as a zebra.

Population

A group of living organisms belonging to the same species in a specific area, such as a group of zebras.

Community

All the living organisms across all species inhabiting a particular ecosystem.

Ecosystem

All the living organisms and nonliving components interacting in a particular area, such as a forest.

Biosphere

The global ecological system encompassing all environments on Earth inhabited by living beings.

Chemical Energy

The form of energy stored in chemical bonds, such as in the food organisms consume.

Species

Organisms with similar characteristics that are capable of interbreeding.

Taxonomy

The science used to name and classify organisms based on structural, genetic, and overall similarities.

Prokaryotic Cell

A cell lacking a membrane-bound nucleus (though it contains DNA) and membrane-bound organelles (though it contains ribosomes).

Eukaryotic Cell

A larger, more complex cell type where DNA is enclosed within a nucleus and contains many membrane-bound organelles.

Structures Common to All Cells

The four components present in all cells: cell membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, and ribosomes.

Domain Bacteria

A domain of life consisting of single-celled (unicellular) organisms composed of small prokaryotic cells.

Domain Archaea

A domain of single-celled (unicellular) prokaryotic organisms that inhabit extreme environments, such as areas with high salt concentrations or high temperatures.

Domain Eukarya

A domain encompassing organisms made of eukaryotic cells with nuclei, divided into the kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Kingdom Protista

A kingdom under Domain Eukarya containing unicellular or multicellular eukaryotic organisms that lack a tissue level and can be autotrophs or heterotrophs.

Kingdom Fungi

A kingdom under Domain Eukarya containing mostly multicellular, filamentous decomposers that are heterotrophs acquiring nutrients through external digestion and absorption.

Kingdom Plantae

A kingdom under Domain Eukarya containing multicellular autotrophs that make their own food and pass energy to consumers and decomposers.

Kingdom Animalia

A kingdom under Domain Eukarya containing multicellular heterotrophs with tissue-level organization that feed by ingestion.

Discovery Science

A scientific approach that describes life through careful observation.

Hypothesis-Based Science

A scientific approach that explains life by proposing and testing hypotheses.

Hypothesis

A tentative answer to a question that is testable by experiment, falsifiable, and involves independent and dependent variables as well as constants.

Scientific Method Steps

The steps of scientific inquiry: Observation (questions), Hypothesis + Prediction, Data + Conclusion, and Publish & review.

Controlled Experiment

An experiment designed to compare an experimental group against a control group.