Methods of Science and Characteristics of Life

Variable

What is measured or manipulated in an experiment

Independent Variable

What you manipulate

Dependent Variable

What you measure

Control Variable

Can affect your experiment, so you keep it constant

Control Group

Provides a baseline measure; does not receive the treatment

Treatment Group

Item or subject that receives experiment

Cellular Organization

Prokaryotes: Bacteria/archaea lack most membrane bound organelles

Eukaryotes: Animals/plants/protists have membrane bound organelles

Ordered Complexity

We are large organized boxes in an unorganized world

Sensitivity

Response to various stimuli

Growth, Development, and Reproduction

Going through stages of life from conception to death

Energy Utilization

Absorption of food for energy conversion

Homeostasis

Maintaining equilibrium

Evolutionary Adaptation

How do our bodies evolve and change as the Earth and world changes?

Hierarchical Organization

Organism -> Organism; Population -> Species -> Community -> Ecosystem -> Biosphere

Cell Theory

The theory that living organisms are composed of cells, that are the most basic unit of all organisms and cells come from pre-existing cells

Unicellular

One cell

Multicellular

Many cells

Prokaryote

No membrane bound organelles

Eukaryote

Membrane bound organelles