Biology Chapter 1 Review - Flashcards

Flashcards covering the scientific method, reasoning, hypotheses, experiments, levels of biological organization, taxonomy, domains/kingdoms, characteristics of living organisms, and basic cellular biology.

What is the scientific method?

A recursive process for discovering new knowledge that involves making observations, formulating testable hypotheses or models, and conducting experiments.

What is deductive reasoning?

Summarizing information and drawing conclusions from general principles to specific cases.

What is inductive reasoning?

Drawing a generalization from several specific observations.

What is a hypothesis?

A testable model that can be revised or challenged based on experimental results.

What is an experiment?

A procedure to test the correctness of a hypothesis, often involving treatment and control groups.

What is a treatment group in an experiment?

The group that receives the treatment being tested.

What is a control group in an experiment?

The group that does not receive the treatment (or receives a placebo) for comparison.

What is the placebo effect?

Bias that occurs when participants’ expectations influence results; often mitigated by blinding.

What does “blind” mean in experiments?

A design in which participants (and/or researchers) do not know which treatment is applied to prevent bias.

What is a theory in biology?

A well-supported explanation that links a large body of observations and makes predictions.

What is a law in biology?

A principle that yields consistent, unvarying predictions and links together significant bodies of evidence.

What are emergent properties?

New features that arise when smaller units interact at higher levels of organization.

What is systems biology?

The study of a biological system by analyzing interactions among its parts (integrated networks).

What is evolution?

The process by which life has transformed and adapted to its environment over time.

What is biological information?

Expression and transmission of genetic material (DNA) across generations.

What are biological interactions?

Interactions between components of a hierarchical system that ensure integration of all parts.

What does energy transformation mean in biology?

Cellular activities require energy; energy is transformed to power life processes.

What does “life needs to be organized” imply?

Biological organization from simple to complex levels and the emergence of new properties at higher levels.

List the levels of biological organization from most inclusive to least inclusive.

Biosphere → Ecosystems → Communities → Populations → Organisms → Organs → Tissues → Cells → Organelles → Molecules → Atoms.

What is taxonomy?

The science of classifying and naming organisms; species is the basic unit of classification.

What is binomial nomenclature?

Genus + specific epithet; Genus is capitalized; specific epithet is not; written in italics when typed or underlined when handwritten.

What is the hierarchical classification order in biology?

Domain → Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species.

What are the three domains of life?

Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

What are prokaryotes?

Organisms without a true nucleus; includes Archaea and Bacteria.

What are the four kingdoms within Eukarya?

Protista, Plantae, Fungi, Animalia.

What characterizes the Kingdom Protista?

Nuclei are present; cell walls vary; can be single-celled or multicellular (protozoa, water molds, slime molds).

What characterizes the Kingdom Plantae?

Have nuclei; multicellular; cellulose in cell walls; most are photosynthetic.

What characterizes the Kingdom Fungi?

Have nuclei; mostly multicellular; cell walls with chitin; decomposers (molds, yeasts, mushrooms).

What characterizes the Kingdom Animalia?

Have nuclei; multicellular; must eat other organisms; no cell walls; most are motile; have organs.

What is the basic unit of life?

Cells.

What are growth and development in biology?

Growth is an increase in size (cell number or cell size); development is the change in cell roles throughout the life cycle.

What is metabolism?

Chemical processes essential for growth and repair, including energy transformations.

What is homeostasis?

Maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment.

What is responding to stimuli?

Organisms respond to physical or chemical changes in their environment.

What is reproduction?

The process by which organisms produce offspring to pass on genetic information.

What is DNA?

Deoxyribonucleic acid; genetic material whose information is transmitted across generations; units of heredity.

What are hormones?

Chemical signals used for intercellular signaling.

What is an autotroph?

An organism that makes its own food (producer).

What is a heterotroph?

An organism that obtains energy by eating other organisms (consumer).

What are decomposers?

Organisms, usually bacteria or fungi, that obtain energy by breaking down waste and dead matter.