HB 1

Biology

The scientific study of life.

Properties of life

Characteristics that define living organisms, including order, reproduction, growth and development, energy processing, regulation, response to the environment, and evolutionary adaptation.

Cell

The structural and functional unit of life.

Domains of life

Three categories (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya) that classify the diversity of life.

Taxonomy

The science of naming and classifying organisms into broader groups.

Binomial nomenclature

A two-part naming system for species developed by Carl Linnaeus.

Dichotomous Key

A tool used to determine the identity of items in the natural world by dividing characteristics into two parts.

Biological organization

The hierarchical structure of life, ranging from biosphere to molecules.

Emergent properties

New characteristics that arise at each level of biological organization due to interactions among parts.

Science

A way of knowing that uses an evidence-based process of inquiry to understand the natural world.

Closed question

A question that requires a specific fact or short response.

Open question

A question designed to develop ideas and elaborate further.

Independent variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent variable

The variable that is measured to assess the outcome of an experiment.

Controlled variable

A variable that is kept constant to ensure valid results in an experiment.

Constant

A value that does not change during an experiment.

Qualitative data

Data based on descriptions using senses.

Quantitative data

Data based on numbers and formulas.

Experimental group

The group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested.

Control group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the tested variable.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation for a specific phenomenon, often written in "If...then...because" format.

Theory

A widely accepted explanatory idea supported by a large body of evidence.

Ecosystem

A community of organisms interacting with their physical environment.

Community

An assemblage of organisms living together in a specific area.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.

Organism

An individual living thing, such as a bacterium, fungus, protist, plant, or animal.

Organ

A structure made of tissues that performs specific functions.

Organ system

A group of organs working together to perform vital functions.

Tissue

A group of similar cells performing a specific function.

Organelle

A membrane-bound structure within a cell that performs a specific function.

Molecule

A group of atoms held together by chemical bonds.

Prokaryotic cell

A cell lacking a membrane-enclosed nucleus, found in Bacteria and Archaea.

Eukaryotic cell

A cell with a membrane-enclosed nucleus and organelles, found in Eukarya.

Domain

A taxonomic category above the kingdom level, including Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

Archaea

A domain of prokaryotic organisms that often live in extreme environments.

Bacteria

A domain of prokaryotic organisms, including common species like E. coli.

Eukarya

The domain that includes all eukaryotic organisms.

Kingdom

A broad taxonomic category above phylum.

Species

The most basic unit of biological classification.

Controlled experiment

An experiment that compares an experimental group with a control group, differing by one independent variable.