Biology 2E: Chapter 1 - The Study of Life Vocabulary

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on Chapter 1: The Study of Life, covering core definitions, scientific method concepts, types of science, and biological classification.

Biology

The study of living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments.

Science

Knowledge that covers general truths or the operation of general laws, especially when acquired and tested by the scientific method.

Scientific Method

A method of research with defined steps that include experiments and careful observation.

Natural Sciences

Fields of science related to the physical world and its phenomena and processes.

Inductive Reasoning

A form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion.

Deductive Reasoning

A form of logical thinking that uses a general principle or law to forecast specific results.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation based on observations that must make predictions that are testable and verifiable.

Basic Science

Also known as pure science, a form of science that seeks to expand knowledge regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge.

Applied Science

A form of science that aims to use science to solve immediate problems defined by the researcher.

Peer Review

A blind process where scientists submit the details of their experiments, results, and interpretations for reviewers to determine the veracity and merit of the work for publication.

Properties of Life

The set of key characteristics shared by living organisms: being complex and ordered, responding to stimuli, reproducing, growing and developing, regulating internal balance via homeostasis, obtaining and using energy, and being composed of cells.

Mimosa pudica

The scientific name of the sensitive plant whose leaves instantly droop and fold when touched, illustrating a biological response to stimuli.

Carl Woese

The microbiologist who constructed a phylogenetic tree showing the three domains of life using data obtained from sequencing ribosomal RNA genes.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms, including Bacteria and Archaea, that lack intracellular organelles.