Biology Final STUDY GUIDE

Characteristics of Life

Order, reproduction, growth & development, metabolism, homeostasis, response to stimuli, evolutionary adaptation.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to problem-solving: Observation → Question → Hypothesis → Experiment → Data → Conclusion.

Quantitative data

Data that is numerical and can be measured.

Qualitative data

Descriptive data that cannot be measured.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation for a phenomenon.

Independent variable

The variable that is changed in an experiment.

Dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment.

Biotic factors

Living components of an ecosystem (e.g. plants, animals).

Abiotic factors

Non-living components of an ecosystem (e.g. temperature, water).

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit.

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.

Producers (Autotrophs)

Organisms that make their own food through processes like photosynthesis.

Consumers (Heterotrophs)

Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead matter (e.g., fungi, bacteria).

Food Web

An interconnected system of food chains in an ecosystem.

Exponential Growth

Population growth that occurs in an ideal, unlimited environment, represented by a J-curve.

Logistic Growth

Population growth that is limited by carrying capacity, represented by an S-curve.

Enzymes

Proteins that speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Denaturation

Loss of an enzyme's normal shape so that it no longer functions; can be caused by changes in pH or temperature.

Cellular Respiration

The process that converts glucose and oxygen into ATP, carbon dioxide, and water.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water, producing oxygen as a byproduct.

Mitosis

A process of cell division that results in two genetically identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four unique haploid cells.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism; the alleles it carries.

Phenotype

The physical expression or characteristics of a genotype.

Dominant allele

An allele that expresses its trait even if only one copy is present.

Recessive allele

An allele that expresses its trait only when two copies are present (homozygous).

Punnett Square

A grid used to predict the genotype and phenotype combinations in genetic crosses.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may affect how genes are expressed.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal conditions in an organism.

Gas exchange

The process by which oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide is expelled from the body.

Fertilization

The fusion of sperm and egg to form a zygote.

Evaporation is the .

Process in which water moves from liquid to gas.

Symbiosis is .

A close and long-term interaction between different biological species.

Habitat is .

The natural environment in which an organism lives.

Community is .

All the organisms living in a specific area.

Population Size is .

The total number of individuals in a population.

Population Density is .

The number of individuals per unit area or volume.

Immigration/Emigration is .

The movement of individuals into or out of a population.

Demography is .

The statistical study of populations, including size, density, and distribution.

Carrying Capacity is .

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain given available resources.

Density-Independent Factors are .

Factors that limit population growth regardless of population size (e.g., natural disasters).

Density-Dependent Factors are .

Factors that intensify as the population increases (e.g., competition, disease).

Bacterial Conjugation is .

Transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another.

Transformation (genetics) is .

The alteration of a cell's genetic makeup by the introduction of foreign DNA.

Transduction (genetics) is .

The process where viruses transfer genetic material between bacteria.

Non-coding DNA is .

A sequence of DNA or RNA that does not code for proteins and has no known function.

Genetic Mutation is .

An alteration in the nucleotide sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA.

Natural Selection is the .

Natural selection is the by which populations of living organisms adapt and change.

Species is .

A group of similar organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Evolution is .

The process of change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations

Binomial Nomenclature is .

The system of naming organisms where each organism is given a genus and a species name.