Biology 101: Levels of Organization, Characteristics, and Scientific Method

What is biology?

The scientific study of life.

What are the successive levels of life's organization?

Atoms, molecules, cells, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere.

What is an example of how complex properties can emerge from simpler components?

Unique properties of life emerge from the interactions of atoms and molecules.

How do producers differ from consumers?

Producers make their own food using energy and raw materials, while consumers obtain energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms.

What is homeostasis?

The process by which an organism keeps its internal conditions within a range that favors survival.

What are the main groups of prokaryotes?

Bacteria and Archaea.

What distinguishes eukaryotes from prokaryotes?

Eukaryotes have DNA contained within a nucleus, while prokaryotes do not.

What are the four main groups of eukaryotes?

Protists, fungi, plants, and animals.

What is taxonomy?

The practice of naming and classifying species.

What is a species?

Organisms that share the same characteristics and are capable of exchanging genes/producing offspring.

What is a genus?

A group of species that share a set of unique traits.

What is the scientific method?

A systematic process of making, testing, and evaluating hypotheses.

What is a hypothesis?

A testable explanation for a natural phenomenon.

What is the difference between a control group and an experimental group?

The control group is not exposed to the independent variable, while the experimental group is.

What does statistically significant mean?

A result that is not likely to have occurred by chance alone.

What is critical thinking in science?

A deliberate process of judging the quality of information before accepting it.

What is pseudoscience?

Beliefs, theories, or practices that have no scientific evidence.

What is the role of DNA in living organisms?

DNA carries hereditary information that guides development and other activities.

What is biodiversity?

The scope of variation among living organisms.

What is the difference between a scientific theory and a law of nature?

A scientific theory is a hypothesis that has not been disproven, while a law of nature describes a phenomenon that occurs without fail.

What is the importance of energy and nutrients for organisms?

They are necessary for survival and sustain life's organization.

What is the one-way flow of energy in ecosystems?

Energy flows in one direction through the biosphere, while nutrients cycle among organisms.

What is a variable in an experiment?

A characteristic that differs among individuals or over time.

What is sampling error?

The difference between results obtained from a subset and results from the whole.

What is the significance of scientific theories?

They help make successful predictions about phenomena and can be disproven by new evidence.

What are the criteria that qualify a hypothesis as a scientific theory?

It must be testable, consistent with data, and able to make predictions.

What are some areas of inquiry that science does not address?

Subjective questions, moral standards, aesthetic standards, philosophical questions, and the supernatural.