Chapter 1 Vocabulary: Introduction to Biological Concepts and Research

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining key biological concepts, research terms, and levels of organization from Chapter 1.

Biology

The science of life.

Emergent Properties

Characteristics that depend on the level of biological organization, but do not exist at lower levels.

Cell

Smallest unit with the capacity to live and reproduce, independently or as part of a multicellular organism.

Population

Group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.

Community

Populations of all species that occupy the same area.

Ecosystem

Communities interacting with their shared nonliving physical environment.

Biosphere

All regions of Earth's crust, waters, and atmosphere that sustain life.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

A large, double-stranded, helical molecule that contains instructions for assembling a living organism from simpler molecules.

Genome

All of the DNA of a living organism.

Genes

Specific regions of the genome that encode instructions for building RNA and protein.

Metabolism

The ability of a cell or organism to extract energy from its surroundings and use that energy to maintain itself, grow, and reproduce.

Photosynthesis

The process in which the electromagnetic energy in sunlight is absorbed and converted into chemical energy in biological molecules.

Cellular Respiration

The process used by most organisms to break down biological molecules with oxygen, releasing chemical energy for cellular activities.

Primary Producers

Photosynthetic organisms that assemble complex molecules (sugars) from water and $CO_2$ on which all other organisms rely.

Consumers

Animals that feed directly or indirectly on the complex molecules manufactured by plants.

Decomposers

Certain bacteria and fungi that feed on dead organisms and break down biological molecules into raw materials.

Receptors

Molecules or larger structures located on individual cells and body surfaces that detect changes in external and internal conditions.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a steady internal condition by responses that compensate for changes in the external environment.

Inheritance

The transmission of DNA (genetic information) from one generation to the next.

Development

A series of changes in multicellular organisms in which a fertilized egg is transformed into an adult.

Life Cycle

The sequential stages through which individuals develop as encoded in DNA.

Biological Evolution

A fundamental process of life in which populations of organisms change from one generation to the next.

Artificial Selection

The practice in which breeders permit only individual animals with desired characteristics to mate.

Natural Selection

The process occurring in nature where environmental factors limit survival and individuals with favorable heritable traits reproduce more successfully.

Mutations

Random changes in the structure, number, or arrangement of DNA molecules.

Adaptations

Favorable characteristics produced by mutations that help an organism survive longer or reproduce more under specific environmental conditions.

Species

All populations of individuals that have very similar structure, biochemistry, and behavior, and can successfully interbreed.

Genus

A group of similar species that share recent common ancestry.

Phylogenetic Trees

Detailed diagrams constructed using DNA and biological molecules to illustrate evolutionary pathways through which species appeared.

Prokaryotes

Organisms in domains Bacteria and Archaea whose cellular DNA is not separated from other cellular components.

Eukaryotes

Organisms in domain Eukarya whose cellular DNA is enclosed in a separate nucleus and contain specialized organelles.

Model Organisms

Certain species with rapid development, short life cycles, and small adult size that make them favorable research subjects.

Basic Research

Research that seeks explanations about natural phenomena to advance collective knowledge without a specific practical goal.

Applied Research

Research conducted with the goal of solving specific practical problems.

Scientific Method

An investigative approach to acquiring knowledge by making observations, developing hypotheses, and testing predictions.

Null Hypothesis

A statement of what researchers would see if the hypothesis being tested is not correct.

Replicates

Multiple subjects in an experiment that receive the exact same treatment.

Proteomics

The study of the proteome (inventory of proteins), which constantly changes in response to the environment.

Scientific Theory

A hypothesis addressing broad questions that has been consistently confirmed by many different tests and is regarded as an established truth.