Biology Semester 1 Review

Unit 1: 1-21, Unit 2: 22-81, Unit 3: 82-107, Unit 4: 108-136

what makes something a living organism? (7 Things)

They have the ability to grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli, and maintain homeostasis, they are composed of cells, carry out metabolism, have a genetic code, and can evolve

Levels of biology from atom to bioshpere

atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, organs, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere

What is a scientific theory and how has it been tested and supported?

A scientific theory is an explanation of the natural world based on evidence. It has been tested through experiments and observations, and peer reviewed, it is ever changing.

quantitative data

data in the form of numbers

Qualitative data

data in the form of words

Observation

process of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way

inference

a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience

Hypothesis

possible explanation for a set of observations or possible answer to a scientific question

Controlled experiment

experiment where only one variable is changed

Independent variable

factor in a controlled experiment that is deliberately changed

Dependent variable

variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable

Control group

group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable

data

evidence; information gathered from observations

Theory

well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations and hypothesizes and enables scientists to make predictions about new situations

Biology

scientific study of life

sexual reproduction

type of reproduction in which cells from two parents unite to form that first cell of a new organism

asexual reproduction

process of reproduction involving a single parent that results in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent

DNA

genetic material that organisms inherit from parents

Metabolism

the combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials

Stimulus

signal to which an organism responds

Evolve

to change over time

Order of Levels of Classification

Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

Tropical Rainforest

hot, wet, located around the equator, high rainfall

Tropical Grassland/Savanna/Shrubland

grasses, trees, shrubs, warm, semi-humid, near the equator, distinct wet and dry seasons

Desert

very low rainfall, sparse vegetation, extreme temperature swings, dry air

Temperate Grassland

grassy plains, hot summers, cold winters, moderate rainfall, mid-latitude regions, rich and fertile soil

Temperate forest

mid-latitudes, distinct seasons, moderate rainfall, mix of deciduous and coniferous trees, warm summers, cold and snowy winters

Boreal Forest/Taiga

long cold winters, short mild summers, north, dominated by coniferous trees, medium rainfall mostly in the form of snow, prone to fires

Tundra

cold, treeless, low temperatures, low precipitation, short growing season, permanently frozen later of soil, high northern latitudes

examples of limiting factors that contribute to the carrying capacity of a population

food availability, competition, predation, disease and parasites, natural disasters, climate and weather, pollution and human activities

predator/prey example

hawk/rabbit

biosphere

part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere

ecology

scientific study of interactions among organisms and their environment

species

a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

population

a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

community

assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area

ecosystem

all the organisms that live in a place, together with their nonliving environment

biotic factor

any living part of the environment

abiotic factor

physical or nonliving factor in an environment

atmosphere

thin layer of gasses that surround Earth

hydrosphere

all of the water above and below earths surface and atmosphere

geosphere

all of the rock at and below earths surface

Climate

average year to year conditions of temperature and precipitation in an area over a long period of time

weather

day to day conditions of the atmosphere including temperature, precipitation, and other factors

greenhouse effect

the process in which certain gasses carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor) trap sunlight energy in earths atmosphere as heat

autotroph

organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals to produce its own food

primary producer

first producer of energy, rich compounds that are used by other organisms

photosynthesis

process used by autotrophs to create energy from light

chemosynthesis

process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates

heterotroph

organism that obtains food by consuming other living organisms

consumer

organism that relies on other organisms for energy

detritus

material made up of decaying bits if plant and animal

food chain

a series of steps that organisms transfer energy

phytoplankton

photosynthetic algae near the surface of the ocean

food web

network of complex interactions formed by feeding relationships among various organisms

trophic level

each step in a food chain or web

What percentage of energy is passed each level?

10%

ecological pyramid

illustration of the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level

biomass

total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level

keystone species

species that other organisms in an ecosystem largely rely on

biodiversity

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Population density

number of individuals per unit area

population distribution

determines the way the individuals are spread out across their range

age structure

the number of males and females of each age in a population

immigration

movement of individuals into an area occupied by an existing population

emigration

movement of individuals out of an area

exponential growth

growth in a pattern in which the individuals in a reproduce at a constant rate

logistic growth

growth pattern in which a populations growth slows and then stops following a period of exponential growth

carrying capacity

largest number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support

limiting factor

factor that causes population growth to decrease

density dependent limiting factor

limiting factor that depends on the population density

density independent limiting factor

limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of population density

habitat

area where an organism lives including all factors that affect it

tolerance

ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under circumstances that differ from optimal conditions

niche

full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the organism uses those conditions

resource

any necessity of life

competitive exclusion principal

principal that states that no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time

symbiosis

relationship in which two species live close together

commensalism

symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and one is unaffected

mutualism

symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit

parasitism

symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed

hydrogen bond

weak attraction between a hydrogen atom and another atom

cohesion

attraction between molecules of the same substance

adhesion

force of attraction between different kinds of molecules

mixture

material composed of 2 or more elements or compounds that are physically mixed together but not chemically combined

solution

type of mixture in which all the components are evenly distributed

solute

substance that is dissolved in a solution

solvent

dissolving substance in a solution

suspension

mixture of water and nondisolved material

pH scale

scale with values from 0 to 14, used to measure the concentration of H+ ions in a solution

acid

a compound that forms hydrogen ions in a solution

base

a compound that produces hydroxide ions in solutions

buffer

a compound that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH

monomer

small chemical unit that makes up a polymer

polymer

molecules composed of many monomers, makes up macromolecules

carbohydrate

compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, type of nutrient that is the major source of energy for the body

lipid

macromolecule made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms, includes fats, oils, and waxes

nucleic acid

macromolecules containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus

protein

macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; needed by the body for growth and repair

amino acid

compound with an amino group on one end and a carboxyl group on the other end