Biology Study Notes: Chapters 1, 2, 5

Characteristics of Living Organisms

1. Made of Cells

   • Example: Humans are made of trillions of cells forming various tissues and organs.

     

2. Use Energy (Metabolism)

   • Example:

     • Plants: Convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

     • Animals: Consume food for energy.

       

       
       

3. Maintain Homeostasis

   • Example: Humans regulate body temperature around 37°C (98.6°F) despite external temperature changes.

     

     
     

4. Grow and Develop

   • Example: A caterpillar grows and undergoes metamorphosis to become a butterfly.
     

     

   Reproduce

   • Example: Bacteria can reproduce through binary fission, creating identical offspring.
     

     

5. Respond to Stimuli

   • Example: A plant bends toward sunlight (phototropism) or flowers bloom in response to temperature changes.
     

     

6. Evolve Over Generations

   • Example: The development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria demonstrates evolution in response to environmental pressures.
     

     

Biology Themes

1. Evolution

   • All living organisms, including humans and apes, share a common ancestor based on evolutionary theory.
     

     

2. Structure and Function are Related

   • Example: Bird wings are designed in a specific shape to allow for efficient flight.
     

     

3. Information Flow

   • Example: DNA is transcribed into RNA and then translated into proteins, which perform functions within cells.
     

     

4. Systems Interactions

   • Example: The human digestive system interacts with the circulatory system to provide nutrients to cells.
     

     

Scientific Method with Examples:

1. Observation:

   • Noticing that plants in one area grow taller than those in another area.

2. Hypothesis:

   • Plants receive more sunlight in that area, leading to their increased height.

3. Prediction:

   • If I move plants to that area, they will grow taller.

4. Experiment:

   • Transplanting identical plants to different areas with varied sunlight exposure.

5. Results:

   • Measuring the growth of plants in both locations over a month.

6. Conclusion:

   • Analyzing whether the plants in more sunlight indeed grew taller, refining the hypothesis as needed.

Good Experiments:

• Should include controls like having some plants in the original positions and replicates across multiple plants to ensure reliability.