Biology Ch.1 

Biology is the study of life. It unifies much of natural science.

Life is constrained by the properties of chemistry and physics

science is becoming more interdisciplinary

Characteristics of all Living things

1. Cellular Organization (prokaryote and eukaryote)

2. Ordered Complexity (metabolic pathways)

3. Sensitivity to Environment (react/adapt)

4. Growth, Development, and Reproduction (fission)

5. Energy Utilization (reactions in a cell- exergonic)

6. Homeostasis (physiological responses that regulate normal conditions)

7. Evolutionary Adaptation (change overtime)

Hierarchical organization of living systems

• cellular level is the smallest

• cell-tissue-organ-organ system-organism-population-community -ecosystem-biosphere

• Population: particular species in a particular place

• Community: interacting population

• Ecosystem: community plus physical environment

• Biosphere: all ecosystems together (Earth)Biosphere: all ecosystems together (Earth)

Nature of Science

• aims to understand the world through observation and reasoning.

• As Specific as possible

• Inductive Reasoning: from specific ideas to general ideas

  ex: establishing a cell theory

• Deductive Reasoning: from general to specific ideas

Independent Variable: the one that we change

Dependent Variable: result or what you measure

Scientific Theory- elevating conclusions to a level of theory

Evolution Theory: common ancestor an adapted

Biogenesis Theory: life only comes from life

Gene Theory: organisms have coded info that determine form, function and to some extent behavior

Darwin was not the first to propose evolution

Darwins contribution was a mechanism

Natural selection: is a mechanism for evolution; variation of a feature, certain versions are advantageous; it is heritable

We must have energy to exist

humans- food- sun- photosyntesis

Genome: entire set of DNA instructions

Gene: particular segment of DNA or discrete unit of inheritance

CENTRAL DOGMA

Reductionism: the general approach of biochemistry

Basic Research:

Applied Research

Taxonomy: The discipline of classifying organisms

Taxonomy Order: Kingdom, Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

King Philip Came Over For Great Soup

Domain: Archae, Bacteria, Eukarya

Archae and Bacteria: prokaryotic

Eukarya: Eukaryotic