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Chapter 1: What is Biology?

Biology: is the the branch of science that deals with the living organisms and their vital processes.

Characteristics of Life:

  • Nutrition: is the food required for correct mechanism of body.

  • Respiration: is the release of energy by the breakdown of food substances like glucose into carbon dioxide and water.

  • Excretion: is the removal of metabolic waste products that have been produced as a result of processes occurring inside the cells of organisms.

  • Growth: is a permanent increase in the mass and volume of an organism as an result of converting absorbed food into living protoplasm.

  • Movement: is the physical characteristic of an organism.

  • Sensitivity: is the property of living organisms that result in an appropriate response to a stimulus (change).

  • Reproduction: is the process in which new offsprings are produced by the parent.

  • Adaptability: is the ability of species to change so as to improve its chances of survival.

How to classify organisms?

  • Prokaryotae: the bacteria.

  • Protoctista: a collection of single-celled organisms and some simple multicellular ones like seaweeds.

  • Fungi: the mushrooms,toadstools, moulds and so on.

  • Plantae: the green plants.

  • Animalia: the animal kingdom which includes humans.

  • Viruses: smallest organisms which can’t be classified as living or nonliving.

Chapter 1: What is Biology?

Biology: is the the branch of science that deals with the living organisms and their vital processes.

Characteristics of Life:

  • Nutrition: is the food required for correct mechanism of body.

  • Respiration: is the release of energy by the breakdown of food substances like glucose into carbon dioxide and water.

  • Excretion: is the removal of metabolic waste products that have been produced as a result of processes occurring inside the cells of organisms.

  • Growth: is a permanent increase in the mass and volume of an organism as an result of converting absorbed food into living protoplasm.

  • Movement: is the physical characteristic of an organism.

  • Sensitivity: is the property of living organisms that result in an appropriate response to a stimulus (change).

  • Reproduction: is the process in which new offsprings are produced by the parent.

  • Adaptability: is the ability of species to change so as to improve its chances of survival.

How to classify organisms?

  • Prokaryotae: the bacteria.

  • Protoctista: a collection of single-celled organisms and some simple multicellular ones like seaweeds.

  • Fungi: the mushrooms,toadstools, moulds and so on.

  • Plantae: the green plants.

  • Animalia: the animal kingdom which includes humans.

  • Viruses: smallest organisms which can’t be classified as living or nonliving.

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