Biology Chapter 1 Secion 1-2

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Biology

Back 1

The scientific study of ife

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Evolution

Back 2

Descent with modification; the idea that living species are descendants of ancestral species that were different from the present-day ones; also defined more narrowly as the change in the genetic composition of a population from generation to generation.

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Bioinformatics

Back 3

The use of computers, software, and mathematical models to process and integrate biological information from large data sets.

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Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Back 4

A double-stranded, helical nucleic acid molecule consisting of nucleotide monomers with a deoxyribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T); capable of replicating and determining the inherited structure of a cell’s proteins.

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Emergent properties

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New properties that arise with each step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.

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Eukaryotic Cell

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A type of cell with a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles. Organisms with eukaryotic cells (protists, plants, fungi, and animals) are called eukaryotes.

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Gene

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A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA (or RNA, in some viruses).

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Genome

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The genetic material of an organism or virus; the complete complement of an organism’s or virus’s genes along with its noncoding nucleic acid sequences.

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Negative Feedback

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A primary mechanism of homeostasis, whereby a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change.

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Positive Feedback

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A physiological control mechanism in which a change in a variable triggers mechanisms that amplify the change.

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Prokaryotic Cell

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A type of cell lacking a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles. Organisms with prokaryotic cells (bacteria and archaea) are called prokaryotes.

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Systems Biology

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An approach to studying biology that aims to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems.

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Adaptive Radiation

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Period of evolutionary change in which groups of organisms form many new species whose adaptations allow them to fill vacant ecological roles in their communities.

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Archaea

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One of two prokaryotic domains, the other being Bacteria.

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Archaean

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Member of the prokaryotic domain Archaea.

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Bacteria

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One of two prokaryotic domains, the other being Archaea.

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Class

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In classification, the taxonomic category above the level of order.

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Domain

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A taxonomic category above the kingdom level. The three domains are Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. (2) An independently folding part of a protein.

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Eukarya

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The domain that includes all eukaryotic organisms.

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Family

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In classification, the taxonomic category above genus.

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Genus

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A taxonomic category above the species level, designated by the first word of a species’ two-part scientific name.

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Kingdom

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A taxonomic category, the second broadest after domain.

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Order

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In classification, the taxonomic category above class.

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Phylum

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In classification, the taxonomic category above class.

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Species

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A population or group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring, but do not produce viable, fertile offspring with members of other such groups

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Controlled experiement

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An experiment in which an experimental group is compared with a control group that varies only in the factor being tested.

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Data

Back 27

Recorded observations

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Deductive Reasoning

Back 28

A type of logic in which specific results are predicted from a general premise.

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Discovery science

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The process of scientific inquiry that focuses on describing nature.

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Hypothesis

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A tentative answer to a well-framed question, narrower in scope than a theory and subject to testing.

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induvtive reasoning

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A type of logic in which generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations.

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inquiry

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The search for information and explanation, often focused by specific questions.

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model

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A representation of a theory or process.

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theory

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An explanation that is broad in scope, generates new hypotheses, and is supported by a large body of evidence.