Biology Chapter 1: The Study Of Life

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Biology

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Scientific study of life.

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Multicellular

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Organism composed of many cells; usually has organized tissues, organs, and organ systems.

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Organ

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Combination of two or more different tissues performing a common function.

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Organ System

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Group of related organs working together.

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Population

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Group of interbreeding individuals of the same species occupying the same area at the same time.

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Community

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Assemblage of populations interacting with one another in the same environment.

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Ecosystem

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Biological community together with the associated abiotic environment; characterized by a flow of energy and a cycling of inorganic nutrients.

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Biosphere

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Zone of air, land, and water at the surface of the Earth in which organisms are found.

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Energy

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Capacity to do work and bring about change; occurs in a variety of forms.

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Metabolism

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All of the chemical reactions that occur in a cell during growth and repair.

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Photosynthesis

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Process occurring usually within chloroplasts whereby chlorophyll-containing organelles trap solar energy to reduce carbon dioxide to carbohydrate.

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Homeostasis

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Maintenance of normal internal conditions in a cell or an organism by means of self-regulating mechanisms.

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Reproduce

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To produce a new individual of the same kind.

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Gene

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Unit of heredity existing as alleles on the chromosomes. In diploid organisms, typically two alleles are inherited-- one from each parent.

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Mutation

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Change made in the DNA base-pair sequences in a gene due to a copying error or external sources called mutagens. Such changes generate variation in a gene pool.

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Adaptation

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Organism's modification in structure, function, or behavior suitable to the environment.

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Evolution

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Evolution of organisms from common ancestors; with the development of genetic and phenotypic changes over time that make them more suited to the environment.

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Natural Selection

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Mechanism of evolution caused by environmental selection of organisms most fit to reproduce; results in adaptation to the environment.

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Taxonomy

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Branch of biology concerned with identifying, describing, and naming organisms.

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Systematics

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Study of the diversity of organisms to classify them and determine their evolutionary relationships.

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Species

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Group of similarly constructed organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring; organisms that share a gene pool; the taxon at the lowest level of classification.

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Genus

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; contains those species that are most closely related through evolution.

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Family

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the genus level.

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Order

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the family level.

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Class

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the order level.

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Phyllum

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the class level.

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Kingdom

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One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxa above the phylum level.

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Domain

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Largest of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species. The three domains are Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

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Domain Archaea

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One of the three domains of life; contains prokaryotic cells that often live in extreme habitats and have unique genetic, biochemical, and physiological characteristics; its members are sometimes referred to as archaea.

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Domain Bacteria

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One of the three domains of life; contains prokaryotic cells that differ from archaea because they have unique genetic, biochemical, and physiological characteristics.

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Domain Eukarya

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One of the three domains of life; consisting of organisms with eukaryotic cells and further classified into the kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

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Protist

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Member of the kingdom Protista.

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Fungi

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Saprotrophic decomposer. The body is made up of filaments, called hyphae, that form a mass called mycelium. Member of the kingdom Fungi.

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Plant

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Multicellular, usually photosynthetic, organism belonging to the plant kingdom.

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Animal

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Multicellular, heterotrophic organism belonging to the animal kingdom.

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Binomial Name

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Scientific name of an organism, the first part of which designates the genus and the second part of which designates the specific epithet.

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Observation

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Step in the scientific method by which data are collected before a conclusion is drawn.

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Inductive Reasoning

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Using specific observations and the process of logic and reasoning to arrive at a hypothesis.

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Experiment

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Series of actions undertaken to collect data with which to test a hypothesis.

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Experimental Design

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Artificial situation devised to test a hypothesis.

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Experimental Variable

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In a scientific experiment, a condition of the experiment that is deliberately changed.

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Prediction

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Step of the scientific process that follows the formation of a hypothesis and assists in creating the experimental design.

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Test Group

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In a controlled experiment, the group subjected to the experimental variable.

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Control Group

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Sample that goes through all the steps of an experiment but does not contain the experimental variable being tested; a standard against which the results of an experiment are checked.

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Model

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Simulation of a process; aids conceptual understanding until the process can be studied firsthand; a hypothesis that describes how a particular process might be carried out.

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Data

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Facts, or information, collected through observation and/or experimentation.

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Conclusion

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Statement made following an experiment as to whether or not the results support the hypothesis.

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Scientific Theory

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Concept supported by a broad range of observations, experiments, and data.

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Principle

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Theory that is generally accepted by an overwhelming number of scientists, also called a law.

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Law

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Universal principle that describes the basic functions of the natural world.

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Placebo

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Treatment that contains no medication but appears to be the same treatment as the administered to the other test groups in a controlled study.

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Technology

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Application of scientific knowledge for a practical purpose.

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Bioethics

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The branch of ethics concerned with the development and implementation of biological technology.

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Extinction

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Total disappearance of a species or higher group.

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Global Warming

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Predicted increase in the Earth's temperature due to human activities that promote the greenhouse effect.