1.1 Intro to Biology

Question 1

What does CER stand for?

Answer 1

Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning

Question 2

What are the three components of the PMC Model of Life?

Answer 2

Program, Metabolism, and Container

Question 3

Why is the Container an essential part of a living organism?

Answer 3

Containers, or an organism’s cell membrane, allow the organism to react and adapt to the environment. It also controls what is let in and out of the organism.

Question 4

What is the smallest unit that can carry out all of the functions of a living organism?

Answer 4

Cell

Question 5

DNA/RNA is an example of which item in the Levels of Organization chart?

Answer 5

Molecule

Question 6

What is the difference between a cell and an organelle?

Answer 6

Organelles make up cells, they are almost like a cell’s internal organ. It is a membrane-bound structure found within a cell.

Question 7

What is the difference between a population and a community?

Answer 7

A population is all of the animals of a specific species in an area. Meanwhile, a community is all of the populations in an area.

Question 8

What is an organ system?

Answer 8

A group of organs that interact together to perform a task

Question 9

How do scientists use the CER method to build a scientific argument?

Answer 9

Scientists start by developing a claim to their question. This could be a yes or no response. Next, they provide evidence to back up their claim. This could come in the form of data tables, charts, graphs, statistics, or words. Lastly, they provide reasoning for why the data supports the claim.

Question 10

What is an example of a biome?

Answer 10

Tundra

Question 11

What is an example of an atom?

Answer 11

Hydrogen

Question 12

Yeast is an example of which item in the Levels of Organization chart?

Answer 12

Organism

Question 13

Which item(s) of the PMC Model of Life are viruses missing?

Answer 13

Viruses are missing the Metabolism and Container aspect of the PMC Model.

Question 14

True or False? All living organisms produce their own source of energy.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem? What has been added to differentiate the two?

Answer 15

A community is all of the living species in an area. Meanwhile, an ecosystem is all of an area’s living and non-living things.

Question 16

Are viruses alive? Why or why not? Explain using the CER method.

Answer 16

Viruses are not alive. They can be considered biotic, but they are not classified as living organisms. Viruses do not fit into the PMC model of life, because they are lacking in Metabolism and a Container. They are not able to produce their source of energy or waste. And they do not have cell membranes. These observations all deviate from the commonly accepted definition of a living organism.

Question 17

What is the purpose of the Reasoning aspect of the CER method for scientific argument?

Answer 17

Reasoning helps to back up the data and evidence. This helps the reader understand why the evidence is important and why it supports the claim.

Question 18

What is an example of an organelle?

Answer 18

nucleus

Question 19

What is a molecule?

Answer 19

a molecule is made up of multiple atoms that are chemically bonded together

Question 20

Chloroplast is an example of which item in the Levels of Organization chart?

Answer 20

organelle