Biology: Chapter 1 Flashcards
Biosphere
All living things and all the places they are found on earth
Biodiversity
Variety of life
Species
Particular type of living thing that can reproduce by interbreeding amongst themselves
Biology
Scientific study of all forms of life, or all types of organisms
Organism
Individual living thing
Cell
Basic unit of life
Metabolism
All of the chemical processes that build up or break down materials
DNA
Molecule of genetic material passed to offspring when organisms reproduce
System
Organized group of related parts that interact to form a whole
Ecosystem
Physical environment with different species that interact with one another and with non living things
Homeostasis
Maintenance of constant internal conditions in an organism
Evolution
Change in living things over time
Adaptation
Inherited trait that gives an advantage to individual organisms and is passed on to future generations
Observation
Using the senses to study the world
Data
Observations and measurements recorded during an experiment
Hypothesis
Proposed answer for a scientific question
Experiment
Process that tests a hypothesis by collecting information under controlled conditions
Independent Variable
Condition in an experiment that is manipulated, or changed, by a scientist
Dependent Variable
Conditions observed and measured during an experiment
Constant
Conditions that do not change during an experiment
Theory
Proposed explanation for a wide range of observations and experimental results that is supported by a wide range of evidence
Microscope
Device that provides an enlarged image of an object
Gene
Segment of DNA that stores genetic information
Molecular Genetics
Study of manipulation of DNA on a molecular level