Ch. 1 The Scientific Study of Life Flashcards
What are characteristics of a good scientist?
Intelligent Dedicated Creative Open - minded Curious
What is ecosystem?
All the organisms in a given area, along with the abiotic factors with which the interact
What is a community?
An assemblage of all the organisms living together and potentially interacting in a particular area.
- ecosystem minus abiotic
What is a population?
An interbreeding group of individuals of one species in a particular area.
What is an organism?
An individual living thing.
What is the organ system?
A group of organs that work together in performing vital body functions.
What is an organ?
A structure consisting of several tissues adapted as a group to perform specific functions.
What are tissues?
A cooperative unit of many similar cells that perform a specific function within an organism
What is a cell?
A basic unit of living matter separated from its environment by plasma membrane.
What is a molecule?
A group of 2+ atoms held together by a covalent bond (ex. DNA)
What are the steps to the scientific method/process of science?
1) Observe/Research
2) Question
3) Hypothesis
4) Experiment
5) Analysis of Data
6) Conclusion
What is a hypothesis?
A tentative explanation a scientist proposes for a specific phenomenon observed
- deductive reasoning (if…then…)
- predictions
What is a controlled experiment?
Remains under normal conditions without change.
What is a domain?
A taxonomic category above kingdom
What are the three types of domain?
Bacteria
Archaea
Eukarya
What are the properties that distinguish life from non life?
1) Order
2) Regulation
3) Growth and Development
4) Energy Utilization
5) Response to Environment
6) Reproduction
7) Evolution
What is order?
Exhibits complex organization
What is regulation?
Environment may change but regulatory mechanisms maintain organism’s internal environment within limits that sustain life.
What is growth and development?
Each organism has a pattern of growth/development of its species
What is energy utilization?
Take in energy and transform it to perform all of life’s activities
What is response to environment?
Response to stimuli
What is reproduction?
DNA lends itself to precise replication and a lll organisms reproduce own kind
What is evolution?
Reproduction underlies capacity of species to evolve
What is a theory?
A hypothesis supported by convincing evidence from experimentation
- can still be changed with new info
In 1859 what occurred?
Darwin published “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”
What was Darwin’s theory?
Evolution is the reason for life’s diversity. Species arise through “descent with modification” and natural selection.
What is natural selection?
Differential success in reproduction by different phenotypes resulting from interactions with environment
- occurs when it produces changes in the relative frequency of alleles in a gene pool
What are adaptations?
An inherited characteristic that enhances an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in a specific area.
What are the levels of the Hierarchy of Life?
1) Biosphere
2) Biome
3) Ecosystem
4) Community
5) Species
6) Population
7) Organism
8) Organ System
9) Organs
10) Tissues
11) Cells
12) Organelles
13) Molecules
14) Atoms
15) Sub-atomic particles
What is the biosphere?
“Living globe”
- regions on earth that life exists
- 7 miles up/down Earth’s surface (14 miles total)
- things can enter/leave
- sum total of all living things
What is a biome?
A climatic region in which similar biomes have same characteristics.
- distance from equator, sea level, climate, geography
- similar plants - > similar animals
What is a species?
Organisms so similar they can mate and produce fertile offspring.
What is taxonomy?
Science of classification
- placing things in groups to make sense
What is Archaea?
Prokaryote cells (unicellular)
- ancient, similar to oldest forms of life
- incapable of making organelles
What is Eukarya?
Eukaryotic
- can make organelles
- multicellular/unicellular
What does “there is unity in the diversity of life” mean?
All organisms are different but share common characteristics. DNA is what makes us different but also connects us. The 4 nucleotides of DNA make us the same but the number, type, and sequence allow for diversity.
Do organisms evolve?
No. Populations and species evolve because it is within the DNA. Small changes eventually become big changes such as new species.
