CH1: INQUIRING ABOUT LIFE Flashcards
the process of change that has transformed life on Earth from its earliest beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today
Evolution
scientific study of life
Biology
Levels of Biological Organization (smallest to largest, 10)
molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs and organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere
reduces complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study; helpful but limited scope of life
reductionism
due to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases
emergent properties
exploration of a biological system by analyzing the interactions among its parts
systems biology
lacks nucleus and other membrane-enclosed organelles; smaller than eukaryotic cells
prokaryotic cell
membrane-enclosed organelles, nucleus; photosynthesis
eukaryotic cell
genetic material in chromosomes; universal language (shows relation in all living things)
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
each section of the DNA of the chromosome
genes
the process in which information in a gene directs the manufacture of a cellular product (making proteins and amino acids)
gene expression
the entire library of genetic instructions that an organism inherits
genome
the study of whole sets of genes (or other DNA in one or more species)
genomics
the study of whole sets of proteins encoded by the genome and their properties
proteomics
the entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell or group of cells
proteome
the use of computational tools to store, organize, analyze the huge volume of data that results from high-throughput methods (quick tech that makes sense of data)
bioinformatics
Where does most input energy come from?
the sun (sunlight)
rare cases where heat from the earth is the input energy
chemosynthesis
photosynthetic organisms
producers
organisms that feed on producers and other consumers
consumers
when you use energy some is lost as _____ and flows through the ecosystem (enter as light and exit as _____)
heat
does earth break the 2nd law of thermodynamics (entropy, or disorder, increases over time in a closed system)?
NO (earth is not a closed system)
organisms continuously interacting with others (living together)
symbiosis
T/F: interactions of all kinds, between organisms to molecules, with abiotic factors, etc, are important biological systems
TRUE
the output (or product) of a process regulates that very process; how cells can coordinate and regulate various chemical pathways
feedback regulation
a loop in which the response reduces the initial stimulus
(ex: shivering/sweating mechanisms to regulate body temp)
negative feedback
end product speeds up its own production
(ex: contractions stimulate oxytocin production which leads to more contractions, looping until the baby is out)
positive feedback
what is the most common form of regulation in living organisms?
negative feedback
What are the 3 domains of life?
bacteria, archaea, eukarya
evolution accounts for the _____ and _________ of life
unity, diversity
what are the 3 kingdoms of Eukarya?
plantae (autotrophic), fungi, animalia
How is unity present in the diversity of life?
- DNA as a universal genetic language
- similar cell structures
What did Darwin observe in natural selection?
traits vary among individuals and are inheritable
more offspring are produced than can possibly survive
species generally suit their environment
What did Darwin infer about natural selection?
individuals with traits best suited for their environment are more likely to survive and breed, changing the population’s primary traits over time
a way of knowing; an approach to understanding the natural world
science
a search for information and explanations of natural phenomena
inquiry
recorded observations
data
data in the form of recorded descriptions
qualitative
numerical measurements (statistically testable)
quantitative
generalization from several specific observations
inductive reasoning
a tentative answer/educated guess to a well-framed question that is testable and falsifiable
hypothesis
logic that flows from general premises to specific conclusions
deductive reasoning
manipulation of one factor in a system in order to see the effects of changing it
experiment
factors that vary in an experiment
variable
designed to compare an experimental group with a control group
controlled experiment
factor manipulated
independent variable
factor that is measured
dependent variable
generally supported by a greater body of research and covers a broader scope
theory
a species that is easy to grow in the lab and lends itself particularly well to the questions being investigated
model organism
to apply scientific knowledge for some specific purpose
technology
what is the strength of science?
that it cannot prove anything to be true (meaning it’s open to changing as new knowledge is gained)
t/f: the scientific method MUST be strictly followed in order
FALSE (you can rethink and go back a step, etc)
what is the goal of science?
to understand the natural world
biology vs tech?
discoveries vs inventions
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
Charles Darwin
Unifying Themes of Biology
Organization
Information
Energy and Matter
Interactions
Evolution
