Chapter 1: Biology and the Tree of Life

Question 1

Genus

Answer 1

a taxonomic category of closely related species

Question 2

Scientific Name

Answer 2

the unique, two-part name given to each species, with a genus name followed by a species name-as in Homo sapiens.

Question 3

Hypothesis

Answer 3

a testable statement that explains a phenomenon or a set of observations

Question 4

Artificial Selection

Answer 4

deliberate manipulation by humans, as in animal and plant breeding, of the genetic composition of a population by allowing only individuals with desirable traits to reproduce.

Question 5

Organism

Answer 5

any living entity that contains one or more cells

Question 6

Heritable

Answer 6

referring to traits that can be transmitted from one generation to the next.

Question 7

Prokaryote (compare with eukaryote)

Answer 7

a member of the domain Bacteria or Archaea; a unicellular organism lacking a nucleus and containing relatively few organelles or cytoskeletal components.

Question 8

Phylogeny

Answer 8

the evolutionary history of a group of organisms.

Question 9

Adaptation

Answer 9

any heritable trait that increases the fitness of an individual with that trait, compared with individuals without that trait, in a particular environment.

Question 10

Taxon

Answer 10

any named group of organisms at any level of a classification system.

Question 11

Null Hypothesis

Answer 11

a hypothesis that specifies what the results of an experiment will be if the main hypothesis being tested is wrong. often states that there will be no difference between experimental groups.

Question 12

Control

Answer 12

factor that might affect results in a (science experiment)

Question 13

Prediction

Answer 13

a measurable or observable result of an experiment based on a particular hypothesis. a correct prediction provides support for the hypothesis being tested.

Question 14

Domain

Answer 14

a taxonomic category, based on similarities in basic cellular biochemistry, above the kingdom level.

Question 15

Natural Selection

Answer 15

the process by which individuals with certain heritable traits tend to produce more surviving offspring than do individuals without those traits, often leading to a change in the genetic makeup of the population.

Question 16

Fitness

Answer 16

the ability of an individual to produce viable offspring relative to others of the same species.

Question 17

Population

Answer 17

a group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time.

Question 18

Speciation

Answer 18

the evolution of two or more distinct species from a single ancestral species.

Question 19

Cell Theory

Answer 19

the theory that all organisms are made of cells and that all cells come from preexisting cells.

Question 20

Taxonomy

Answer 20

the branch of biology concerned with the categorization and naming of organisms.

Question 21

Eukaryote

Answer 21

a member of the domain Eukarya; an organism whose cells contain a nucleus, numerous membrane-bound organelles and an extensive cytoskeleton. May be unicellular or multicellular.

Question 22

Phylum

Answer 22

a taxonomic category above the class level and below the kingdom level. In plants sometimes called a division.

Question 23

LUCA

Answer 23

the last universal common ancestor of cells. This theoretical entity is proposed to be the product of chemical evolution and provided characteristics of life that are shared by all living things on Earth today.

Question 24

Theory

Answer 24

an explanation for a broad class of phenomena that is supported by a wide body of evidence. It serves as a framework for the development of new hypotheses.

Question 25

Cell

Answer 25

a highly organized compartment bounded by a thin, flexible structure (plasma membrane) and containing concentrated chemicals in an aqueous (watery) solution. It is the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms.