Chapter 1: Biology: The Science of Life

Question 1

Biology

Answer 1

The scientific study of life.

Question 2

atoms

Answer 2

The smallest particle of an element that displays the properties of that element.

Question 3

cell

Answer 3

Fundamental unit of life. Lowest level of biological organization that has all of the characteristics of life.

Question 4

tissue

Answer 4

Group of similar cells combined to perform a common function.

Question 5

organ

Answer 5

Combination of two or more different tissues performing a common function.

Question 6

organ system

Answer 6

Group of related organs working together.

Question 7

organism

Answer 7

An individual plant, fungi, animal, or protist, or prokaryote.

Question 8

species

Answer 8

Group of similarly constructed organisms capable of interbreeding and producing viable offspring; organisms that share a gene pool; the taxon at the lowest level of classification.

Question 9

population

Answer 9

Group of individuals of the same species occupying a given location at the same time.

Question 10

community

Answer 10

All the populations in a particular locale.

Question 11

ecosystem

Answer 11

A community of living organisms along with their physical environment; characterized by a flow of energy and a cycling of inorganic nutrients.

Question 12

biosphere

Answer 12

Zone of air, land, and water at the surface of the Earth in which organisms are found; encompasses all the ecosystems on Earth.

Question 13

energy

Answer 13

Capacity to do work and bring about change; occurs in a variety of forms.

Question 14

metabolism

Answer 14

All of the chemical reactions that occur in a cell during growth and repair.

Question 15

homeostasis

Answer 15

The internal environment of an organism that remains constant between physiological boundaries.

Question 16

reproduce

Answer 16

To produce a new individual of the same kind.

Question 17

genes

Answer 17

Unit of heredity existing as alleles on the chromosomes. In diploid organisms, typically two alleles are inherited—one from each parent.

Question 18

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Answer 18

Nucleic acid polymer produced from covalent bonding of nucleotide monomers that contain the sugar deoxyribose; the genetic material of nearly all organisms.

Question 19

mutation

Answer 19

Change made in the nucleotide sequence of DNA. Such changes may be due to a replication error or the influence of external sources called mutagens. Mutations generate variation in the gene pool of a population.

Question 20

development

Answer 20

Events that occur from fertilization until the formation of an adult organism.

Question 21

Adaptation

Answer 21

A modification in an organism’s structure, function, or behavior suitable to the environment.

Question 22

evolution

Answer 22

Inheritable changes in a population over time that make the population better adapted to their environment.

Question 23

natural selection

Answer 23

Mechanism of evolution caused by environmental selection of organisms most fit to reproduce; results in adaptation to the environment.

Question 24

taxonomy

Answer 24

Branch of biology concerned with identifying, naming, and classifying organisms.

Question 25

systemics

Answer 25

Study of the diversity of organisms to classify them and determine their evolutionary relationships.

Question 26

genus

Answer 26

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; contains those species that are most closely related through evolution.

Question 27

family

Answer 27

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the genus level.

Question 28

order

Answer 28

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the family level.

Question 29

class

Answer 29

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the order level.

Question 30

phylum

Answer 30

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above the class level.

Question 31

kingdom

Answer 31

One of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species; the taxon above phylum.

Question 32

domain

Answer 32

Largest of the categories, or taxa, used by taxonomists to group species. The three domains are Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

Question 33

domain Bacteria

Answer 33

One of the three domains of life; contains prokaryotic cells that differ from archaea because they have unique genetic, biochemical, and physiological characteristics.

Question 34

domain Archaea

Answer 34

One of the three domains of life; contains prokaryotic cells that often live in extreme habitats and have unique genetic, biochemical, and physiological characteristics; its members are sometimes referred to as archaea.

Question 35

domain Eukarya

Answer 35

One of the three domains of life, consisting of organisms with eukaryotic cells and further classified into the kingdoms Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.

Question 36

protist

Answer 36

Eukaryotic organisms that are usually single-celled; members of the kingdom Protista.

Question 37

fungi

Answer 37

Saprotrophic decomposer. The body is made up of filaments, called hyphae, that form a mass called a mycelium. Member of the kingdom Fungi.

Question 38

plant

Answer 38

Multicellular, usually photosynthetic, organism belonging to the kingdom Plantae.

Question 39

animal

Answer 39

Multicellular, heterotrophic, organism belonging to the kingdom Anamalia.

Question 40

supergroup

Answer 40

High-level taxonomic groups just below the domain level; used for classification of eukaryotes.

Question 41

binomial name

Answer 41

Scientific name of an organism, the first part of which designates the genus and the second part of which designates the specific epithet.

Question 42

observation

Answer 42

Step in the scientific method by which data are collected before a conclusion is drawn.

Question 43

inductive reasoning

Answer 43

Using specific observations and the process of logic and reasoning to arrive at a hypothesis.

Question 44

hypothesis

Answer 44

Supposition established by reasoning after consideration of available evidence. It can be tested by obtaining more data, often by experimentation.

Question 45

experiment

Answer 45

Series of actions undertaken to collect data with which to test a hypothesis.

Question 46

experimental design

Answer 46

Artificial situation devised to test a hypothesis.

Question 47

prediction

Answer 47

Step of the scientific process that follows the formation of a hypothesis and assists in creating the experimental design.

Question 48

experimental variable

Answer 48

In a scientific experiment, a condition of the experiment that is deliberately changed.

Question 49

responding variable

Answer 49

In an experiment, the value that is obtained as a result of changing the experimental variable.

Question 50

control group

Answer 50

Sample that goes through all the steps of an experiment but is not exposed to the experimental variable; a standard against which the results of an experiment are checked.

Question 51

model systems

Answer 51

Simulation of a process; aids conceptual understanding until the process can be studied firsthand; a hypothesis that describes how a particular process might be carried out.

Question 52

data

Answer 52

Facts, or information, collected through observation and/or experimentation.

Question 53

conclusion

Answer 53

Statement made following an experiment as to whether or not the results support the hypothesis.

Question 54

scientific theory

Answer 54

Concept supported by a broad range of observations, experiments, and data.

Question 55

principle

Answer 55

Theory that is generally accepted by an overwhelming number of scientists, also called a law.

Question 56

law

Answer 56

Universial principle that describes the basic functions of the natural world.

Question 57

placebo

Answer 57

Treatment that contains no medication but appears to be the same treatment as that administered to the test groups in a controlled study.

Question 58

technology

Answer 58

Application of scientific knowledge for a practical purpose.

Question 59

climate change

Answer 59

Overall change in global weather patterns caused by any number of human-related events.

Question 60

global warming

Answer 60

Predicted increase in the Earth’s temperature due to human activities that promote the greenhouse effect.

Question 61

biodiversity

Answer 61

Total number of different species living on Earth.

Question 62

Extinction

Answer 62

Total disappearance of a species or higher group.

Question 63

emerging disease

Answer 63

Infectious disease that has not previously been detected in humans.