Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biology > Chapter 1 - Exploring Biology > Flashcards

Chapter 1 - Exploring Biology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the overall theme of this course?

A

Everything is connected.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the 7 common properties of life? Describe each.

A

GO ERRRA!!!

Order/Organized (usually into cells)
Ability to process energy/metabolize
Growth and Development (increase in complexity)
Ability to reproduce
Response to environmental stimuli
Regulation – homeostasis
Adaptation (long-term)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the first law of thermodynamics – the law of energy conservation?

A

Energy and mass may be transformed, but there is always the same total amount available.

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed…matter, which is also a form of energy, cannot be created nor destroyed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the second law of thermodynamics – the entropy law?

What is entropy?

A

In all natural processes the entropy of the world always increases.
All things tend towards maximum entropy (maximum randomness).

Entropy can be considered to be
synonymous with disorder within the system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How does life contradict the second law of thermodynamics? How is this possible?

A

Life is highly organized.

Organization is maintained through the use of energy and raw materials. Once an organism dies the order is lost and it’s body is broken down and reused.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is an autotroph?

A

Organisms that can “manufacture” their own food using raw materials and the Sun’s energy (plants and plant-like animals). They can be thought of as self-feeding.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a heterotroph?

A

Heterotrophs feed on autotrophs (or other heterotrophs) and use their hard-won (stored) food molecules as a source of energy and raw materials. They obtain their energy from something other than the Sun.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a primary consumer?

A

A heterotroph that eats autotrophs. Such as a koala eating plants.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a secondary consumer?

A

A heterotroph that eats primary consumers (other heterotrophs).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a carnivore/omnivore/herbivore?

A

Carnivores eat animals.
Omnivores eat plants and animals.
Herbivores eat plants.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What do the words “growth” and “development” mean in biology?

A

Growth increases the amount of living substance in the organism. An increase in cellular mass through an increase in the size of individual cells or an increase in the number of cells, or both.

Development often involves some form of differentiation (increase in complexity). Salt crystals grow, but they are all similar so they do not develop.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are some examples of stimuli that organisms respond to?

What is a pattern of response called?

A

Common stimuli are heat, cold, light, sound, movement, touch, and other organisms.

The total pattern of response is called behaviour.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

The ability to maintain a constant internal environment. A state of chemical and physical consistency in the face of changes in the surroundings.

Homeo (the same) Stasis (unchanging)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What does homeothermic mean?

What’s an example of how this is achieved?

A

Mammals are Homeothermic – capable of regulating their body temperature within a small safe temperature range.

We sweat, dogs pant, jack rabbits have big ears.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is acclimation?

A

A short-term response to the environment – we wear jackets in winter.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is adaptation?

A

A long-term, intergenerational change due to spontaneous mutation and natural selection causing an actual changes in genes. Like growing more fur in a cold climate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

List the hierarchical organization of life. (11 parts in 3 groups)

A

Chemical:
Molecule
Cellular:
Organelle
Cell
Tissue
Organ
Organ System
Ecological
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are subatomic particles?

A

Protons, neutrons, and electrons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are atoms?

A

The smallest unit of a chemical element made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is a molecule?

A

Molecules are formed when 2 or more atoms (of the same element) combine together.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is a macromolecule? List the 4 mentioned in class.

A

A large molecule. This includes carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is a biomolecule?

What are the four largest groups of biomolecules?

A

A molecule that is produced by a living organism.

Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids (DNA, RNA)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is an organelle? Where are they found?

A

Complex, highly organized and highly specialized sub-cellular structures. Like mini organs for cells! The organelles are suspended within the cytoplasm of a cell.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is a cell?

A

The basic structural and functional unit of life. The smallest and simplest part of living matter that can carry on all the activities necessary for life.

25
Q

What are tissues?

A

Groups of cells that have similar structure and function together as a unit. In most multicellular organisms cells associate to form tissues, such as muscle tissue or nervous tissue.

26
Q

What are organs?

A

A part of the body that is made up of cells and tissues that perform a specific function, such as the heart or stomach.

27
Q

What are organ systems?

A

A coordinated group of tissues and organs that perform a biological function, such as the circulatory system.

28
Q

What is an organism?

A

A living thing that functions as an individual, made up of organ systems.

29
Q

What is a population?

A

All the members of one species that live in the same area.

30
Q

What is a biological community?

A

All the living creatures in one area.

31
Q

What is ecology?

A

The study of how organisms in a community relate to one another and their non-living environment.

32
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The living and non-living things in an area. Can be big (the ocean) or small (a pond).

33
Q

What is the biosphere?

A

The largest ecosystem; planet Earth with all its inhabitants.

34
Q

How does matter/nutrients cycle through an ecosystem?

A

Matter is continuously recycled in ecosystems.

Producers (plants) create food, consumers eat food and produce waste, which returns some nutrients back to the environment. The rest are stored in the animal until the it dies, then decomposers release the nutrients back to the soil. Plants also decompose eventually.

35
Q

How does energy flow through ecosystems?

A

It enters as sunlight and exits eventually has heat.

Sunlight energy, converted by plants to chemical energy, converted to kinetic energy by animals, eventually much is converted to heat through various metabolic processes.

36
Q

What is DNA used for?

A

All life uses DNA to store and inherit genetic
information. DNA controls the structure and function of all cells. DNA directs cellular metabolism and development in ALL living organisms.

37
Q

How is DNA related to unity and diversity of life?

A

The unity of life results from all organisms using the exact same code (ATCG), the diversity of life arises from differences in DNA sequences.

Bacteria and humans are different because they have different genes, but the instructions on how to “make them” are written in the same language and use the same molecular building blocks.

38
Q

Why is DNA transformed into RNA?

A

The RNA can be used as instructions to create specific proteins.

39
Q

What are the 3 Domains of The Diversity of Life?

A

Bacteria (most diverse and widespread), Archaea (extremophiles), and Eukarya (all higher life).

40
Q

What does the domain of Eukarya include?

A

Protists = unicellular eukaryotes
Plantae = producers
Fungi =decomposers
Animalia = consumers

41
Q

What is the difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.

A

Eukaryotic cells evolved about 2 billion years ago. All higher forms of multi-cellular life consist of eukaryotic cells. Have a nucleus.

Prokaryotic cells (bacteria and archaea) are much simpler cells with much less internal structure. These cells were the first to evolve. Have a nucleoid.

42
Q

What is evolution?

A

Evolution is the gradual change in living things from one generation to the next.
Descent with modification
Explains the Unity and Diversity of Life.

43
Q

In evolution, what determines which traits are passed on?

A

Beneficial traits survive long enough to reproduce.

Unequal reproductive success over many generations increases the percentage of individuals with advantageous traits.

44
Q

What is the scientific method?

A

Hypothetical-deductive thinking, IF…THEN

It attempts to answer questions by conducting tests, the results of which, will either support or refute the hypothesis (predicted outcome).

45
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A testable explanation for a set of observations based on available data. A logical prediction. IF…THEN

46
Q

What is deductive reasoning?

A

A type of logic in which specific results are predicted from a general premise.

If all organisms are made of cells (premise 1) and humans are organisms (premise 2), then humans are composed of cells (deduction).

47
Q

What are the key steps in the scientific process?

A
  1. Observations
  2. Questions
  3. Hypotheses
  4. Predictions
  5. Tests (experiments)
    New information may cause us to go back and repeat steps at any point in the process.
48
Q

What is a theory?

A

A widely accepted explanatory idea that is broader in scope than a hypothesis, generates new hypotheses, and is supported by a large body of evidence.

49
Q

What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?

A

A theory has considerably more supporting evidence than does a hypothesis.

50
Q

Can we prove a hypothesis? How do we prove a hypothesis?

A

We can falsify a hypothesis, but can never “prove” a hypothesis beyond a doubt. Instead we say a test “does not falsify the hypothesis”.

The best we can do is perform repeatable tests. A hypothesis gains credibility by surviving multiple attempts to falsify it but it’s impossible to exhaust all alternative hypotheses.

51
Q

What is a “scientific principle” or “law”?

A

A theory that, over a long period of time has yielded true predictions with unvarying uniformity, and is almost universally accepted.

52
Q

What are the elements of a good experiment?

A

A large number of samples/individuals.
Control groups give you something to compare the experimental groups to.
The experimental group has only one thing (variable) different than the control group.
Randomized (to control for potentially interfering variables) and blinded (to avoid bias)

53
Q

What are independent and dependant variable?

A

The variable you are testing is called the INDEPENDENT variable. Your end point that you are measuring, is your DEPENDENT variable (which changes as a result of the independent variable).

54
Q

What is a flaw in the scientific method?

A

We always try to isolate one variable at a time. But in the real world often multiple variables are in effect at once and can have vastly different results. (i.e. pesticide example)

55
Q

What is an additive effect?

A

The combining effects of two variables equal the sum of the effects of the two variables acting independently.
2 + 2 = 4

56
Q

What is an antagonist effect?

A

The combining effects of two variables equal less than the effects of the two variables acting independently.
2 + 2 = 1

57
Q

What is a synergistic effect?

A

The combining effects of two variables equal more than the effects of the two variables acting independently.
2 + 2 = 100

58
Q

How does the Scarlet King Snake benefit from mimicking the Eastern Coral Snake (poisonous)? When do the benefits fail?

A

Mimicry protected the king snakes in habitats shared with the coral snake. But in unshared areas the mimicry made the king snakes easier to prey on.

59
Q

What are the benefits of peer reviewed work?

A

Independent people review publications and look for weaknesses in the work before publication. This helps to dramatically reduce the publication of an erroneous or fake result.

Biology (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions