Chapter 1 --> Intro: Themes in the Study of Life --> Vocab Flashcards
Evolution
The process of change that has transformed life on Earth from its earliest beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today.
Biology
The scientific study of life.
Emergent Properties
Properties that are not present at the preceding level.
Systems Biology
An approach that attempts to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based on a study of the interactions among the system’s parts.
Levels of Biological Organization (10 Levels)
The Biosphere –> Ecosystems –> Communities –> Populations –> Organisms –> Organs and Organ Systems –> Tissues –> Cells –> Organelles –> Molecules
Global Climate Change
Global warming.
Eukaryotic Cell
A cell that is subdivided by internal membranes into various membrane-enclosed organelles.
Prokaryotic Cell
A cell where the DNA is not separated from the rest of the cell by enclosure in a membrane-bound nucleus.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
The cell’s genetic material; the substance of genes.
Genes
The units of inheritance that transmit information from parents to offspring.
Gene Expression
The process by which the information in a gene directs the production of a cellular product.
Genome
The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits.
Genomics
Studying whole sets of genes of a species as well as comparing genomes between species.
Bioinformatics
The use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze the huge volume of data that result from high-throughput methods.
Negative Feedback
A form of regulation in which accumulation of an end product of a process slows that process. (i.e. thermostat)
Positive Feedback
A form of regulation in which an end product speeds up its own production. (i.e. birth)
The three domains of life
Bacteria and Archaea –> Prokaryotic
Eukarya –> Eukaryotic
Natural Selection
The natural environment “selects” for the propagation of certain traits among naturally occurring variant traits in the population. (i.e. only the tough survive, survival of the fittest)
Science
A way of knowing; an approach to understanding the natural world.
Inquiry
A search for information and explanation, often focusing on specific questions.
Data
Recorded observations.
Inductive Reasoning
A type of logic where collecting and analyzing observations can lead to important conclusions.
Hypothesis
A tentative answer to a well-framed question; and explanation on trial.
Deductive Reasoning
Generally used after the hypothesis has been developed and involves logic that flows in the opposite direction, from the general to the specific.
Controlled Experiment
An experiment designed to compare an experimental group with a control group.
Theory
Much broader in scope than a hypothesis.
Model Organism
A species that is easy to grow in the lab and lends itself particularly well to the questions being investigated.
Technology
Generally applies scientific knowledge for some specific purpose.
