Chapter 1 key terms

Question 1

biology

Answer 1

the study of life

Question 2

cell

Answer 2

Highly organized, tiny structures with thin coverings called membranes. The smallest unit capable of all life functions.

Question 3

reproduction

Answer 3

the process by which organisms make more of their own kind

Question 4

metabolism

Answer 4

the sum of all of the chemical reactions carried out in an organism

Question 5

homeostasis

Answer 5

the maintenance of stable internal conditions in spite of changes in the external environment

Question 6

gene

Answer 6

set of inherited instructions for making proteins, determine traits of offspring

Question 7

heredity

Answer 7

transmission of genetic traits from parent to offspring

Question 8

mutation

Answer 8

a change in the DNA of a gene or a chromosome

Question 9

evolution

Answer 9

a change in the genetic makeup of a population or species over time

Question 10

species

Answer 10

group of organisms that look alike and are capable of producing fertile offspring in nature

Question 11

natural selection

Answer 11

process in which populations change in response to their environment, individuals more suited to the environment leave more offspring than those not suited to the environment

Question 12

ecology

Answer 12

the study of interactions of living organisms with one another and with their environment

Question 13

bias

Answer 13

a prejudice or inclination toward a certain outcome

Question 14

independent variable

Answer 14

factor that is varied in an experiment

Question 15

dependent variable

Answer 15

variable that is measured in an experiment

Question 16

HIV

Answer 16

Human Immunodefiency Virus; the infectious virus that causes AIDS

Question 17

cancer

Answer 17

disease characterized by abnormal cell growth

Question 18

cystic fibrosis

Answer 18

fatal genetic disorder in which excessive amounts of mucus are secreted, blocking intestinal and bronchial ducts and causing difficulty in breathing

Question 19

observation

Answer 19

the act of noting or perceiving objects or events using the senses

Question 20

hypothesis

Answer 20

a proposed explanation for an observation that can be tested by additional observations or experiementation

Question 21

prediction

Answer 21

the expected outcome if the hypothesis is correct

Question 22

pH

Answer 22

measure of acidity of a solution, representing the hydrogen ion concentration

Question 23

experiment

Answer 23

a planned procedure to test a hypothesis

Question 24

control group

Answer 24

a group in an experiment that does not receive experimental treatment

Question 25

theory

Answer 25

explanation based on a set of related hypotheses that have been tested and confirmed many times