Chapter 1 (Main Assignment Questions) Flashcards
What is the study of life called?
Biology.
What are emergent properties?
Characteristics that arise through interactions among smaller components in an organism.
What do you call a change in an organism that occurs due to an environmental change?
A response.
All forms of life can be placed into three domains such as?
- Bacteria
- Archaea
- Eukarya
Giraffes were once thought to be a single species. However, a 2016 analysis of ________ concludes that there are four distinct species of giraffes
DNA Samples
What is the level of biological organization studied by cell biologists?
Cell biology
What is a hypothesis?
A proposed explanation for natural phenomenon.
What is a theory?
An explanation for natural phenomenon that is backed by extensive evidence.
What are the characteristics of a scientific hypothesis?
- Must make predictions
2. Should be falsifiable (if incorrect)
Why can a hypothesis never be proven?
You cannot prove conclusively that most hypotheses are true because it’s generally impossible to examine all possible cases for exceptions that would disprove them.
All species, both past and present, are related to one another through _________ history.
Evolutionary.
True or False: All living organisms obtain energy from their environment.
True
What should a researcher do if a hypothesis is supported by observation and experimentation?
Fail to reject the hypothesis.
When does a hypothesis become a theory?
A hypothesis becomes a theory only after it is supported by a very large body of experimental evidence collected by many scientists. The hypothesis does not become a theory based on the work of a single researcher.
Individuals with cystic fibrosis produce an unusually large amount of sticky mucus which can block and/or obstruct which organs?
- Liver
- Pancreatic ducts to the small intestine
- Lungs
One of the principles exhibited by all forms of life is that structure determines ______, which applies to small molecules, macromolecules, and multicellular tissues and features.
Function
What do you call the phenomenon of populations of organisms changing from generation to generation?
Biological evolution
True or false: Evolutionary changes frequently involve the modification of pre-existing structures for a new function.
True.
Example: the wing of a bat and the flipper of a dolphin are modifications of a limb that was used for walking in a pre-existing ancestor.
All living organisms contain genetic material that is composed of what?
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Evolutionary change occurs by what two mechanisms?
Vertical descent with mutation and horizontal gene transfer.
What do you call a grouping of species for purposes of classification?
Taxonomy
What does science involve (3)?
- Observation
- Experimental investigation
- Theoretical explanation
What do you call a broad explanation of a natural phenomenon that is substantiated by a large body of evidence?
A theory.
Observations, tested hypotheses, and the laws of other scientific disciplines are incorporated into ___________ that explain broad biological principles and allow predictions to be made about the properties of living organisms.
Theories
How does a theory differ from a hypothesis?
A theory is supported by a large body of evidence.
When data collection and analysis are performed without a preconceived hypothesis, it is an example of _________.
Discovery-based science.
In science, papers submitted for publication usually undergo a ______, which refers to the evaluation of results and recommendation of revisions by expert scientists.
Peer-review process.
True or false: A theory can be proven to be true if enough experimentation is done.
False. No matter how much evidence is collected to support a theory, there is always the possibility that new evidence may be collected in the future which shows that the theory is wrong.
What is the difference between discovery-based science and hypothesis testing?
Data is collected and analyzed under a pre-formed hypothesis or not.
An important part of science is the communication of results through journals and conferences and the peer-review process. These aspects of science make it a(n) ______ discipline.
Social
What refers to the study of individual molecules inside the cell, such as proteins and nucleic acids?
Molecular biology.
What determines the function of a biological molecule?
Structure
Which of the following is not a core concept of biology, as advocated by “Vision and Change”?
Evolution
Information flow, exchange, and storage
Structure and function
Taxonomy
Pathways and transformation of energy and matter
Taxonomy
Populations of organisms change over the course of many generations. Many of these changes are the result of greater reproductive success. This phenomenon is
evolution.
homeostasis.
development.
genetics.
metabolism.
evolution
A biologist is studying the living organisms in a valley in western Colorado. She is studying
an ecosystem.
a community.
the biosphere.
a viable land mass.
a population.
Community
Which of the following is an example of horizontal gene transfer?
the transmission of an eye color gene from father to daughter
the transmission of a mutant gene causing cystic fibrosis from father to daughter
the transmission of a gene conferring pathogenicity (the ability to cause disease) from one bacterial species to another
the transmission of a gene conferring antibiotic resistance from a mother cell to its two daughter cells
all of the above.
the transmission of a gene conferring pathogenicity (the ability to cause disease) from one bacterial species to another
The scientific name for humans is Homo sapiens. The name Homo is the ______ to which humans are classified.
kingdom
phylum
order
genus
species
Genus
The complete genetic makeup of an organism is called its
genus.
genome.
proteome.
genotype.
phenotype.
genome.
After observing certain desert plants in their native environment, a researcher proposes that they drop their leaves to conserve water. This is an example of
a theory.
a law.
a prediction.
a hypothesis.
an experiment.
Hypothesis
In science, a theory should
be viewed as knowledge.
be supported by a substantial body of evidence.
provide the ability to make many correct predictions.
do all of the above.
b and c only.
D
Conducting research without a preconceived hypothesis is called
discovery-based science.
the scientific method.
hypothesis testing.
a control experiment.
none of the above.
discovery-based science.
What is the purpose of using a control group in a scientific experiment?
A control group allows the researcher to practice the experiment first before actually conducting it.
A researcher can compare the results in the experimental group and control group to determine if a single variable is causing a particular outcome in the experimental group.
A control group provides the framework for the entire experiment so the researcher can recall the procedures that should be conducted.
A control group allows the researcher to conduct other experimental changes without disturbing the original experiment.
all of the above.
B
Of the five core concepts of biology described, which apply to individuals and which apply to populations?
Evolution applies only to populations, whereas the other four core concepts could apply to individuals and to populations.
Explain how it is possible for evolution to result in unity among different species yet also produce amazing diversity.
The unity among different species occurs because modern species have evolved from a group of related ancestors. Some of the traits in those ancestors are also found in modern species, which thereby unites them. The diversity is due to the variety of environments on the Earth. Each species has evolved to occupy its own unique environment. For every species, many traits are evolutionary adaptations to survival in a specific environment. For this reason, evolution also promotes diversity.
