Chapter 1 Textbook Questions

Question 1

Compare biology to other natural sciences.

Answer 1

“One does not simply compare biology to other sciences.”

The study of biology encompasses both information and tools from other sciences (chemistry, physics, geology, and other “natural sciences”)

Question 2

Describe the characteristics of living systems.

Answer 2

1. Cellular organization
2. Ordered complexity
3. Sensitivity to stimuli
4. Growth, development, and reproduction
5. Energy utilization
6. Homeostasis
7. Evolutionary adaption

Question 3

Characterize the hierarchical organization of living systems.

Answer 3

1. Cellular level (atoms, molecules, macro-molecules, organelles, cells)
2. Organismal level (tissues, organs, organ systems)
3. Populational level (population, species, biological community)
4. Ecosystem level (ecosystem)
5. Biosphere (the whole planet)

Question 4

The functions of biological systems are determined and constraint by the principles of __________ and ___________.

Answer 4

Chemistry & physics

Question 5

The study of ________ does illustrate and illuminate the working of natural sciences.

Answer 5

Biology

Question 6

The intricate chemical workings of cells are based on everything we know about the study of __________.

Answer 6

Chemistry

Question 7

The intricate chemical workings of cells are based on everything we know about the study of __________.

Answer 7

Chemistry

Question 8

Every level of _________ ________ is governed by the nature of energy transactions learned from the study of thermodynamics.

Answer 8

Biological organization

Question 9

___________ ________ do not represent any new forms of matter, and yet they are the most complex organization of matter known.

Answer 9

Biological systems

Question 10

The complexity of living systems is made possible by what constant source of energy?

Answer 10

The Sun

Question 11

Modern science is becoming more _________, combining the expertise from a variety of traditional disciplines and emerging fields (ex. Nanotechnology)

Answer 11

Interdisciplinary

Question 12

What branch of science is at the heart of the new multidisciplinary approach to modern science?

Answer 12

Biology

Question 13

_______ problems often require many different approaches to arrive at solutions

Answer 13

Biological

Question 14

Define biology in the broadest sense

Answer 14

Biology is the science of life (the study of living things)

Question 15

Define biology in the broadest sense

Answer 15

Biology is the science of life (the study of living things)

Question 16

Name the seven characteristics that are shared by a living system.

Answer 16

1. Cellular organization
2. Ordered complexity
3. Sensitivity/ response to stimuli
4. Growth, development, and reproduction
5. Energy utilization
6. Homeostasis
7. Evolutionary adaption

Question 17

All organisms consist of one or more cells. Often too tiny to see, cells carry out the basic activities of living. Each cell is bounded by a membrane that separates it from its surroundings.

Answer 17

Cellular organization

Question 18

All living things are both complex and highly ordered. Your body is composed of many different kinds of cells, each containing many complex molecular structures. Many nonliving things may also be complex, but they do not exhibit this degree of ordered complexity.

Answer 18

Ordered complexity

Question 19

All organisms respond to stimuli. Plants grow toward a source of light, and the pupils of your eyes dilate when you walk into a dark room.

Answer 19

Sensitivity/ Responds to stimuli

Question 20

All organisms are capable of growing and reproducing, and they all possess hereditary molecules that are passed to their offspring, ensuring that the offspring are of the same species.

Answer 20

Growth, development, an reproduction

Question 21

All organisms maintain relatively constant internal conditions that are different from their environment.

Ex: Your body temperature remains stable despite changes in outside temperatures

Answer 21

Homeostasis

Question 22

All organisms interact with other organisms and the nonliving environment in ways that influence their survival, and as a consequence, organisms evolve adaptions to their environments

Answer 22

Evolutionary adaption

Question 23

The organization of the biological world is __________-that each level builds on the level below it

Answer 23

Hierarchical

Question 24

Name the five levels of hierarchical organizations

Answer 24

1. Cellular level
2. Organismal level
3. Populational level
4. Ecosystem level
5. Biosphere

Question 25

What are the 5 sub-levels of the cellular level?

Answer 25

1. Atoms 2. Molecules 3. Macromolecule 4. Organelle 5. Cell

Question 26

What are the 3 sub-levels of the organismal level?

Answer 26

1. Tissue 2. Organ 3. Organ system

Question 27

What are the 5 sub-levels of the populational level?

Answer 27

1. Population 2. Species 3. Biological Community

Question 28

The fundamental elements of matter (ex. C, H, O, N)

Answer 28

Atoms

Question 29

Atoms that are joined together into simple clusters (ex: H20)

Answer 29

Molecules

Question 30

Atoms that are joined together into larger molecules (ex: C6H12O6)

Answer 30

Macro-molecules

Question 31

Complex biological molecules are assembled into tiny structures

Answer 31

Organelles

Question 32

Organelles that are within a membrane-bound unit

Answer 32

Cell

Question 33

Basic unit of life

Answer 33

Cell

Question 34

Organism composed of a single cell

Answer 34

Bacteria

Question 35

Organisms that are composed of multiple cells

Answer 35

Animals, plants, most fungi, and algae

Question 36

Term that means "composed of more than one cell"

Answer 36

Multicellular

Question 37

Groups of similar cells that act as a functional unit (ex: neurons)

Answer 37

Tissue

Question 38

Body structures composed of several different tissues that act as a structural and functional unit (ex: brain)

Answer 38

Organ

Question 39

Groups of organs that serve a particular function for an organism (ex: nervous system)

Answer 39

Organ system

Question 40

What level (out of the three) hierarchical organization levels consists of individual organisms that can be categorized into several hierarchal levels within the living world?

Answer 40

Populational level

Question 41

The most basic sub-level of the populational level that consists of a group of organisms of the same species living in the same place. (ex: Pugs)

Answer 41

Population

Question 42

Sub-level of the populational level in which all populations of a particular kind of organism have similar appearances and are able to interbreed. (ex: Canines- wolves and dogs like pugs)

Answer 42

Species

Question 43

The higher sub-level of the population level that consists of all populations of different species living together in one place (ex: Dog park- different dogs, birds, trees, fungi, and bacteria interacting with one another)

Answer 43

Biological community

Question 44

The highest level of the biological organization in which a biological community and the physical habitat lives together (ex: Southeast Portland)

Answer 44

Ecosystem

Question 45

The entire planet thought as an ecosystem

Answer 45

Biosphere

Question 46

As you move up the biological world's hierarchical levels (from simple to complex) you can define that make up of the simpler levels but still cannot deduce how those levels interact to make up the larger whole (ex: You know that DNA is made up of certain molecules, but the scientific community still doesn't understand why and how certain genes are expressed)

Answer 46

Emergent properties

Question 47

Type of biological property in which the parts do not explain how the whole organism or parts of the organism work ex: Neurons are a basic unit of the nervous system but how the brain learns and is "activated" is still unknown

Answer 47

Emergent properties