Chapter 1 Vocab Flashcards
Biology
The scientific study of life.
Unicellular
Life forms: consists of a single cell.
Multicellular
Organisms: depend on coordinated functions of cells organized to form tissues organs in organ systems.
Growth
An increase in size of individual cells in an organism, in number of cells or both.
Development
All changes that occurred during an organisms life.
Metabolism
Includes all chemical activities that take place in an organism.
Homeostasis
Carefully regulates metabolic processes to maintain appropriate, balanced internal environment.
Stimuli
Physical or chemical changes in the external or internal environment.
Asexual reproduction
Makes clones. Variation occurs only by mutations.
Sexual reproduction
Fusion of egg and sperm, creates variation.
Evolution
The process by which populations of organisms change over time.
Adaptation
Inherited characteristic that enhance the ability to survive in a particular environment.
Reductionism
We learn about structure by studying all its parts.
Emergent properties
Characteristics of an object, process, or behavior that could not be predicted from its component parts; emergent properties can be identified at each level as we move up to the hierarchy of biological organization.
Atom
The smallest quantity of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element.
Molecule
 The smallest particle of a covalently bonded element or compound; Two or more atoms joined by covalent bonds.
Macromolecule
A very large organic molecule, such as a protein or nucleic acid.
Organelle
One of the specialized structures within the cell, such as the mitochondria, Golgi complex, ribosomes, or contractile vacuole; many organelles are member – enclosed.
Cell
The basic structural and functional unit of life, which consists of living material enclosed by a membrane.
Tissue
A group of closely associated, similar cells that work together to carry out specific functions.
Organ
Specialized structure, such as the heart or liver, a flower, made up of tissues that adapted to perform a specific function or group of functions.
Organ system
And organized group of tissues in organs that work together to perform a specialized set of functions
Organism
Any living system consisting of one or more cells.
Population
A group of organisms of the same species that lived in a defined geographic area at the same time.
Community
An association of populations of different species living together in a defined habitat with some degree of interdependence. Compare with ecosystem.
Ecosystem
The interacting system that encompasses a Community and it’s not living, physical environment. Compare with community.
Biosphere
All earths communities of living organisms and their physical environment.
DNA
Transmits genetic information from generation to generation. Controls growth and development of every organism on earth.
Chemical signal
Means of communication between cells.
Hormone
Chemical messenger, often produce in one region of the body of a multicellular organism and transported to another region where it’s signals cells to alter some aspect of growth, development, or metabolism.
Electrical signal
Means of communication between cells.
Producer
An organism that synthesizes complex organic compounds from simple inorganic raw material; also called autotroph or primary producer. 
Consumer
An organism that cannot synthesize its own food from an organic raw materials and therefore must obtain body building materials from other organisms. Also called heterotroph.
Decomposer
Microbial heterotrophs that break down dead organic material and use the decomposition products as a source of energy. Also called saprotrophs or saprobes.
Autotroph
An organism that synthesizes complex organic compounds from simple and organic raw materials; also called producer or primary producer.
Photosynthesis
The biological process I captures light energy and transforms into the chemical energy of organic molecules which are manufactured from carbon dioxide and water.
Heterotroph
An organism that cannot synthesize its own food from in organic raw materials and therefore must obtain body building materials from other organisms. Also called consumer.
Cellular respiration
The process by which cells generate ATP through a series of redox reactions. In aerobic cellular respiration, the terminal electron  Acceptor is molecular oxygen; and anaerobic cellular respiration, the terminal acceptor is an inorganic molecule other than oxygen.
Evolution
Any cumulative genetic changes in a population from generation to generation. Evolution leads the differences in populations and explain the origin of all organisms that exist today or have ever existed.
Systematics
The scientific study of the diversity of organisms in the revolutionary relationships. taxonomy is an aspect of systematics.
Taxonomy
The science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.
Carolus Linnaeus
Developed a hierarchical system of naming and classifying organisms in the 18th century.
Domain Bacteria
Prokaryotic organisms that have peptidoglycan in their cell walls; most are decomposers, but sum are parasites and others are autotrophs. Bacteria is the name of one of the two prokaryotic domains. 
Domain Archaea
One of the two prokaryotic domains. the absence of peptidoglycan in their cell walls sets them apart from the bacteria.
Domain Eukaria
The domain that includes all eukaryotes: protists, fungi, plants, and animals.
Domain
The broadest taxonomic category; each domain includes one or more kingdoms. 
Taxonomic hierarchy
Classifies groups of organisms for most inclusive (Domain) to least inclusive (Species or sub species)
Kingdom
A broad taxonomic category made up of related phyla; many biologist currently assigned living organisms to five kingdoms in several “supergroups.”
Phylum
A taxonomic grouping of related, similar classes; a category beneath the kingdom and above the class.
Class
Taxonomic category made up of related orders.
Order
Taxonomic category made up of related families.
Family
A taxonomic category made up of related genera.
Genus
 A taxonomic category made up of related species.
Species
According to the biological species concept, one or more populations whose members are capable of interbreeding in nature to produce fertile offspring and do not interbreed with members of other species.
Natural selection
The mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin; the tendency of organisms that have favorable adaptations to their environment to survive become the parents of the next generation. Evolution occurs when natural selection result in changes in allele frequencies in a population.
Charles Darwin
Stated at all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small inherited variations that increase the individuals ability to compete survive and reproduce.
The origin of species by natural selection
Proposes that present forms of life descended, with modifications, from previously existing forms.
scientific method
The process that scientists use to investigate the natural world; includes observing, recognizing a problem or stating a critical question, developing a hypothesis, making a prediction that can be tested, making further observations, performing experiments, interpreting results, and drawing conclusion is supported falsify the hypothesis.
Observation
The action or process of observing something or someone carefully in order to gain information.
Question
The first step of the scientific method is the “question” the step may also be referred to as the “problem.”
Hypothesis
A testable statement about the nature of an observation or relationships.
Prediction
What are you expect to happen if your hypothesis is true.
Experiment
A scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.
Conclusion
A statement based on experimental measurements and observations.
Deductive reasoning
Making a specific statement based on a general principle.
Inductive reasoning
Developing a general conclusion from a collection of observations.
Controlled experiment
An experiment in which all factors are held constant except for one: the independent variable.
Theory 
Widely excepted explanation supported by a large body of observations and experiments.
