HSISMD Flashcards
What is Classification?
Classification is the grouping of information or objects based on similarities.
What is Taxonomy?
Taxonomy is the science of grouping and naming organisms.
Why Classify Organisms?
To represent relationships among organisms, to make things easier to find, identify, and study, and to understand our own evolution!
Why Use a Scientific Name?
We use scientific names to avoid confusion caused by varying common names across regions.
Who was Aristotle?
A Greek philosopher who proposed arranging all creatures in a hierarchy of complexity.
What is the scala naturae?
The dominance of humans over all living things described as the ‘ladder of nature’.
Who is Carolus Linnaeus?
A Swedish botanist known as ‘The Father of Taxonomy’ who developed a system for classifying and naming organisms.
What is Binomial Nomenclature?
A two-name system for writing scientific names, where the genus name is capitalized and the species name is not.
What are the advantages of Binomial Nomenclature?
It indicates similarities in anatomy, embryology, and evolutionary ancestry.
What are the 7 levels of Classification?
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
What happens as you move from Kingdom to Species?
An increase in similarity between organisms occurs, with fewer different kinds of organisms.
What is Phylogenetics?
The study based on common evolutionary descent.
What is Systematics?
The study of the evolution of biological diversity.
What are Autotrophs?
Organisms that make their own food by photosynthesis.
What are Heterotrophs?
Organisms that use organic materials for energy and growth.
What are Prokaryotic organisms?
Unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
What are Eukaryotic organisms?
Organisms that contain a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, most of which are multicellular.
What is the first classification system?
Developed by Aristotle, dividing organisms into Plants and Animals.
What are the two kingdoms proposed by Linnaeus?
Plantae and Animalia.
What are the five kingdoms proposed by Whittaker?
Plantae, Animalia, Fungi, Protista, Monera.
What defines the kingdom Plantae?
Plants are immobile, multicellular eukaryotes that produce food by photosynthesis.
What defines the kingdom Animalia?
Animals are multicellular, heterotrophic eukaryotes capable of mobility at some stage.
What defines the kingdom Fungi?
Eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms that decompose dead organisms.
What defines the kingdom Protista?
A variety of eukaryotic forms that are not fungi, animals, or plants.
What defines the kingdom Monera?
The only kingdom composed of prokaryotic organisms.
What are Archaebacteria?
Unicellular prokaryotes that exist in extreme environments.
What are Eubacteria?
Unicellular prokaryotes that can be heterotrophic, autotrophic, or chemotrophic.
What is a virus?
A tiny particle of genetic material with an outer coat of protein that is not living until it infects a host cell.
How do viruses replicate?
By injecting their genetic material into a living cell, taking over its activities, and causing the cell to produce new viruses.
How are viruses transmitted?
Through direct contact, contaminated objects, inhalation of aerosols, or by animal vectors.
What diseases are caused by viruses?
Flu, colds, Covid-19, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and many others.
How are viruses treated?
With vaccines, antiviral drugs, or allowing the virus to run its course.
What are bacteria?
Single-cell organisms that are the oldest form of life on Earth.
What are the characteristics of bacteria?
They may be heterotrophic or autotrophic and have cell walls, membranes, and cytoplasm.
What are the shapes of bacteria?
Cocci (sphere), Bacilli (rod), and Spirella (spiral).
How do bacteria reproduce?
Through binary fission.
What are the two types of bacteria based on their feeding habits?
They will be either parasites or saprophytes.
What do parasites feed on?
Parasites feed on living material.
What do saprophytes feed on?
Saprophytes feed on dead material.
What structures do bacteria have?
Bacteria have cell walls, cell membranes, cytoplasm, hereditary material, and may have a flagella.
What is an endospore?
An endospore is a thick outer coating that protects bacteria.
What are the three shapes of bacteria?
Cocci (sphere shape), Bacilli (rod shape), Spirella (spiral shape).
How do bacteria reproduce?
Bacteria reproduce through binary fission, splitting into two cells.
How are bacteria transmitted?
Bacteria can be transmitted through direct contact, contaminated food or water, dirty objects, and infected animals.
What are some harmful effects of bacteria?
Bacteria can cause terrorism, disease, tooth decay, and food spoilage.
How are bacteria helpful?
Bacteria are helpful in producing antibiotics, fixing nitrogen, food production, tanning leather, breaking down waste, and aiding digestion.
What diseases are caused by bacteria?
Diseases include cholera, tuberculosis, lyme disease, and strep throat.
How do we treat bacterial infections?
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics, sterilization, and disinfectants.
What is a unique fact about bacteria?
Bacteria consist of a single cell but are complex and can survive extreme conditions.
What are infectious diseases?
Infectious diseases are transmitted among people by harmful viruses or bacteria.
What is a host?
A host is an organism in which another organism lives and gets nourishment.
What are the body defenses against bacteria?
Body defenses include skin, mucous membranes, cilia, and the immune system.
What happens when invaders enter the body?
The body increases blood flow, raises temperature, produces white blood cells, interferon, and antibodies.
What are the types of immunity?
Natural immunity is present at birth, while acquired immunity develops throughout life.
What are vaccines?
Vaccines are substances that increase an organism’s immunity to disease.
What should be included in a bacteria and virus comparison poster?
Include structure, shape, reproduction, transmission, diseases caused, treatment, and helpful/harmful examples.
What are biomolecules?
The study of chemical composition and reactions occurring in living matter.
What are inorganic compounds?
Compounds that do not contain carbon, with exceptions such as CO2, CO, and bicarbonates.
What is the most abundant inorganic material in cells?
Water, making up 60% - 80% of all cells and 2/3 of body weight.
What are organic compounds?
Compounds that contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
What is the significance of carbon in organic compounds?
Carbon is found in things that are or once were living and forms covalent bonds by sharing electrons.
What are monomers and polymers?
Monomers are single molecules in a polymer, while polymers are long molecules formed by repeating patterns of monomers.
What is a functional group?
A group of atoms that characterize the structure of a family of organic compounds and determine many of their properties.
What are the three types of functional groups to know?
Amine (NH2), Carboxyl (COOH), Hydroxyl (OH).
What are the four types of macromolecules?
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
What is the function of carbohydrates?
They provide energy to cells, serve as energy storage, and help build macromolecules.
What is the ratio of atoms in carbohydrates?
1 C : 2 H : 1 O.
What are the types of carbohydrates?
Monosaccharides (one sugar), disaccharides (two sugars), and polysaccharides (many sugars linked together).
What are lipids?
Compounds that include fats, oils, and waxes, containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
What are the two monomers typically found in lipids?
Glycerol and fatty acids.
What is the function of lipids?
They store energy, provide padding and protection, and do not dissolve in water.
What are saturated and unsaturated fats?
Saturated fats contain only single bonds between carbon atoms, while unsaturated fats contain one or more double or triple bonds.
What is a phospholipid?
A lipid found in cell membranes with a hydrophilic head (phosphate group) and hydrophobic tails (fatty acids).
What are proteins?
Building materials for the body, composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.
What are the functions of proteins?
Catalyzing reactions, synthesizing DNA, transporting materials, receiving signals, responding to stimuli, and providing structural support.
What are the building blocks of proteins?
Amino acids, which are connected by peptide bonds to form polypeptides.
What are the two types of proteins?
Fibrous (hydrophobic) and globular (hydrophilic).
What is the primary structure of proteins?
The amino acid sequence.
What is DNA?
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic material of living organisms.
What is RNA?
Ribonucleic acid, another form of genetic material.
What are nucleotides?
The smaller molecules that make up DNA and RNA, consisting of a pentose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
What are the four nitrogenous bases in DNA?
Thymine, Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine.
What are the four nitrogenous bases in RNA?
Uracil, Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine.
What are the properties of genetic material?
It must contain stable information, replicate accurately, and allow for variation (mutation).
What is the speed of DNA replication in humans?
3,000 nucleotides/min.
What is the accuracy of DNA replication?
Very precise, with 1 error per 1,000,000,000 nucleotides.
