(Introduction) Chapter 1: Themes in the Study of Life Flashcards
Define:
Evolution
The process of change that has transformed life on Earth from its earliest beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today
Define:
Biology
The scientific study of life
List some properties of life (7)
Order Regulation Energy processing Evolutionary adaptation Growth and development Response to the environment Reproduction
State an example of Order in Life
The highly ordered structure of a sunflower
State an example of Regulation in Life
Regulation of blood flow through blood vessels helps maintain temperature for Jackrabbit’s ears
State an example of Energy processing in Life
Hummingbirds obtaining nectar as sources of energy
State an example of Evolutionary adaptation in Life
The camouflage of seahorses best suited for their habitats
State an example of Growth and development in Life
The inherited information carried by genes controls pattern of growth and development of organisms
State an example of Response to the environment in Life
Venus flytraps will close if an insect stimulus on its leaves are detected
State an example of Reproduction in Life
Organisms reproduce their own kind
What is biology’s core theme?
Evolution
Define:
Emergent Properties
The novel properties that emerge at each step when zooming in/out
Name the levels of biological organization (10)
The Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms Organs and Organ Systems Tissues Cells Organelles Molecules
Define:
System
A combination of components that function together
What is the goal of systems biology?
To construct models for the dynamic behaviour of whole biological systems
What can successful models in systems biology do?
Enable biologists to predict how a change in one or more variables will affect other components and the whole system
The operation of any ecosystem involves ___ major processes:
Two
Cycling of nutrients
One-way flow of energy from sunlight to producers to consumers
In energy conversions, some energy is converted to _______ energy. What does this energy dissipate as?
Thermal
Dissipates as heat to the surroundings
_________ and ________ are correlated at all levels of __________ ____________
Structure
Function
Biological organization
What is an organism’s basic units of structure and function?
Cells
What characteristics are shared between all cells? (2)
Enclosed by membrane that regulates the passage of materials between the cell and surroundings
Uses DNA as its genetic information
What are the two main forms of cells?
Prokaryotic
Eukaryotic
Describe:
Eukaryotic Cell
Subdivided by internal membranes into various membrane-enclosed organelles (e.x. nucleus, chloroplast)
Describe:
Prokaryotic Cell
DNA is not separated from the rest of cell by enclosure in a membrane-bounded nucleus
The continuity of life is based on _________ ___________ in the form of ___
Heritable information
DNA
DNA stands for ________________ ____. DNA is a substance of _____, which are:
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Genes
The units of inheritance that transmit information from parents to offspring
What is the chemical building blocks of each DNA molecule chain called?
Nucleotides
Each DNA molecule is made up of ___ long chains arranged in a ______ _____
Two
Double helix
True of False:
DNA of genes controls protein production directly
False, DNA of genes controls protein production indirectly
How do DNA of genes control protein production?
By using a related kind of molecule RNA as an intermediary
How many types of nucleotides are present in a DNA strand?
4
True or False:
Not all RNA in the cell is translated into protein
True
Define:
Genome
The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits
Define:
Bioinformatics
The use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyse the huge volume of data that result from high-throughput methods
What regulates biological systems?
Feedback mechanisms
In feedback regulation, what regulates the process?
The output or product of the process
What is the most common form of regulation in life?
Negative Feedback
Describe:
Negative Feedback
A form of feedback regulation where the accumulation of an end product of a process slows that process
Describe:
Positive Feedback
A form of feedback regulation where the end product speeds up its production
What accounts for the unity and diversity of life?
Evolution
Name one of the founders of modern evolutionary theory
Theodosius Dobzhansky
Dobzhansky stated “_______ in Biology makes sense except in the ____ of _________”
Nothing
Light
Evolution
In the traditional Linnaean system, name the classifying groups (8)
Species Genus Family Order Class Phylum Kingdom Domain
Define:
Taxonomy
The branch of biology that names and classifies species
How domains are there? Name them
3 Domains
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Which domains are prokaryotic?
Bacteria and Archaea
True or False:
All prokaryotes are single-celled and microscopic
False, most prokaryotes are single-celled and microscopic
Define:
Eukaryotes
Organisms with eukaryotic cells
All eukaryotes are now grouped into which domain?
Eukarya
Who’s book was an immediate bestseller and made almost synonymous with the concept of evolution?
Charles Darwin
State the title of the book that Charles Robert Darwin published in November 1859
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
What two main points did The Origin of Species articulate?
Contemporary species arose from a succession of ancestors
Proposed a mechanism for descent with modification, called natural selection
Why did Darwin call the mechanism of evolutionary adaptation “natural selection”?
The natural environment “selects” for the propagation of certain traits
Where is the word “science” derived from?
Latin verb meaning “to know”
What is in the heart of science?
Inquiry, a search for information and explanation, often focusing on specific question
How many types of scientific inquiry do biologists use? What are they?
Two main types
Discovery Science and Hypothesis-Based Science
Discovery science is mostly about __________ nature
Hypothesis-based science is mostly about __________ nature
Describing
Explaining
Define:
Discovery science
Describes natural structures and processes as accurately as possible through careful observation and analysis of data
What is discovery science sometimes called?
Descriptive science
Recorded observations are called ____
Data
What is data?
Items of information on which scientific inquiry is based
Data implies numbers to most people, but some data are ____________
Qualitative, often in the form of recorded descriptions rather than numerical measurements
Define:
Quantitative data
Data which are generally recorded as measurements
Discovery science can lead to important conclusions based on a type of logic called _________ or:
Induction or Inductive Reasoning
Define:
Hypothesis
In science, a hypothesis is a tentative answer to a well-framed question - an explanation on trial
What is a hypothesis usually?
An educated guess, based on experience and on the data available from discovery science
What type of logic in built into hypothesis-based science?
Deductive reasoning
Through induction:
We derive generalizations from a large number of specific observations, from specific to general
Through deduction:
Logic in opposite direction of induction, from general we reach specific
Deductive testing takes the form of “__…____” logic
“If…then”
What are two important qualities of scientific hypotheses?
Scientific hypothesis must be:
Testable
Falsifiable
Define:
Controlled experiment
An experiment that is designed to compare an experimental group with a control group
What are differences between a hypothesis and a theory? (3)
A theory is much broader in scope than a hypothesis
A theory is general enough to spin off many new, specific hypotheses that can be tested
Compared to any one hypothesis, a theory is generally supported by a much greater body of evidence
Scientific models can take may forms, including: (5)
Diagrams, graphs, three-dimensional objects, computer programs, or mathematical equations
What is the goal of science?
To understand natural phenomena
