Topic 1 - Themes And Concepts In Biology Flashcards
What are the common characteristics of life?
Order, sensitivity, reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, homeostasis, energy processing, and evolution
Order
Living things are highly complex and ordered. All living things are made of cells. These discrete units are bound by a cell membrane which distinguishes the living world from the environment.
Sensitivity
Living things respond to their environment.
Reproduction
All organisms make offspring and pass their DNA to the next generation.
Adaptation
Organisms “fit” their environment through the process of evolution by natural selection.
Growth and development
All organisms can grow and develop and pass down their genetic material to the next generation.
Homeostasis
Organisms can achieve a relatively constant internal environment.
Energy processing
Energy from the environment, whether in the form of sunshine or food, is transformed by living things to do the work of life.
Evolution
The diversity and unity of life is a consequence of changes in hereditary material over time. This results in organisms suited for their environment.
What are the levels of biological organization?
Molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ/organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
What are the unifying themes of biology?
- Cell theory
- Molecular basis of inheritance
- Structure relates to function
- Diversity of life arises by evolutionary change
- Evolutionary conservation explains the unity of living organisms
- Cells are information processing systems
- Living systems require energy
Cell theory
AKA biogenesis
All life is made of cells that came from preexisting cells.
Molecular basis of inheritance
DNA is responsible for heredity. Able to replicate itself, it is the code for making proteins; the code is transmitted to offspring.
Structure relates to function
Predictions of function can be made from the structure.
Diversity of life arises by evolutionary change
Adaptations lead to speciation.
Evolutionary conservation explains the unity of living organisms
All organisms arose from an ancestral cell. Organisms that share characteristics are more closely related.
Cells are information processing systems
Using the code from DNA, cells produce proteins that regulate life.
Living systems require energy
The work done by living creatures requires converting energy from an outside source.
Hypothesis
Possible explanation for an observation.
Experimental group
Receives treatment
Control group
Receives no treatment
Independent variable
Cause that is applied to experimental group
Dependent variable
Effect of the independent variable
What is qualitative data?
Categorical and discrete data, like colors or number of eyes
What is quantitative data?
Numerical and continuous data, like temperature or height
Controlled variables
Variables that are held constant in both the control and experimental group
Where is the independent variable on a graph?
X axis
Where is the dependent variable on a graph?
Y axis
Are bar graphs qualitative or quantitative?
Qualitative
Are line graphs qualitative or quantitative?
Quantitative
