Week 0 - Intro

Question 1

What are the levels of organization in biology?

Answer 1

1) the biosphere
2) ecosystems
3) communities
4) populations
5) organisms
6) organs and organ systems
7) tissues
8) cells
9) organelles
10) molecules

Question 2

What is biology?

Answer 2

The scientific study of life

Question 3

Emergent properties

Answer 3

New properties due to organization and interaction

I.e. Heart cells don’t pump blood, but the heart that they are a part of does have this property

Question 4

Genomics

Answer 4

The branch of molecular biology concerned with the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of genomes.

Question 5

proteomics

Answer 5

The study of proteomes and their functions.

A proteome is the entire set of proteins expressed by a specific organism.

Question 6

Bioinformatics

Answer 6

The science of collecting and analyzing complex biological data such as genetic codes.

Question 7

What is the idealized scientific method?

Answer 7

1) Questions/curiosity
2) observations
3) hypothesis
4) prediction
5) test (experiment/observations)
6) Analysis and conclusion. Rethink/revise, go back to 3.
7) Communication

Question 8

Hypothesis

Answer 8

A tentative answer to a well framed question - an explanation on trial. Usually a rational account for a set of observations.

Question 9

Theory

Answer 9

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation. Theories can be removed from scientific acceptance.

Question 10

Theory VS Hypothesis

Answer 10

Theory is broader (not specific traits but rather processes or patterns as a whole)

Theory can spin off new hypotheses to be tested to support or disproved a theory.

Theories are supported by a much greater body of evidence.

Question 11

Systems Biology

Answer 11

Systems biology is the study of systems of biological components, which may be molecules, cells, organisms or entire species.

Scientists attempt to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems by studying the interaction among the system’s parts.

Question 12

Data

Answer 12

Recorded Observations

Question 13

Observation (Initial Information)

Answer 13

The gathering of information, either through the direct use of the sense, or with the help of tools to extend our senses.

Question 14

Scientific Question

Answer 14

A question that can be answered using experimentation and factual reasoning

Question 15

Prediction

Answer 15

The act of making an educated guess as to the outcome of a situation.

Question 16

Controlled Experiment

Answer 16

One that is designed to compare an experimental group with a control group. Changing only one variable at a time to isolate results.

Question 17

Independent Variable (Explanatory)

Answer 17

Factor Manipulated

Question 18

Dependent Variable (Response)

Answer 18

Factor that is measured in the experiment.

Question 19

Spurious Correlation

Answer 19

Does not result from any direct relationship. (ie, us cheese production, golf course visitors). Analysis of big data (too much to analyze correctly) finds many of these

Question 20

Correlation

Answer 20

Relationship where things happen or change together

Question 21

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 21

General to specific. If multiple general things are true, we can assume a specific thing will be true.

Question 22

Inductive reasoning

Answer 22

We derive generalizations from many specific observations. This organism is made of cells, so is this, etc etc, ALL organisms are made of cells

Question 23

Model Organism

Answer 23

A species that is easy to grow in the lab and lends itself well to the question being investigated. Such an organism may be used to study the biology of other organisms, closely related or not.

Question 24

Prokaryotic

Answer 24

Organisms whose cells lack membrane enclosed organelles, including a nucleus with the DNA.

Question 25

Eukaryotic

Answer 25

An organism whose cells contain membrane enclosed organelles, including a DNA containing nucleus.

Question 26

Genes

Answer 26

DNA sequences that call for a certain action, production, etc.

Question 27

Feedback regulation

Answer 27

A process is regulated by its output or end product. There is both negative and positive feedback, decreasing and increasing production respectively. All levels of life can do this.