chapter 1

Question 1

what is the definition of biology?

Answer 1

the scientific study of life

Question 2

what are the 5 unifying themes in biology?

Answer 2

1. organization
2. information
3. energy and matter
4. interactions
5. evolution

Question 3

what is reductionism?

Answer 3

an approach that reduces complex systems to simple components that are manageable to study

Question 4

what are the levels of biological organization?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

all matter, living and nonliving is composed of what?

Answer 5

atoms

Question 6

what are atoms?

Answer 6

the smallest chemical unit of a type of pure substance (ex. carbon atom)

Question 7

what is a molecule?

Answer 7

a group of joined atoms (ex. DNA)

Question 8

what is an organelle?

Answer 8

a membrane-bounded structure that has a specific function within a cell (ex. chloroplast)

Question 9

what is a cell?

Answer 9

the fundamental unit of life (ex. leaf cell)

Question 10

what is tissue?

Answer 10

a collection of specialized cells that function in a coordinated fashion (ex. epidermis of leaf)

Question 11

what is an organ?

Answer 11

a structure consisting of tissues organized to interact and carry out specific functions (ex. leaf)

Question 12

what is an organ system?

Answer 12

organs connected physically or chemically that function together. (ex. aboveground part of a plant)

Question 13

what is an organism?

Answer 13

a single living individual (ex. one acacia tree)

Question 14

what is a population?

Answer 14

a group of the same species of organism living in the same place and time (ex. multiple acacia trees)

Question 15

what is community?

Answer 15

all populations that occupy the same region (ex.all populations in a savanna)

Question 16

what is an ecosystem?

Answer 16

the living and nonliving components of an area (ex. the savanna)

Question 17

what is the biosphere?

Answer 17

the global ecosystem; the parts of the planet and its atmosphere where life is possible

Question 18

what are emergent properties?

Answer 18

they arise at each level of organization and represent how each component interacts and show the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 19

what structures in cells contains DNA?

Answer 19

chromosomes

Question 20

what are genes?

Answer 20

units of inheritance

Question 21

the input of _____ from the sun and the transformation of energy from one form to another make ____ possible

Answer 21

energy, life

Question 22

the chemical energy generated by plants and other photosynthetic organisms _______ is passed along to ________

Answer 22

producers, consumers

Question 23

what are consumers?

Answer 23

organisms that feed on other organisms or their remains

Question 24

when organisms use energy to perform work, some energy is lost to the ______ as ____ causing energy to flow through an _______, entering as light and exiting as heat

Answer 24

surroundings, heat, ecosystem

Question 25

why are interactions in ecosystems important?

Answer 25

they ensure smooth integration of all parts

Question 26

what does feedback regulation mean?

Answer 26

the output, or product of a precess is what regulates that very process

Question 27

what is the most common form of regulation feedback in living organisms?

Answer 27

negative feedback

Question 28

what is homeostasis?

Answer 28

the process by which a cell or organism maintains internal constancy; it is the optimal balance

Question 29

all organisms maintain _______ ___________

Answer 29

internal constancy

Question 30

evolution is the scientific explanation for what?

Answer 30

unity and diversity of organisms

Question 31

what are the parts of the scientific method?

Answer 31

1. make observations 2. ask a question 2.5. consult prior knowledge 3. formulate hypothesis 4. make predictions 5. design experiment 6. collect and interpret data 6.5. consult prior knowledge 7. draw conclusions 7. 1. peer review 7.2. publish

Question 32

what do well-designed experiments include?

Answer 32

1. sample size: # of subjects in a group 2. independent variable: what is being manipulated 3. dependent variable: what is being measured 4. standardized variable: held constant 5. control: untreated group used for comparison

Question 33

what do data analyses test for?

Answer 33

statistical significance

Question 34

what happens in a controlled experiment?

Answer 34

the experimental group is compared to the control group

Question 35

what features or quantities vary in an experiment?

Answer 35

the independent and dependent variables

Question 36

in science, a theory is…

Answer 36

broader in scope than a hypothesis, general enough to lead to many new and testable hypotheses, supported by a large body of evidence in comparison to a hypothesis (ex. big bang theory, theory of evolution)

Question 37

what is the goal of science?

Answer 37

to understand natural phenomena

Question 38

what is the goal of technology?

Answer 38

to apply scientific knowledge for some specific purpose

Question 39

how do diverse viewpoints affect science?

Answer 39

diverse backgrounds are beneficial because the more voices heard, the more robust, valuable, and productive the scientific interchange can be