Unit 1: Introduction to Biology Flashcards
(122 cards)
What is Biology?
The Study of Life
What are the five characteristics of life?
Growth, Reproduction, Organization, Response, and requirement of energy.
Why do scientists use the scientific method?
To answer questions about living things.
What are the steps to the scientific method?
Define the problem, Research, form a hypothesis, test your hypothesis, state your conclusions.
What should a good hypothesis look like?
a statement predicting the outcome. Written in clear, simple language. Should be testable.
What are some limitations to the scientific method?
hypothesis is too broad, poor technique or flawed experiments, atypical specimen or organism, biased thinking.
What is the study of the human body and how it functions?
Anatomy
What is polarity?
where each water molecule has a positive and negative charge on opposite sides of each other
What is a universal solvent?
where many substances can dissolve into water because of its weak magnetic bond
Does water get less dense or denser when it freezes?
less dense
Does water need energy?
yes
What is the study of matter?
Chemistry
What is the smallest unit of an element?
Cells
What are the building blocks of an element?
Atoms
What are atoms made up of?
Protons (positively charged), neutrons (no charge), and electrons. (negatively charge)
What is the center of an atom compared to protons and neutrons?
nucleus
What is the area in an atom compared to protons and neutrons?
Electron shells
What is the outermost electron shell in an atom
Valence shell
What are electrons in a valence shell?
Valence electrons
What is the Octet Rule?
Where most elements are stable with 8 electrons in their valence shell
What is an atom with a negative and positive charge?
Ion
What is the force connecting a positively charged atom with a negatively charged one?
Ionic bond
What is the force between two elements in a polar molecule?
Polar-bonding
What is non-polar bonding?
When electrons are evenly distributed among the atoms in a molecule