BIO101 Study Guide
Unit 1: Introduction to Biology
1a. List the basic characteristics of life that are common to all living things
- How does a nonliving thing (such as a rock) differ from a living organism (such as a mouse)?
- What are some examples of nonliving things that have some characteristics of life?
- How does a dead organism differ from a living organism?
- Why is a virus considered nonliving?
Biology studies living things, also known as organisms. We must consider characteristics common to all organisms to determine what makes something alive. Chemistry studies non-living matter, and biochemistry studies non-living chemical processes that occur within living organisms.
All organisms share these characteristics:
- Response to the environment
- Growth and developmental change
- Reproduction of cells
- Energy processing and chemical metabolism
- Regulation and maintenance of homeostasis
- Orderly composition with cellular basis
- Evolutionary adaptation based on the transmission of heritable traits
Some non-living things have some of these characteristics, but to be alive, something must have all of the characteristics. For example, a crystal has a high degree of order and can grow, but it does not maintain homeostasis. A virus can reproduce inside a host but it is not composed of cells and does not perform metabolism.
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1b. List the levels of organization of life and characteristics of each level
- What makes each level different from the one below it (or the level above it)?
- What are some examples of each level of organization?
- Where do we find these examples in the human body?
- What types of bonds exist between and among these levels of organization?
The levels of organization in biology are characterized by increasing complexity and order. They are structured in a hierarchical (or nested) arrangement. For example, atoms of different types form more complex structures called molecules. Molecules can form more complex structures called organelles, and so on. You should be able to list the levels of organization – from atoms all the way up to the biosphere.
- Atom – the basic building block of matter
- Element – multiple atoms bonded together; the periodic table shows all known elements
- Molecule – two or more bonded elements of the same type
- Compound – many molecules bond together, essentially a bond between two or more different elements
- Organelle – subcellular structure with specific functions
- Cell – the basic unit of life
- Tissue – a collection of cells
- Organ – multiple tissues packaged for a particular function
- Organ system - a group of functionally related organs
- Organism – a living individual
- Population – a group of individuals of the same species
- Community – different populations living together
- Ecosystem – a community along with the nonliving surroundings
- Biosphere – includes all living things and their surroundings
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1c. Describe the steps of the scientific method
- What is science? How does it work?
- What is the scientific method, and what are the steps of the scientific method?
Science is a logical system of inquiry. Consequently, science allows us to learn about ourselves and the universe we live in. A critical aspect of science is that it is based on evidence and is observational. Beyond mere observation, science involves the systematic testing of hypotheses. A hypothesis is an explanation for an observation, which is the process of gaining information. A hypothesis (which may be correct or incorrect) is a prediction. It attempts to explain why something is the way it is. We call hypotheses "educated guesses."
The active part of science is devising experiments to test hypotheses. A hypothesis is supported (although not proven) if an appropriate experiment yields the results the hypothesis predicted. Otherwise, you must modify or reject the hypothesis. This process has helped us learn about the universe. Biology is the corner of science that deals with living things in the universe, but biology is no different from science in general.
As you review the nature and process of science, pay attention to the steps in this flowchart, which demonstrates the process of science. You should understand the distinction between basic and applied science.
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1d. Describe the importance of using the scientific method in research
- How does scientific writing parallel the scientific method?
- Why is scientific writing important?
- How does scientific writing differ from everyday, "regular" writing?
- What is the goal of scientific writing?
Scientific writing is the action of recording an experiment conducted using the scientific method. The scientific method is a logical and uniform method of sharing the results and outcomes of an experiment or study with the objective of finding common ground and agreement with others in the scientific community.
The parts of a scientific paper parallel the steps of the scientific method. The observation, question, and hypothesis are included in the paper's "introduction" section. The experimentation and how all studies were conducted become the "materials and methods" section. The outcomes and findings, whether qualitative or quantitative, are in the "results" section. Any conclusions and possibilities for future studies are incorporated into the "discussion" section.
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Unit 1 Vocabulary
This vocabulary list includes terms you will need to know to successfully complete the final exam.
- atom
- biochemistry
- biology
- biosphere
- cell
- chemistry
- community
- compound
- ecosystem
- element
- hypothesis
- molecule
- observation
- organ
- organelle
- organism
- organ system
- population
- science
- scientific method
- scientific writing
- tissue