| A | B |
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| What is "biology"? | The study of life; it's the science seeking to understand the living world. |
| What does a biologist do? | He/she uses scientific methods to study living things. |
| What are the characterisitics of living things? | Living things are based on a universal Genetic code; they Reproduce, respond to their Environment, they obtain & use Energy, they, they Grow and develop ; they're made up of Cells; they maintain a stable internal Environment; they Change over time; they obtain and use Materials. (mnemonic: GREECE CMG=GREECE Changes Me Greatly.) |
| What's a cell? | It's a collection of living matter enclosed by a barrier that separates the cell from its surroundings. |
| Define "unicelluar organism". | It is made up of a single cell. |
| What is a "multicellular organism"? | It is an organism made up of hundreds, thousands, or even trillions of cells. |
| How do cells reproduce sexually? | Two cells from different parents unite to produce the first cell of a new organism. Offspring differ from parents in some ways. |
| How do cells reproduce asexually? | The new organism has a single parent. Sometimes, a single-celled organism divides in half to form 2 new organisms; in other instances, a portion of an organism splits off to form the new organism. Offspring and parents have the same traits. |
| Which molecule carries the genetic code? | DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) |
| What happens during development? | A single fertilized egg cell divides repeatedly to produce the cells of a mature organism. |
| What is differentiations? | This is the process by which cells look different from one another and perform specific, different functions. |
| Define metabolism. | It's a set of chemical reations through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials as it carries out its life processes. |
| What is photosynthesis? | It's a process through which organisms convert light into a form of energy that's stored in certain molecules; the stored energy is ready to be used when needed. |
| What is meant by "external stimulus"? | It's a stimulus that comes from the environment outside the organism, such as light and temperature. |
| What is an "internal stimulus"? | It's a stimulus that comes from within the organism (i.e., if your glucose level gets low enough, you feel hungry.) |
| What is "homeostasis"? | It's the process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment. (Examples on pg. 19) |
| Define "evolution". | It's change in an organism over time; it's the process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms. |
| Living things are studied on many different levels. Name them. | (pg. 21) Biosphere (contains all ecosystems); Ecosystem (community & its nonliving surroundings); Community (population living together in a defined area); Population (group of organisms of 1 type that live in the same area); Organism (individual living thing); Groups of cells (tissues, organs, organ systems); cells (smallest functional unit of life); molecules (groups of atoms--smallest unit of most chemical compounds). |
| Name some ways in whcih biology affects our lives. | It helps us understand & appreciate other ofrms of life, provides info. about food we need & sustaining food supplies, describes conditions of good health & behaviors & diseases that can harm us, used to diagnose & treat medical problems, identifies environmental factors that might threaten us. |
