Biology
The Scientific Study of Life
Mastering Concepts:
1. What characteristics distinguish the living from the nonliving?
The characteristics that distinguish the living from the nonliving are that nonliving things reproduce and grow, use energy, have levels of organization, maintain constant internal conditions, and evolve.
2. List the levels of life’s organizational hierarchy from smallest to largest, starting with atoms and ending with the biosphere.
Atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
3. What are the roles of natural selection and mutations in evolution?
The roles of natural selection and mutations in evolution are that natural selection leads to adaptations which help populations survive, and mutations generate the variation needed by natural selection.
4. What are the goals of taxonomy?
The goals of taxonomy are to name species and classify them based on evolutionary relationships.
5. List and describe the four main groups of eukaryote.
Plants – multicellular, photosynthetic life, producers, autotrophs
Animals – multicellular, no photosynthesis and independently mobile, consumers, heterotrophs
Protista – multi- or single- celled, independently mobile, both autotrophs and heterotrophs
Fungi – not independently mobile, decomposers, heterotrophs
6. What are the components of scientific inquiry?
The components of the scientific method are making observations, asking questions, consulting prior knowledge, forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, collecting and interpreting data, and forming a conclusion.
7. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
Hypotheses are untested temporary explanations, while theories have a great deal of supporting evidence. Theories are also broader in nature.
8. Describe each of the five characteristics of life, and list several nonliving things that possess at least two of these
Mastering Concepts:
1. What characteristics distinguish the living from the nonliving?
The characteristics that distinguish the living from the nonliving are that nonliving things reproduce and grow, use energy, have levels of organization, maintain constant internal conditions, and evolve.
2. List the levels of life’s organizational hierarchy from smallest to largest, starting with atoms and ending with the biosphere.
Atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
3. What are the roles of natural selection and mutations in evolution?
The roles of natural selection and mutations in evolution are that natural selection leads to adaptations which help populations survive, and mutations generate the variation needed by natural selection.
4. What are the goals of taxonomy?
The goals of taxonomy are to name species and classify them based on evolutionary relationships.
5. List and describe the four main groups of eukaryote.
Plants – multicellular, photosynthetic life, producers, autotrophs
Animals – multicellular, no photosynthesis and independently mobile, consumers, heterotrophs
Protista – multi- or single- celled, independently mobile, both autotrophs and heterotrophs
Fungi – not independently mobile, decomposers, heterotrophs
6. What are the components of scientific inquiry?
The components of the scientific method are making observations, asking questions, consulting prior knowledge, forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, collecting and interpreting data, and forming a conclusion.
7. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
Hypotheses are untested temporary explanations, while theories have a great deal of supporting evidence. Theories are also broader in nature.
8. Describe each of the five characteristics of life, and list several nonliving things that possess at least two of these