Introduction to Zoology
Chapter 1 Review Questions
1).Why is life difficult to define?
Life is difficult to define due to the fixed properties varying from earliest living forms than those from today. This represents extensive and ongoing change refered to as Evolution. So we must base our definition on common history of life on earth.
2). What are the basic chemical differences that distinguish living and nonliving systems?
The basic chemical differences from distinguished living and non living systems are:
Chemical Uniqueness, Complexity and hierarchical organization, Reproduction,Possession of a genetic program, metabolism, development, environmental interaction, movement,
3). Describe the hierarchical organization of life. How does this organization lead to the emergence of new properties at different levels of biological complexity?
Cell(hours to reproduce), Organism (hours to days to reproduce), Population(up to thousands of years to reproduce), Species (thousands to millions of years to reproduce) .
Cells hold the replication for all major parts of organisms that become part of a population that are part of a species. All interconnect.
4). What is the relationship between heredity and variation in reproducing biological systems?
Variation is controlled by heredity thus creates stability in biological systems to persist through time.
5). Describe how evolution of complex organisms is compatible with the second law of thermodynamics.
The need of energy to fuel the organism follows entropy in the making of this source, therefore compatible with the second law of thermodynamics.
6). What are the essential characteristics of science? Describe how evolutionary studies fit these characteristics whereas “scientific creationism” or “intelligent-design theory” does not.
Science is guided by natural law, it has to be explanatory by reference to natural law, it is testable against the observable world. Its conclusions are tentative and
1).Why is life difficult to define?
Life is difficult to define due to the fixed properties varying from earliest living forms than those from today. This represents extensive and ongoing change refered to as Evolution. So we must base our definition on common history of life on earth.
2). What are the basic chemical differences that distinguish living and nonliving systems?
The basic chemical differences from distinguished living and non living systems are:
Chemical Uniqueness, Complexity and hierarchical organization, Reproduction,Possession of a genetic program, metabolism, development, environmental interaction, movement,
3). Describe the hierarchical organization of life. How does this organization lead to the emergence of new properties at different levels of biological complexity?
Cell(hours to reproduce), Organism (hours to days to reproduce), Population(up to thousands of years to reproduce), Species (thousands to millions of years to reproduce) .
Cells hold the replication for all major parts of organisms that become part of a population that are part of a species. All interconnect.
4). What is the relationship between heredity and variation in reproducing biological systems?
Variation is controlled by heredity thus creates stability in biological systems to persist through time.
5). Describe how evolution of complex organisms is compatible with the second law of thermodynamics.
The need of energy to fuel the organism follows entropy in the making of this source, therefore compatible with the second law of thermodynamics.
6). What are the essential characteristics of science? Describe how evolutionary studies fit these characteristics whereas “scientific creationism” or “intelligent-design theory” does not.
Science is guided by natural law, it has to be explanatory by reference to natural law, it is testable against the observable world. Its conclusions are tentative and