CHAPTERS 1 & 2 STUDY GUIDE
TERMS TO KNOW
Adaptation
Inherited characteristic that improves an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce
in a particular environment
Biosphere
All parts of the plant that are inhabited by living things
Cell
Basic unit of living matter
Consumer
Organism that obtains food by eating producers or other consumers
Controlled
Experiment that tests the effect of a single variable
experiment
Data
Recorded observations or items of information
DNA
Chemical responsible for inheritance
Domain
Broadest category used to classify life forms
Ecosystem
Community of living things plus the nonliving features of the environment that
support them
Eukaryotic cell
Cell with a nucleus (surrounded by its own membrane) and other internal organelles
Evidence
Collected body of data from observations and experiments
Gene
Unit of inherited information in DNA
Generalization General conclusion
Homeostasis
Internal stability or “steady state” maintained by the body
Hypothesis
Suggested, testable answer to a well-defined scientific question
Inference
Logical conclusion based on observations
Model
Physical, mental, or mathematical representation of how people understand a process
or an idea
Multicellular
Consisting of many cells
Observation
Use of the senses to gather and record information about structures or processes in
nature
Organ
Unit consisting of several tissues that together perform a specific task
Organ System
Unit of multiple organs that together perform a vital body function
Organism
Any living thing
Photosynthesis Process by which plants use the sun’s energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into
sugars
Population
Group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area at the same time
Producer
Organism that makes its own food and produces organic molecules that serve as food
for other organisms in its ecosystem
Prokaryotic cell Cell lacking a nucleus and most other organelles
Species
Distinct form of life
System
Complex organization formed from a simpler combination of parts
Technology
Theory
Well-tested explanation that makes sense of a great variety of scientific observations
Tissue
Cooperating unit of many similar cells that perform a specific function
Unicellular
Consisting of a single cell
Variable
Any factor in an experiment that is not constant; Any factor that can change
CONCEPTS TO KNOW
Biosphere
Most regions of land
includes…
Most bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, rivers
The atmosphere to an altitude of several kilometers
Examples of both living & nonliving
L: Various types of trees & other plants, squirrels & other
features of an ecosystem… IN A
animals, countless microscopic forms of life such as bacteria
WOODLAND
NL: Sunlight, water, air, soil (upon which living things depend
Identify major organizational levels of
Gene/DNA  Cell  Organism  Ecosystem  Biosphere
life from largest to smallest
Describe the
Organizing similar species into larger (broader) groups
study of
Similar to a postal address, which describes a location by using broader and broader
classification
categories
Explain the main difference between
Organisms in Bacteria & Archaea: Usually very tiny, most
organisms of the domain Bacteria &
unicellular, are prokaryotic
Archaea & Organisms of the domain
Organisms in Eukarya: Usually larger, most multicellular, are
Eukarya
eukaryotic
Domains are divided into subgroups called _KINGDOMS_
Meaning…“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” A
Biological
combination of parts can form a more complex organization
Systems
Example: Your hand clicking a computer mouse; Forest ecosystem
& EXPLAIN
Form fits
Meaning…How something works is related to its structure.
Function
Example: Aerodynamic shape of bird’s wing; Open, honeycombFour Themes
like structure of bones provides great strength with little weight
Unifying the
Meaning…Modern biology is changing humans’ everyday lives.
Study of Life
Biology & Society Example: New DNA research; Improved treatment of mental
illnesses; Knowledge of environmental issues changes behavior
Meaning…Biology relies on certain processes of inquiry. Asking
questions about nature & then using observations or experiemtns
Scientific Inquiry to find possible answers to questions.
Example: Fit an organism with a radio transmitter & make
determinations from its data
Living things are made of
Example: For organization; For specialization of
cells.
different functions
Living things reproduce using Example: “Like begets like.” Genes are inherited by
patterns of inheritance.
offspring from parents’ genes.
Living things respond to their Example: Living requires a daily balance of “inputs”
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environment.
and “outputs.” Plants take in H2O/nutrients from soil,
Characteristics
CO2 from air, energy from sunlight. Plants roots’ &
of Living Things
chemical outputs affect surroundings
Living things obtain & use
Example: Animals obtain chemical energy from food.
energy.
Plants obtain chemical energy from the conversion of
the sun’s energy.
Living things regulate their
internal conditions.
Example: Panting/sweating to cool off. Homeostasis
enables organisms to regulate their internal
environment, despite changes in external
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environment.
Characteristics Living things adapt
Example: Camouflage to insure organism’s ability to
of Living Things
survive & reproduce. Variation helps make
adaptation possible.
Living things grow and
Example: Series of natural changes from birth to
develop
death
Describe the nature of
Inquiry involves asking questions, but also includes methods of
scientific inquiry
investigation to answer those questions.
Compare
Quantitative Observations recorded as descriptions. Ex: Jane Goodall recording
quantitative &
chimp behavior in photos, field notebook drawings, film, etc.
qualitative data Qualitative
Observations recorded as measurements. Ex: Table or graph of height,
weight, age, speed
Summarize the Mostly about describing nature – natural structures or processes – as accurately as
nature of
possible through careful observation & data collection
discovery
Example: Collecting/identifying organisms from river, microscope use to see
science
arrangement of cells, detailed chemical map of human DNA, Fleming’s accidental
discovery of penicillin antibiotic
Summarize the nature of
Mostly about the search for explanation. What causes certain
hypothesis-based science
phenomenon?
Distinguish
An observation makes use of the senses, while an inference makes use of logic (usually
between
relating observations to prior knowledge.)
observations & Hearing the doorbell ring (obs)  believing someone is at the door (inf); Seeing a
inferences
picnic table set (obs)  Believing a picnic will happen soon (inf)
How are the terms
A generalization is a general conclusion based on many observations.
generalization & observation
Pooling measurements from very large sample to look for general
related?
patterns a& determine average measurement
Observation Both poisonous coral & nonpoisonous king snakes have RYB rings.
Question
What is the function o f kings mimic of coral snakes?
Outline the
Hypothesis
An explanation that can be tried
generalized
Mimicry of coral snakes helps protect king snakes from predators.
steps of
Prediction
Hypothesis + Suitable experiment = Expected result
hypothesisIf predators confuse king snakes with coral snakes, then predators
based science
should attack fewer ringed artificial snakes than brown artificial snakes.
Test/
Compare data on attacks on ringed snakes versus brown artificial
Experiment snakes
Distinguish between dependent & independent variables
*Will cover in the next unit*
Trace process of hypothesis-based science thru a case study
Think: What was the basis for the hypothesis that mimic species benefit from looking like unrelated
harmful species? The observation that predators don’t frequently attack snakes with warning coloration.
What role did the brown artificial snakes have in the experiment? They were the control group, helping to
demonstrate that the difference in the frequency of attacks was due only to coloration.
Why do experiments usually
By conducting a controlled experiment, scientists try to eliminate
test only one variable at a
(control) other variables that could affect the outcome. Then any
time?
difference in outcome is due to the variable.
The hallmark of scientific evidence is …
REPEATABILITY
Is science limited?
YES
A hypothesis is scientific if it can be…
TESTED
How is a theory A theory is broader in scope than a hypothesis, as it explains many observations. A
different from
theory gives rise to (explains) many hypotheses that can be tested & provides a
a hypothesis?
framework for further research & predictions.
The test supports Scientists can test additional predictions based on the same
Describe what
the hypothesis
hypothesis.
happens
The test does not Scientists must revise their hypothesis or pose & test a new one.
when…
support the
hypothesis
What features are used to evaluate a scientific model?
Describe the purpose of a controlled See first question on this page.
experiment.
How are unwanted variables
Unwanted variables are eliminated by insuring that all other
eliminated?
factors in the experiment are the same between the control &
experimental groups; even variations in the environment are the
same amongst both groups.
Describe the effect of this
See first question on this page.
elimination.
How is
To insure that other scientists and researchers are aware of current tests/experiments
communication & they can create tests for their specific questions.
an important
part of science?