Name _________________________________________
Chapter 1 Reading: Biology in the 21st Century
Date ____________________
Section 1.1: The Study of Life pp 4 - 6
Main Concepts:
 Earth is home to a wide diversity of life
 Certain characteristics are common to all living organisms
Vocabulary:
 Biosphere
 Biodiversity
 Species
 Biology
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Organism
Cell
Metabolism
DNA
1. What is the biosphere and what is included in it?
2. What does the term biodiversity mean?
3. Looking at the Visual Vocab diagram, what conclusion can you draw about the biodiversity of living
organisms and why do you think this pattern occurs?
4. You are a member of the species Homo sapiens. What does it mean to be members of the same species?
5. Look up the term extinction. What does it mean? Give an example of an extinct organism.
6. What do you expect to study in this course called Biology?
7. What is an organism?
Below are the 4 of the characteristics of all living things (The Characteristics of Life) All living things:
a. are made up of cells.
b. need a constant supply of energy
c. respond to their environment
d. are capable of reproducing and developing
8. What are cells?
9. Give the term for having only one cell and then the term for having more than one cell.
One cell –
More than one cell 10. Explain what is meant by cells being specialized.
11. What is meant by the term energy?
12. Though the textbook did not tell you yet what is meant by the term chemical energy, what do you think
they mean by this term? Any idea what particular chemical energy is made by the plants, algae and
some bacteria is called?
13. What is meant by the term metabolism?
14. Give 3 examples of stimuli that would cause an organism to respond to their environment.
15. What is passed on when an organism reproduces and what is it called?
16. Of the 4 characteristics of life, which one is not necessary for the individual organism to survive?