Chapter 1 Reading Study Guide
Human Biology (BIOL 164)
This is the first of approximately 13 Reading Study Guides (RSGs) we will cover this quarter.
The purpose and structure of these guides is discussed in section III of the syllabus and I
suggest your read it before you begin work. If you have any suggestions or questions, please
don’t hesitate to communicate with me via email, phone, or in person. I am always interested in
ways to improve the usefulness and effectiveness of these guides and your constructive
comments are greatly appreciated.
I. Chapter 1: Humans in the World of Biology
A. Important Terms: See the StudyMate link in the chapter module for self-assessment
activities to help you learn these terms and their meanings. Remember, I will never ask you to
recite a definition so don’t waste time just memorizing them. Instead, learn about the term,
understand it, and be able to correctly use it when explaining a concept and/or answering a
question.
Biodiversity
Evolution
Organ
Life
Natural selection
Organ system
Elements
Adaptive traits
Scientific method
Molecules
Domain Bacteria
Hypothesis
Nucleic acids (e.g. DNA)
Domain Eukarya
Prediction
Proteins
Classification (Taxonomy)
Controlled experiment
Carbohydrates
Kingdom
Control group
Lipids
Prokaryotic cells
Experimental group
Cells
Eukaryotic cells
Variables (independent
and dependent)
Reproduction
Scientific name*
Conclusion
Metabolism
Genus*
Placebo
Chemical reaction
Species*
Double-blind experiment
Homeostasis
Tissue
Theory
* These terms are not in the reading but are defined in the StudyMate activities.
B. Figures: 1.1, 1.2 (Note the two Domains listed above and the four Kingdoms), 1.4 (just
molecules to individual), 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7.
C. Tables: 1.1 (Note the three phases for a clinical trial and what is accomplished in each
one)
D. Highlighting the Concepts (pp. 11 and 12)
E. Reviewing and Applying the Concepts (pp. 12 and 13)
F. Biology of Humans Web Site Resources
(http://www.pearsonhighered.com/humanbiology)
1. Web activity: Signs of life
2. Web activity: The Scientific Method
3. Practice Quizzes
G. Additional Study Questions Note: Although the answers for most of these questions can be
found in chapter one, answers for several questions will be based on material in lecture video clips,
StudyMate activities or terms that can be found in the glossary or dictionary. Note: You can edit
the document to add more space for writing your answers. Don’t think you have to “cram” your
answers into the limited space provided!
1. What does the term “biodiversity” mean to you and how is it related to the term “life”?
2. Biology can be defined as "the study of life". Humans, the focus of this course, are obviously
classified as living. What are the 7 characteristics of living things, as presented by your author?
3. Distinguish between elements and molecules.
3. What are the four categories of molecules that are important to living things?
4. What is DNA and what is its general function?
5. What
is the smallest unit to show the characteristics of life?
1- Cell
6. What is metabolism and why is it important to your body?
7. What are chemical reactions?
8. What is homeostasis and why do you think this concept is so important to living things?
9. Explain how human blood sugar levels are regulated in a homeostatic manner. Your response
should include the following terms: receptors, hormones, insulin and glucagon (You will need to
look up these terms in other chapters of the book and/or glossary and see the figure on p. 188).
10. Natural selection is sometimes defined as "survival of the fittest". What does “fittest” mean?
11. What are adaptive traits?
12. Define "taxonomy". What two domains did I ask you to know? Which domain includes
humans?
13. What are the four different kingdoms in the taxonomy of eukaryotic organisms? Which one
includes humans?
14. The scientific name of an organism contains information regarding which two taxonomic
categories? What is the scientific name of humans?
15. Arrange the following terms in order of increasing biological complexity: organ system, cells,
atoms, individual, tissues, molecules, and organs.
16. Give a brief overview of the steps in the scientific method.
17. Distinguish between a hypothesis and a prediction. How is each one phrased?
18. What two groups are included within the design of a controlled experiment?
19. What is a control in an experiment and what is its function? Your response should include the
term "variables".
20. Distinguish between independent and dependent variables. What needs to happen to
independent variables (other than the one of interest) when designing an experiment?
21. What does it mean if an experiment is "double blind"? Why would this be a desirable feature of
a designed experiment?
22. What is a placebo and how might it be useful in controlled experiments?
23. How does a hypothesis differ from a theory?
24. What are the distinctions between phase I, II, and III clinical trials?
25. You are hired as a science consultant to a group that has obtained permission to conduct a phase
II clinical trial a new vaccine that is believed to provide decreased susceptibility to a specific viral
disease.
a. State the hypothesis.
b. State the prediction (Use the if…, then…. format discussed in the reading)
c. What is the independent variable of interest in the experiment?
d. What is the dependent variable of interest in the experiment?
e. What would be the benefit of including a placebo in the design of your experiment?
f. Give two examples of independent variables (other than the one of interest) that must be controlled
and state how you would control them in the experiment.
g. How would you make the design of the experiment “double blind”?
26. Read the summary of the peer-reviewed article “Insufficient Sleep Undermines Dietary
Efforts to Reduce Adiposity” by Nedeltcheva et al. (Annals of Internal Medicine 153:435-441, 5
October 2010) and answer the questions. Note that some questions address the scientific study
itself while others address the way in which the study is reported. Both are important!
a. Identify the question being asked and the hypothesis being tested.
b. What controls were used?
c. What is the independent variable of interest?
d. What is the dependent variable and how was it measured?
e. What are the conclusions the authors reached?
f. List two features of the design of the experiment that reduce your confidence in the
conclusions the authors reached. In other words, if you were doing this experiment, what
would you change to improve it?
27. Consider the following graph:
a. What is the dependent variable?
b. What is the independent variable of interest?
c. Which month(s) has/have the greatest number of student birthdays?
d. Which month(s) has/have the least number of student birthdays?