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Chapter 1: Key Concepts
Terminology
35
Biology
Undergraduate 4
07/02/2008

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Term
Archea
Definition
One of two prokaryotic domains, the other being Bacteria.
Term
Bacteria
Definition
One of two prokaryotic domains, the other being Archaea.
Term
Biology
Definition
the study of life that sees to provide an understanding of the natural world.
Term
domain
Definition

(1) A taxonomic category above the kingdom level. The three domains are Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

(2) An independently folding part of a protein.
Term
emergent property
Definition

New properties that emerge with each step upward in the

hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.                         
Term

Evolution

Definition
All the changes that have transformed life on Earth from its earliest beginnings to the diversity that characterizes it today.
Term
Reductionism
Definition
Reducing complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study
Term
biome
Definition
Any of the world’s major ecosystems, classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment.
Term
taxonomy
Definition
A set of characteristics used to assess the similarities and differences between various species, leading to a classification scheme; the branch of biology concerned with naming and classifying the diverse forms of life.      
Term
control group
Definition
in an experiment, the group of test subjects left untreated or unexposed to some procedure and then compared with treated subjects in order to validate the results of the test
Term
scientific method
Definition
the system of advancing knowledge by formulating a question, collecting data about it through observation and experiment, and testing a hypothetical answer
Term
hypothesis
Definition
is an explanation for a question or a problem that can be formally tested.
Term
Population
Definition
A localized group of individuals that belong to the same biological species (that are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring).        
Term
community
Definition
All the organisms that inhabit a particular area; an assemblage of populations of different species living close enough together for potential interaction                      
Term
ecosystems
Definition
Includes all living organisms and non living matter such as air, water and minerals
Term
biogenesis
Definition
The flow of energy through an animal, taking into account the energy stored in the food it consumes, the energy used for basic functions
Term
controlled experiment
Definition
An experiment in which an experimental group is compared to a control group that varies only in the factor being tested
Term
Biosphere
Definition
the entire portion of Earth inhabited by life; the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems
Term
data
Definition
Recorded observations
Term
model
Definition
A representation of a theory or process
Term
eukaryotic
Definition
A type of cell with a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles, present in protists, plants, fungi, and animals; also called eukaryote
Term
prokaryotic
Definition
A type of cell lacking a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles; found only in the domains Bacteria
Term
deductive reasoning
Definition
A type of logic in which specific results are predicted from a general premise
Term
inductive reasoning
Definition
A type of logic in which generalizations are based on a large number of specific observations
Term
DNA
Definition
( deoxyribonucleic acid) A double-stranded, helical nucleic acid molecule capable of replicating and determining the inherited structure of a cell’s proteins             
Term
Gene
Definition
A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA (or RNA, in some viruses).
Term
atom
Definition
The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element
Term
molecule
Definition
Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
Term
organism
Definition
An individual living thing
Term
organ system
Definition
A group of organs that work together in performing vital body functions       
Term
Organ
Definition
A specialized center of body function composed of several different types of tissues
Term
Tissue
Definition
an integrated group of cells with a common function, structure, or both.        
Term
cell
Definition
Life’s fundamental unit of structure and function.
Term
organelle
Definition
One of several formed bodies with specialized functions
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