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Bio Chapter 1
8/24/18
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Biosphere | All organisms and where they exist |
| Biodiversity | The variety of organisms in a certain area, the genetic variety in a population, variety of species in a community, the variety of communities in an ecosystem |
| Species | A group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring; also the level of species below genus and above subspecies |
| Biology | The scientific study of life |
| Science | Knowledge gained from studying natural events and conditions in order to make laws and principles that can be tested |
| Organism | A living thing |
| Cell | In biology, it is the smallest thing that can carry out all life functions; covered by a membrane and contain cytoplasm and DNA |
| Metabolism | The sum of all chemical processes that occur in an organism |
| DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid, the material that determines inherited characteristics |
| System | A changing, organized group of related parts that interact to make a whole |
| Ecosystem | A community of organisms and their abiotic enviornment |
| Homeostasis | The maintenance of a constant internal state in a changing environment; a constant internal state that is maintained in a changing environment by continually making adjustments to the internal and external environment |
| Adaptation | The process of becoming adapted to an environment, an anatomical, physiological, or behavioral change that improves a population's ability to survive |
| Observation | Process of obtaining information by using the senses |
| Data | Observations and measurements recorded during an experiment |
| Hypothesis | A testable idea that leads to the scientific method |
| Experiment | A procedure that is carried out under controlled conditions to discover, demonstrate, or test a fact, theory, or general truth |
| Independent variable | Condition or factor that is manipulated by a scientist during an experiment |
| Dependent variable | Experimental data collected through observation and measurement; changes depending on the independent variable |
| Constant | Variable that is controlled so that it doesn't change during an experiment |
| Theory | A system of ideas that explains many related observations and is supported by a large body of evidence acquired through scientific investigation |
| Measurement | A determination of the dimensions of something using a standard unit |
| Accuracy | A description of how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity measured |
| Precision | The exactness of a measurement |
| Microscope | Tool that provides an enlarged image of an object |
| Gene | The most basic physical unit of heredity; a segment of nucleic acids that codes for a functional unit of RNA and/or a protein |
| Molecular genetics | Study of DNA structure and function on the molecular level |
| Genomics | The study of entire genomes, especially by using technology to compare genes within and between species |
| Biotechnology | Use and application of living things and biological processes |
| Transgenic | Organism whose genome has been altered to contain one or more genes from another organism or species |