Key Biology Terms

• Binomial nomenclature:  A classification method to use the genus and species names to name a living organism in Latin, invented by Linnaeus.
  
• Cell:  The building unit for all living organisms, performing basic metabolism functions.
  
• Autotroph:  Organisms that synthesize their own nutrients.
  
• Heterotroph:  organisms that depend on preformed organic molecules from the environment (or another organism) as a source of nutrients/energy
  
• Evolution:  Living organisms have descended with modifications from species that lived before them
  
• Gene:  Functional pieces of DNA that carry genetic information
  
• Homeostasis: All living organisms have the ability to maintain a relatively constant internal environment including water, salt, glucose and pH. 
  
• Hypothesis:  Attempt to explain why behavior occurs.
  
• Theory:  Explanation of why behavior occurs that is supported by evidence.
  
• Species: the smallest group of living organisms that can mate and produce viable, fertile offsprings.
  
• Kingdom: the largest group of living organisms that share certain characteristics.  There are only five kingdoms for all living organisms: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia. 

What is a life

Characteristic of a life:

• Organization: all lives are well organized
  
• Energy use: all lives need energy to support
  Reproduction: all lives should be able to reproduce itself
  
• Growth: all lives grow and develop.
  
• Response to stimuli: all lives can respond to internal or external stimuli
  
• Homeostasis: all lives have the ability to maintain a relatively stable internal environment—self-regulation

Branches of Biology

• Anatomy: Study the structure and organization of lives
  
• Biochemistry:  Study the chemical basis of life
  
• Biology: The study of life
  
• Botany:  Study of the plant lives.
  
• Cell Biology:  Study cell structure, cell cycle, cell function etc.
  
• Development Biology: Study how an individual organism grow and develop
  
• Ecology:  Study a group of organisms interacting with each other and with their environment
  
• Evolution: Study how organisms acquire and inherit traits from their ancestors
  
• Genetics: Study of the inheritance at various levels (molecular, cellular, individual, population, etc).
  
• Histology: Study the thin sections of tissues under a microscope
  
• Marine Biology: Study of the lives in ocean
  
• Microbiology:  Study microorganisms including virus, bacteria and some simply fungi
  
• Molecular Biology:  study how bio-molecules interact with each other, particularly the molecules involved in transmission and translation of genetic information.
  
• Physiology: Study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms
  
• Population genetics:  Study of gene variations and ratios among populations.
  
• Taxolomy: Study of classification of all living things
  
• Zoology:  Study of animal lives

Basic Theory of Biology

Cell Theory

• Developed by three German Scientists: Schleiden, Schwann and Virchow
  
• Cell is the building unit of all living organisms.
  
• All cells come from pre-existing cells
  
• All metaboism occur in cells of the body—cells are functional unit for all lives

Theory of Evolution

• All living organisms have descended with modifications from species that lived before them
  
• Natural selection is the driving force for evolution
  
  • all living organisms struggle for existence
    
  • All organisms can adapt to their environment
    
  • Better adapted individuals or species survive and poorly adapted ones extinct—survival of the fittest.

Gene Theory

• Mainly contributed by Watson and Crick
  
• All genetic information is stored in DNA – genes
  
• Genes control most, if not every, aspects of an organism
  
• The DNA language can be transcribed into RNA language and then translated into protein language for its final function

Homeostasis

• All living organisms have the ability to maintain a relatively constant internal environment
  
  • water and salt level
    
  • Blood glucose level
    
  • Body fluid pH
    
• Purpose: to ensure proper function of the body
  
• When it fails, a person can be sick or die

Classification of Living Things

All living things are classified into 5 kingdomes:

• Monera:  single-celled, prokaryotic, Photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
  
• Protista:  single-celled or multi-celled; photosynthesis or absorbing nutrition from environment, eukaryotic, usually lives in water, autotroph or heterotroph
  
• Fungi:  single-celled or multi-celled; photosynthesis or absorbing nutrition from environment, eukaryotic, heterotroph
  
• Plantae:  multi-celled; photosynthesis, autotroph
  
• Animalia:  multi-celled; hetertroph, capable of moving around

Scientific Processes

Although there is not one “scientific method,” there are aspects that are common to scientific investigations:

Forming a hypothesis:

• Observations
  
• Questioning
  
• Hypothesis formation

Testing a hypothesis:

• Experimentation
  
• Trend recognition

Evaluating a hypothesis:

• Conclusion formation
  
• Communication and validation of results
  
• Model formation
• Re-testing