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General Biology: Key Concepts and Themes

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Terms in this set (17)

  • What are recurring themes in biology?
    Recurring themes include the study of life at different levels, the flow of energy and cycling of matter, and the concept of emergent properties.
  • What levels can be studied in biology and how do they relate?
    Biology studies levels from molecules to ecosystems, where each level builds on and interacts with the others.
  • Do matter and energy cycle or flow through an ecosystem?
    Energy flows through an ecosystem, while matter cycles within it.
  • What is systems biology?
    Systems biology studies interactions within biological systems to understand how complex functions emerge.
  • What is reductionism in biology?
    Reductionism breaks complex systems into simpler parts to study them individually.
  • List the five kingdoms of life in the five kingdom classification system.
    The five kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
  • What are the three domains of life and which are prokaryotic or eukaryotic?
    The three domains are Bacteria and Archaea (prokaryotic), and Eukarya (eukaryotic).
  • What is an emergent property?
    An emergent property is a new function or characteristic that arises from the interaction of parts in a system.
  • What are the main characteristics shared by living things?
    Living things share characteristics like growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, metabolism, and homeostasis.
  • What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
    A hypothesis is a testable prediction; a theory is a well-supported explanation based on evidence.
  • What is a controlled experiment?
    A controlled experiment tests one variable at a time by comparing an experimental group to a control group.
  • What is the difference between dependent and independent variables?
    The independent variable is manipulated; the dependent variable is measured as the outcome.
  • How do you interpret basic biological graphs?
    Identify variables on axes, observe trends, and relate changes in the dependent variable to the independent variable.
  • What is the name of the book Charles Darwin published in 1859?
    On the Origin of Species.
  • How does natural selection work?
    Natural selection favors individuals with traits that increase survival and reproduction in a given environment.
  • What is the peer review process?
    Peer review evaluates scientific work by experts before publication to ensure quality and validity.
  • Why is peer review important to science?
    It maintains scientific integrity by preventing flawed or biased research from being published.