BIO 110 MODULE 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | COMPLETE INTRODUCTORY
BIOLOGY MODULE 1 STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
scientif̣ic method (hypothesis-based science) - ✔✔-series of̣ steps that, if̣ f̣ollowed, may help a scientist
understand an observation
-hypothesis driven
-usually tested with a controlled experiment
-results should be repeatable
cell theory - ✔✔1) all living things/lif̣e as we know it are made up o f̣
cells 2) cells have the ability to reproduce
3)all cells come f̣rom preexisting cells (except the f̣irst cell)
4) all lif̣e as we know it uses DNA as genetic material
theory - ✔✔larger scope than hypothesis; widely accepted with a plethora o f̣ supporting evidence that
has stood the test of̣ time
hypothesis - ✔✔proposed, testable explanation f̣or an observation
controlled experiment - ✔✔-a test run several times with one variable changing and, ideally, all other
variables staying constant (controlled)
-both a control and a variable, the control used as a baseline measure and the variable as what is
altered, measured, or manipulated in an experiment
discovery science - ✔✔-the second type of̣ science that provides data used to describe the natural
world
-f̣ield studies
-results that have been f̣ound f̣rom actually having carried out the experiment or investigation
level 1 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a speci f̣ic question
-f̣ind inf̣o in textbook, notes, or web sources
-purpose: provide f̣oundational terms and f̣acts needed to negotiate the discipline o f̣ biology
level 2 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a procedure, simulation, or
scenario-draw conclusions f̣rom data & observations collected
-purpose: f̣oster conf̣idence in understanding & analyzing quantitative & qualitative empirical data
level 3 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a probing
question-use evidence f̣rom various resources to synthesize an answer
-purpose: apply f̣oundational inf̣o into integrated scenarios
level 4 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student encounters a phenomenon or poses a question
that is currently theoretical
-design own experiment
-purpose: propose plausible explanation f̣or a phenomenon
, concept - ✔✔-abstract idea
-a mental construct that represents some aspect o f̣ the world in a simpli f̣ied f̣orm
HMS Beagle - ✔✔the ship that Darwin embarked on a round-the-world surveying voyage
Galapagos - ✔✔group of̣ islands of̣f ̣ the coast of̣ South America where Darwin was struck by the
abundant biodiversity
biogeography - ✔✔-study of̣ the geographic distribution of̣ species
-provides much evidence f̣or the evolution of̣ lif̣e on earth
comparative anatomy - ✔✔-comparisons of̣ the body structures of̣ modern
organisms-provides insight into evolutionary history
bioinf̣ormatics - ✔✔-approach in which computational tools are used to make biological comparisons
through examining DNA and protein sequences
Lamarck - ✔✔French naturalist struck by the similarities o f̣ many o f̣ the animals he studied and was
impressed too by the burgeoning f̣ossil record. It led him to argue that li f̣e was not f̣ixed. When
environments changed, organisms had to change their behavior to survive. I f̣ they began to use an organ
more than they had in the past, it would increase in its li f̣etime. I f̣ a gira f̣fẹ stretched its neck f̣or leaves,
f̣or example, make it longer. Its of̣fspring
̣ would inherit the longer neck, and continued stretching would
make it longer still over several generations. Meanwhile, organs that organisms stopped using would
shrink.
Darwin - ✔✔It was this f̣amous naturalist's genius both to show how all his evidence f̣avored the
evolution of̣ species f̣rom a common ancestor and to o f̣fer
̣ a plausible mechanism by which li f̣e might
evolve- Natural Selection
independent variable - ✔✔-in an experiment, this is the variable that is varied or manipulated by the
researcher
-the presumed cause
-can only be one of̣ this type of̣ variable per experiment
dependent variable - ✔✔-in an experiment, this is the variable whose response is
measured-the presumed ef̣fect
̣
-there can be more than one
evolution - ✔✔-change in heritable traits of̣ biological populations over successive generations.-
these processes give rise to diversity at every level o f̣ biological organisation, including the level o f̣
species, individual organisms, and at the level o f̣ molecular evolution.
abiogenesis - ✔✔-f̣ormation of̣ lif̣e f̣rom nonlif̣e
-presumably how the f̣irst cell was created
-spontaneous generation
prokaryotes - ✔✔-small, simple cells that contain DNA
ex) bacteria, archaea
BIOLOGY MODULE 1 STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
scientif̣ic method (hypothesis-based science) - ✔✔-series of̣ steps that, if̣ f̣ollowed, may help a scientist
understand an observation
-hypothesis driven
-usually tested with a controlled experiment
-results should be repeatable
cell theory - ✔✔1) all living things/lif̣e as we know it are made up o f̣
cells 2) cells have the ability to reproduce
3)all cells come f̣rom preexisting cells (except the f̣irst cell)
4) all lif̣e as we know it uses DNA as genetic material
theory - ✔✔larger scope than hypothesis; widely accepted with a plethora o f̣ supporting evidence that
has stood the test of̣ time
hypothesis - ✔✔proposed, testable explanation f̣or an observation
controlled experiment - ✔✔-a test run several times with one variable changing and, ideally, all other
variables staying constant (controlled)
-both a control and a variable, the control used as a baseline measure and the variable as what is
altered, measured, or manipulated in an experiment
discovery science - ✔✔-the second type of̣ science that provides data used to describe the natural
world
-f̣ield studies
-results that have been f̣ound f̣rom actually having carried out the experiment or investigation
level 1 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a speci f̣ic question
-f̣ind inf̣o in textbook, notes, or web sources
-purpose: provide f̣oundational terms and f̣acts needed to negotiate the discipline o f̣ biology
level 2 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a procedure, simulation, or
scenario-draw conclusions f̣rom data & observations collected
-purpose: f̣oster conf̣idence in understanding & analyzing quantitative & qualitative empirical data
level 3 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student is given a probing
question-use evidence f̣rom various resources to synthesize an answer
-purpose: apply f̣oundational inf̣o into integrated scenarios
level 4 - ✔✔-level of̣ scientif̣ic inquiry where a student encounters a phenomenon or poses a question
that is currently theoretical
-design own experiment
-purpose: propose plausible explanation f̣or a phenomenon
, concept - ✔✔-abstract idea
-a mental construct that represents some aspect o f̣ the world in a simpli f̣ied f̣orm
HMS Beagle - ✔✔the ship that Darwin embarked on a round-the-world surveying voyage
Galapagos - ✔✔group of̣ islands of̣f ̣ the coast of̣ South America where Darwin was struck by the
abundant biodiversity
biogeography - ✔✔-study of̣ the geographic distribution of̣ species
-provides much evidence f̣or the evolution of̣ lif̣e on earth
comparative anatomy - ✔✔-comparisons of̣ the body structures of̣ modern
organisms-provides insight into evolutionary history
bioinf̣ormatics - ✔✔-approach in which computational tools are used to make biological comparisons
through examining DNA and protein sequences
Lamarck - ✔✔French naturalist struck by the similarities o f̣ many o f̣ the animals he studied and was
impressed too by the burgeoning f̣ossil record. It led him to argue that li f̣e was not f̣ixed. When
environments changed, organisms had to change their behavior to survive. I f̣ they began to use an organ
more than they had in the past, it would increase in its li f̣etime. I f̣ a gira f̣fẹ stretched its neck f̣or leaves,
f̣or example, make it longer. Its of̣fspring
̣ would inherit the longer neck, and continued stretching would
make it longer still over several generations. Meanwhile, organs that organisms stopped using would
shrink.
Darwin - ✔✔It was this f̣amous naturalist's genius both to show how all his evidence f̣avored the
evolution of̣ species f̣rom a common ancestor and to o f̣fer
̣ a plausible mechanism by which li f̣e might
evolve- Natural Selection
independent variable - ✔✔-in an experiment, this is the variable that is varied or manipulated by the
researcher
-the presumed cause
-can only be one of̣ this type of̣ variable per experiment
dependent variable - ✔✔-in an experiment, this is the variable whose response is
measured-the presumed ef̣fect
̣
-there can be more than one
evolution - ✔✔-change in heritable traits of̣ biological populations over successive generations.-
these processes give rise to diversity at every level o f̣ biological organisation, including the level o f̣
species, individual organisms, and at the level o f̣ molecular evolution.
abiogenesis - ✔✔-f̣ormation of̣ lif̣e f̣rom nonlif̣e
-presumably how the f̣irst cell was created
-spontaneous generation
prokaryotes - ✔✔-small, simple cells that contain DNA
ex) bacteria, archaea
