Biology - Answers The scientific study of life, encompassing all living organisms and their
interactions with each other and their environments.
Characteristics of Life - Answers Order; Regulation; Growth & Development; Energy Processing;
Reproduction; Response to the Environment; Evolutionary Adaptation.
Emergent Properties - Answers Characteristics that arise at higher levels of organization that
are not present at lower levels, due to interactions between the parts.
Levels of Biological Organization - Answers Molecule → Organelle → Cell → Tissue → Organ →
Organ System → Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere.
Evolution (descent with modification) - Answers Change in the heritable features of populations
over generations; explains both the unity and diversity of life.
Natural Selection - Answers Process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend
to survive and produce more offspring; due to variation, overproduction, and competition.
Hypothesis vs. Theory vs. Law - Answers Hypothesis = a testable explanation; Theory = broader
explanation supported by much evidence; Law = statement about an observed phenomenon.
Scientific Method / Inquiry - Answers Steps: Observation → Question → Hypothesis →
Prediction → Experiment / Data Collection → Analysis → Conclusion → Peer Review /
Replication.
Domain: Bacteria / Archaea / Eukarya - Answers The three major domains of life. Bacteria &
Archaea are prokaryotic; Eukarya has eukaryotic cells (nucleus, organelles).
Prokaryotic Cell vs. Eukaryotic Cell - Answers Prokaryotes: no nucleus or membrane-bound
organelles; Eukaryotes: have nucleus, organelles; generally larger and more complex.
Gene / Genome / Gene Expression - Answers Gene = DNA segment encoding a functional
product; Genome = all hereditary info in an organism; Gene Expression = process by which info
from a gene makes protein or functional RNA.
Matter / Element / Compound / Molecule - Answers Matter = anything that has mass and takes
up space; Element = substance made of one type of atom; Compound = two or more elements
in fixed ratio; Molecule = two or more atoms bonded together.
Atoms: Protons / Neutrons / Electrons - Answers Protons = positively charged, in nucleus;
Neutrons = neutral, in nucleus; Electrons = negatively charged, in orbital / electron cloud. Atomic
number = #protons; atomic mass = protons + neutrons.
Isotopes - Answers Variants of an element differing in number of neutrons; same atomic
number, different mass; some are stable, some radioactive.