Destiny Cobb

Biology
Unit 1, Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Biology: The Study of Life

Biology- the study of life that seeks to provide an understanding of the

natural world

Organism- anything that processes all the characteristics of life; all

organisms have an orderly structure, produce offspring, grow, develop, and
adjust to changes in the environment

Organization- orderly structure of cells in an organism; a characteristic of all

living thing

Section 1.1 Reproduction- production of offspring by an organism; a characteristic of all

What is Biology? living things

Species- group of organisms that can that can interbreed and produce
fertile offspring in nature

Growth- increase in the amount of living material and formation of new

structures in an organism; a characteristic of all living things

Development- all of the changes that take place during the life of an
organism; a characteristic of all living things

Environment- biotic and abiotic surroundings to which an organism must

constantly adjust; includes air, water, weather, temperature, other
organisms, and many other factors

Stimulus- any condition in an environment that requires an organism to

adjust

Response- an organism’s reaction to a change in its internal or external

environment

Homeostasis- an organism’s regulation of its internal environment to

maintain conditions suitable for survival; a characteristic of all living things

Energy- the ability to do work; organisms use energy to perform biological

functions

Adaptation- evolution of a structure, behavior, or internal process, that

enables an organism to respond to stimuli and better survive in an
organism

Evolution- gradual accumulation of adaptations over time

Scientific methods- series of steps that biologists and other scientists use to
gather information and answer questions; includes observing and
hypothesizing, experimenting, and gathering and interpreting results
Section 1.2
The Methods of Hypothesis- explanation for a question or a problem that can be formally
Biology tested

Experiment- procedure that tests a hypothesis by collecting information

under controlled conditions

Control- in an experiment, the standard in which all of the conditions are

 Destiny Cobb
Biology
Unit 1, Chapter 1
kept the same
Independent variable- in an experiment, the condition that is changed
because it affects the outcome of the experiment

Section 1.2 Dependant variable- in an experiment, the condition that results from
The Methods of changes in the independent variable
Biology
(continued) Safety symbol- symbol that warn you about a danger that may exist, from
chemicals, electricity, heat, or experimental procedures

Data- information obtained from experiments, sometimes called

experimental results

Theory- explanation of natural phenomena supported by a large body of

scientific evidence obtained from many different observations and
investigations
Section 1.3 Ethics- the moral principles and values held by humans
The Nature of
Biology Technology- Application of scientific research to society’s needs and
problems