Study of Biology

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 What is Biology?
Biology is the study of all
living things
Living things are called organisms
Organisms include bacteria,
protists, fungi, plants, &
animals
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 All Living Things Share
Common Characteristics
1. Basic Unit is the Cell
2. They Reproduce
3. All Based On Universal
Genetic Code (DNA)
4. Grow & Develop
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 Common Characteristics
5. Obtain & Use Materials &
Energy
6. Respond To Their Environment
7. Maintain A Stable Internal
Environment
8. AS A GROUP, Living Things
Evolve, that is they change over
time
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 Characteristics of Organisms

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 All Organisms are made of
Cells

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 Facts About Cells
Cells are the smallest living
unit of an organism
All cells contain living material
called cytoplasm
All cells are surrounded by a
cell membrane that controls
what enters & leaves the cell
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 More Cell Facts
Cells are complex & highly
organized
Cells have parts called
organelles that do
different jobs
 e.g. Chloroplasts in plants
make sugars
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More Cell Facts

 The simplest cells are

called Prokaryotes
 These cells DO NOT have
a nucleus or membrane-
bound organelles
 Bacteria are examples
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 More Cell Facts
More complex cells are
called Eukaryotes
These cells DO have a
nucleus and membrane-
bound organelles
Plants, animals, &
fungi are examples
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 Organisms are Grouped by their
Number of Cells

 Unicellular Organisms
Living Organisms Made Up Of One
Cell
 Multicellular Organisms
Living Organisms Made Up Of
Many, Specialized Cells
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Organisms Reproduce to Pass
on their Genetic Traits

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 Two Types of Reproduction

 Sexual
Reproduction
 Involves 2 parents
 Egg fertilized by
sperm to make a
ZYGOTE
 Offspring
DIFFERENT from
parents
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 Two Types of Reproduction

 Asexual
Reproduction
 Involves a
single organism
or cell
 Cell divides
 Offspring
IDENTICAL to
parent
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Cells Have a Genetic Code

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 Genetic Code

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) carries

the genetic code for all organisms
All organisms contain DNA
DNA codes for the proteins that
make up cells & do all the work

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Organisms Grow & Develop

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 Growth & Development
Organisms grow by
producing MORE
CELLS & by cell
ENLARGEMENT

Organisms develop as
they mature into an
adult organism
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 Cells Require Food & Energy

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 Food Requirements
Autotrophs can make
their own food
Photoautotrophs use
sunlight to make food
(photosynthesis)
Chemoautotrophs use
chemicals such as iron
& sulfur as their
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 Food Requirements
Heterotrophs can NOT make
their own food
They must consume other
organisms
Herbivores eat plants
Carnivores eat meat
Omnivores eat plants & animals
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 Metabolism
 Sum of all the chemical reactions in
an organism
 All require energy
 Sunlight is the ultimate energy for
life on Earth

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Metabolism

Cellular Respiration
Cells releasing the chemical
energy stored in foods
6O2 + C6H12O6 6CO2 + 6H2O

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Organisms Respond to Stimuli

Organisms respond to temperature,

water, food supplies, etc., in order to
survive & reproduce

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Homeostasis
 Keeping the internal environment of
the cell or organism within the
ranges required for life
 Stable internal conditions of pH,
temperature, water balance, etc.

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Living Things Evolve

 Groups of organisms (not

individuals) change over
time in order to survive
within changing
environments.
 Fossil records show
changes in groups of
organisms
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 Life is Organized on
Several Levels

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 Levels
 Atoms
 Elements
 Molecules
 Organelles
 Cells – life starts here
 Tissues
 Organs
 System
 Organism
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 Levels

 Population
 Community
 Ecosystem
 Biosphere

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 That’s all folks!

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