Alberti
Biology Cheryl assignment #1
1. Identify and define the characteristics of life.
Living things have certain characteristics in common. Living things are organized, and their levels of
organization extend from the cell to ecosystems; They need an outside source of materials and energy;
respond to external stimuli; reproduce and develop, passing on genes to their offspring; and have
adaptations suitable to their way of life in a particular environment.
2. Define a cell.
A cell is composed of a variety of molecules working together, the basic unit of a structure and function of
all living things. The smallest independently functioning unit in the structure of an organism, usually
consisting of one or more nuclei surrounded by cytoplasm and enclosed by a membrane.
3. Explain the purpose of taxonomy.
Taxonomy is the branch of biology concerned with identifying, describing, and naming organisms. It is the
classification of organisms in an ordered system that indicates natural relationships. Its a way to group all
the organisms on Earth.
Taxonomy makes sense out of the bewildering variety of life on Earth and is meant to provide valuable
insight into evolution. (Mader pg. 6)
4. Define and explain the term emergent properties.
Emergent properties are determined by the interactions between the individual parts. An emergent property
can appear when a number of simple agents operate in an environment forming more complex behaviours
as a collective.
An emergent property is the combination of individual atoms to form molecules which in turn fold and
refold to form proteins. These proteins, assuming their functional status from their spatial conformation,
interact together to achieve higher biological functions and eventually create - organelles, cells, tissues,
organs, organ systems, organisms. Cascade phenotype reactions, as detailed in Chaos theory, may arise
from individual genes mutating respective positioning.
5. Define metabolism.
Metabolism is the series of processes by which food is converted into the energy and products needed to
sustain life.
6. What is homeostasis and which characteristic of life it is associated with.
All organisms have stable internal conditions which must be maintained in order to remain alive. These
include temperature, water content, heartbeat, and other such things. In a way, this has to do with energy
use, because a certain level of energy must be kept within the body at all times. Homeostasis is part of the
complex organization.
7. Identify four reasons that support the statement that evolution is the unifying concept of biology.
Evolution means change; Modern organisms are descendants of pre-existing life forms; Natural selection is
a primary mechanism of evolution; Evolution is common descent with modification;
8. Identify the basic taxa of organisms.
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Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species are the basic taxa of organisms.
Identify the kingdoms of the Domain Eukarya and explain their differences.
Domain Eukarya contains the protists, fungi, plants, and animals. Protists range from unicellular to
multicellular organisms and include the protozoans and most algae. Among the fungi are molds and
mushrooms. Plants are well known as the multicellular photo synthesizers of the world, while animals are
multicellular and ingest their food.
Define and explain the concept of natural selection.
Natural selection describes the process by which living organisms are descended from a common ancestor.
The agents of natural selection, present in both biological and physical environments, shape species over
time and may create new species from existing ones.
Define ecosystems and biodiversity and explain how they are linked together.
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An ecosystem is the biological community together with the associated abiotic environment which is
characterized by a flow of energy and a cycling of inorganic nutrients.
Biodiversity is the total number of species, the variability of their genes, and their communities in which
they live.
Identify and explain the steps of the scientific method.
The scientific method is a standard series of steps that is used in gaining new knowledge that is widely
accepted among scientists. The steps used for scientific method are observation, hypothesis, and
experiments/further observations.
Observation: When things are being observed through visual means.
Hypothesis: A possible explanation for a natural event. The hypothesis is a statement that can be
tested in a manner suited to the process of science.
Experiments/Further Observations: Testing the hypothesis involves either an experiment or
making further observations.
Explain the difference between a scientific theory and a nonscientific theory.
Scientific theory: Concepts that join together well-supported and related hypotheses. A scientific theory is a
set of principles that explain and predict phenomena. Scientists create scientific theories with the scientific
method, when they are originally proposed as hypotheses and tested for accuracy through observations and
experiments. Once the hypothesis is verified it becomes a theory.
Nonscientific theory: A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific.
In a scientific experiment what is the difference between the control group and the experimental group?
The difference between a control group and an experimental group is one group is exposed to the
conditions of the experiment and the other is not.
A control group is a group separated from the rest of the experiment where the independent variable being
tested cannot influence the results. This isolates the independent variables effects on the experiment and
can help rule out alternate explanations of the experimental results.
An experimental group is the group in a scientific experiment where the experimental procedure is
performed. This group is exposed to independent variable being tested and the changes observed and
recorded.
Explain the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning.
Inductive is reasoning using specific observations and the process of logic and reasoning to arrive at a
hypothesis.
Deductive reasoning is process of logic and reasoning using If and then statements.
Define matter.
Matter is defined as anything that takes up space and has mass.
Define element and identify its basic structural components.
An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into substances with different properties and is
composed of only one type of atom.
Explain the difference between atoms and molecules.
An atom is the smallest particle of an element that displays the properties of the element.
A molecule is the union of two or more atoms of the same element; It also is the smallest part of a
compound that retains the properties of the compound.
Identify and explain the basic structure of an atom, including the electron shell.
Atoms are made up of three types of particles: electrons, protons, and neutrons. Each of these particles has
different properties. The proton is positively charged and is in the nucleus. The neutron has no electrical
charge and is in the nucleus also. The electron moves around the nucleus and has a negative charge. The
proton and the neutron are very large and make up most of the mass of the atom. The electrons have very
little mass, but since they move around they take up most of the space in the atom.
Explain the difference between the terms atomic number and atomic mass.
Atomic number is the number of protons in an element. Atomic mass is the number of protons, electrons
and neutrons in an element. Mass is like the weight of the element.
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Atomic mass is the mass of an atom in rest.
Atomic number is the number of protons found in nucleous of atoms.
The difference is that first concepts refers to the mass of an atom and the other refers to the constitution
(and identity) of the atom.
List the 6 main elements that make up the weight of living things (organisms).
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous are most common elements in living matter.
Identify and discuss some beneficial uses of radioactive isotopes.
Some beneficial uses of radioactive isotopes are medical imaging, diagnosing disease, treating cancer,
generating electricity via nuclear power, conducting biomedical research and development. Agricultural
researchers use radioactive isotopes to develop disease resistant plants, improvise pest control and produce
effective fertilizers.
Explain why atoms are considered to have a neutral charge whereas ions are not.
An atom is the smallest and an indivisible unit of matter. Ions are atoms where the protons and the electrons
are not equal. Ions would therefore be either positive or negatively charged. An atom remains electrically
neutral till the number of electrons and protons are equal.
If electron A is located farther away from the nucleus than electron B which is considered to be in the
higher energy level and why?
Electrons farther from the nucleus have more energy than those closer in. The outer electrons are said to be
higher in Fermi energy levels and have more kinetic energy than the electrons in lower orbitals. Consider
that electrons give up energy to fall into closer orbitals, and they will, in general, have less energy than
the outer electrons.
Define a compound.
A material made up of two or more parts or elements. A compound exists when two or more elements have
bonded together.
Explain the difference between ionic and covalent bonding.
Covalent bonding is a form of chemical bonding between two non-metallic atoms which is characterized by
the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms and other covalent bonds. A covalent bond is formed
between two non-metals that have similar electronegative. Neither atom is strong enough to attract
electrons from the other. For stabilization, they share their electrons from outer molecular orbit with others.
Ionic bonds also known as electrovalent bond is a type of bond formed from the electrostatic attraction
between oppositely charged ions in a chemical compound. These kinds of bonds occur mainly between a
metallic and a non-metallic atom. An ionic bond is formed between a metal and a non-metal. Non-metals
are stronger than the metal and can get electrons very easily from the metal. These two opposite ions
attract each other and form the ionic bond.
Explain the difference between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds.
A polar bond is a bond between 2 nonmetal atoms that have different electronegativitys and therefore have
unequal sharing of the bonding electron pair. The result is a bond where the electron pair is displaced
toward the more electronegative atom. This atom then obtains a partial-negative charge while the less
electronegative atom has a partial positive charge.
Nonpolar covalent bond is a bond between 2 nonmetal atoms that have the same electronegativity and
therefore have equal sharing of the bonding electron pair.
Explain the concept of hydrogen bonding.
A hydrogen bond is the attractive force between the hydrogen attached to an electronegative atom of one
molecule and an electronegative atom of a different molecule. Usually the electronegative atom is oxygen,
nitrogen, or fluorine, which has a partial negative charge. The hydrogen then has the partial positive charge.
Water molecules are bound together through hydrogen bonds.
29. Identify and define the properties of water.
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Water has a high heat capacity, it has a high heat of evaporation, water is solvent, water molecules are
cohesive and adhesive. Water is odorless, tasteless, transparent liquid that is colorless in small amounts.
Explain the difference between acids and bases.
An acid and a base are both chemical compounds that change the ph, or the concentration of hydrogen ions,
of water they are dissolved in. An acid and a base can be considered opposites of each other, neutralization
occurs, producing a salt and water. Acids are sour to the tase and can produce a stinging sensation on
mucous membranes. Bases have a bitter taste and a slimy or soapy texture.