What is Biology?

The Science of Biology Biology: study of life Can you study a single species?

No: organisms do not live alone in their environment. When you study one organism you encounter the organisms it interacts with.

Why study biology? A true biologist studies the science for the

pleasure of learning. Others study it to learn how to help nature or

to help people.

Characteristics of Life Organism:Organism: any thing that possesses all

the characteristics of life

1. Have an orderly structure: living things are composed of cells, which can organize into complex tissues.

2. Produce Offspring: living things mate and produce more of themselves

Species:Species: A group of organisms that can interbred to produce fertile

offspring.

Characteristics of Life3. Grow and Develop: living things get

larger and change during their life4. Adjust to changes in the environment

Environment:Environment: an organism’s surroundings, including air, water, temperature, and other organisms. Short Term Changes: responding to stimulus

in the environment (if you are hungry, you eat)

Long Term Changes: organisms adapt to their environment.

Other Important Vocabulary Stimulus:Stimulus: Anything in an organism’s external or

internal environment that causes the organism to react

Response:Response: A reaction to a stimulus Homeostasis:Homeostasis: regulation of an organism’s

internal environment to maintain conditions suitable for its survival

Adaptation:Adaptation: any inherited structure, behavior, or internal process that enables an organism to respond to environmental factors and live to produce offspring

Evolution:Evolution: The gradual change in a species through adaptations over time

Beginning Biology Words Vocabulary #1Write each word and define.

1. Adaptation 11. sexual reproduction2. Biology 12. asexual reproduction3. Development 13. response4. Energy 14. species5. Environment 15. stimulus6. Growth 16. control7. Homeostasis 17. data8. Organism 18. dependent variable9. Organization 19. experiment10. reproduction 20. independent variable

Beginning Biology Vocabulary #121. Scientific method 31. cell22. Theory 32. tissue23. Ethics 33. organs24. Technology 34. organ system25. Louis Pasteur 35. diversity26. Franciso Redi 36. biotechnology27. Spontaneous generation28. Biogenesis29. Biotic30. abiotic