Learning goals: Introduction

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1. Define Biology

2. Name and describe the characteristics of living things that generally distinguish them from non living things

• Living things contain DNA as genetic material. See p 4.
• Living things carry out Metabolism
• Sense and respond to the environment
• Living things exhibit homeostasis
• All living things are made from one or more cells
• All living things as we understand them today are the products of evolution

Comments: Note that homeostasis is not defined in your text but it refers to the ability of organisms to maintain a relatively constant internal environment. For example, we maintain a relatively constant body temperature. Homeostasis requires work; it is not a passive process!

3. Describe the features of organization in the living world.

• Describe and arrange from most inclusive to smallest level of organization:

Ecosystem, Community, Population, Organism, Organ system, Organ, Tissue, Cell, Molecule, Atom

• Distinguish between the fate of nutrients and energy in ecosystems. See figure 1.3 p 4

Comments: On the CD there is a levels of life card game in the Introduction to test if you can put these levels of organization in order from biggest(Ecosystem) to smallest(Atom). Later on we will see that living things are open systems, taking in matter and energy from the environment.

4. Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and give examples of organisms that have each of these cell types. See p 4

5. List and give examples of organisms in the three domains of life and the six Kingdoms.

Comments: Note that the Domain Bacteria and the Domain Archaea have one kingdom each (Bacteria and Archaea). While we often times associate bacteria with disease, most kinds of bacteria are important in the cycling of matter and flow of energy in ecosystems. For instance, even though almost 80% of the Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen gas, plants cannot use this nitrogen as a source of energy but instead rely on bacteria that combine atmospheric nitrogen with other elements and make nitrogen containing compounds such as nitrate that plants can use.

6. State the two main points about life raised by Darwin in The Origin of Species.

• Explain the two observations and Darwin's reasoning in developing his idea of natural selection.
  • Distinguish between natural and artificial selection.
  • Give at least one example of natural selection in action.
• Explain the meaning of the term "descent with modification" as used in biology.

Comment: Darwin did not use the term evolution much because in Victorian times, evolution commonly meant a progression toward some goal and Darwin recognized that the sort of biological change we called evolution today results from changes in the genetic make up of a population, driven by unequal reproduction.

7. Describe the basic process of science. p 13 - 15

• Distinguish between what your text calls 'discovery science' and hypothesis driven science.
• Explain hypothetical deductive reasoning.
• Diagram and explain the basic steps in the scientific method. See oage 1.19
  
• Distinguish between the terms hypothesis and theory as used in science.
• Explain how science differs from other styles of inquiry. See p 17

Comments: Note that science is based on observation and repeatable measurement and thus is empirical. Science tries to develop ways of observing which are independent of our senses. To see this consider these optical illusions: bent, bent2, circles Why is measurement so important in science?

8. Distinguish between science and technology.

9. Define the following terms. These are in the glossary at the back of the book and also in the chapter 1 material on the CD. Quiz yourself until you have all these definitions!

List the major concepts we have discussed today and make a concept map.

pgd revised 8/24/04