Biology Basics

Branches of Biology

• Botany: study of plants
• Zoology: study of animals
• Microbiology: study of microorganisms
• Ecology: study of interactions between organisms and their environment
• Biotechnology: application of biological principles to develop new products and technologies

Cell Biology

• Cell: basic unit of life
• Cell membrane: semipermeable membrane that surrounds the cell
• Cytoplasm: jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane
• Nucleus: contains genetic material (DNA)
• Organelles: specialized structures within the cell (e.g. mitochondria, ribosomes)

Genetics

• Genes: units of heredity that carry information from one generation to the next
• DNA: double helix structure that contains genetic information
• Chromosomes: thread-like structures that carry genes
• Genotype: genetic makeup of an individual
• Phenotype: physical characteristics of an individual

Evolution

• Theory of Evolution: process by which species change over time
• Natural Selection: mechanism by which species adapt to their environment
• Speciation: process by which new species emerge
• Fossil Record: evidence of past life on Earth

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates: energy-rich molecules (e.g. sugars, starches)
• Proteins: molecules that perform a wide range of functions (e.g. enzymes, hormones)
• Lipids: molecules that provide energy and structure (e.g. fats, oils)
• Nucleic Acids: molecules that contain genetic information (e.g. DNA, RNA)

Ecosystems

• Ecosystem: community of living and nonliving components interacting with each other
• Biosphere: region of the Earth where life exists
• Biome: large region of the Earth with a specific climate and vegetation
• Food Chain: sequence of organisms that eat other organisms
• Food Web: complex network of food chains

Branches of Biology

• Botany is the study of plants
• Zoology is the study of animals
• Microbiology is the study of microorganisms
• Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment
• Biotechnology is the application of biological principles to develop new products and technologies

Cell Biology

Cell Structure

• Cell is the basic unit of life
• Cell membrane is a semipermeable membrane that surrounds the cell
• Cytoplasm is a jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane
• Nucleus contains genetic material (DNA)

Cell Components

• Organelles are specialized structures within the cell (e.g. mitochondria, ribosomes)

Genetics

Genetic Information

• Genes are units of heredity that carry information from one generation to the next
• DNA is a double helix structure that contains genetic information
• Chromosomes are thread-like structures that carry genes

Expression of Genetic Information

• Genotype is the genetic makeup of an individual
• Phenotype is the physical characteristics of an individual

Evolution

Mechanisms of Evolution

• Theory of Evolution is the process by which species change over time
• Natural Selection is the mechanism by which species adapt to their environment

Evidence for Evolution

• Speciation is the process by which new species emerge
• Fossil Record is evidence of past life on Earth

Biological Molecules

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are energy-rich molecules (e.g. sugars, starches)

Proteins

• Proteins are molecules that perform a wide range of functions (e.g. enzymes, hormones)

Lipids

• Lipids are molecules that provide energy and structure (e.g. fats, oils)

Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic Acids are molecules that contain genetic information (e.g. DNA, RNA)

Ecosystems

Ecosystem Components

• Ecosystem is a community of living and nonliving components interacting with each other
• Biosphere is the region of the Earth where life exists
• Biome is a large region of the Earth with a specific climate and vegetation

Energy Flow

• Food Chain is a sequence of organisms that eat other organisms
• Food Web is a complex network of food chains