Biology Chapter 1: The Basis of Life

What is the smallest unit of life?

The sun is the ultimate source of energy for living organisms.

What is the science that studies life and living organisms called?

A group of similar cells that perform a particular function is called a ______.

Which characteristic of life involves the ability to maintain a stable internal environment?

Life can originate from non-living matter.

Match the following levels of organization in living things:

What is required for an organism to do work?

Which of the following best describes homeostasis?

Growth refers to the changes that take place from conception to death.

What is the process by which organisms make other organisms like themselves?

The capacity of organisms to change and adjust to their environment over time is called ______.

Match the following characteristics of living organisms with their descriptions

Which of these options are examples of how organisms respond to stimuli?

All adaptations contribute to evolution.

What is one example of an adaptation that is not related to evolution?

Chapter 1: The Basis of Life

Artificial life is a scientific field exploring minimal requirements for life.
In 2010, a team successfully replaced a bacterium's DNA with a synthetic form.
Biology studies life and living organisms (Bio + Logy).
Life exists almost everywhere on Earth.
Earth has a vast array of diverse life forms.
All living things share common characteristics.

Characteristics of Life

Organized: Living things are organized into a hierarchy of levels (cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere).
- A cell is the smallest unit of life.
- Tissues are groups of similar cells.
- Organs are groups of tissues.
- Organ systems are groups of organs.
- Populations are organisms of the same species.
- Communities are interacting populations.
- Ecosystems are communities and their physical environment.
- Biosphere encompasses all regions of Earth inhabited by living things.
Acquire materials and energy: Organisms need outside sources of materials and energy, including building blocks and capacity to do work.
Reproduce: Reproduction is creating a new organism like itself. Methods vary among organisms.
Respond to stimuli: Organisms respond to their environment by moving toward (or away from) a stimulus. This can be voluntary or involuntary.
Homeostatic: Maintains a consistent internal environment. Dynamic equilibrium is maintained.
Grow and develop: Growth is an increase in size or number of cells. Development is changes during an organism's life, from conception to death.
Adapt: Organisms adapt to changing environments.

Additional Notes

The sun is the ultimate source of energy for most ecosystems.
A variety of food sources can influence beak types, as a characteristic example.
Adaptations aren't always linked to evolution. Adaptations and choosing proper clothing for different weather conditions or using protective gear are examples of adaptation not related to evolution.

Explore the fundamental concepts of life with this quiz on Chapter 1: The Basis of Life. Understand the characteristics that define living organisms and the hierarchical organization of life. Test your knowledge on artificial life and the diverse forms of life present on Earth.