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Questions and Answers
What is the basic unit of life that all organisms are made of?
Which of the following best describes homeostasis in organisms?
How do unicellular organisms typically reproduce?
What process leads to the formation of new organisms arising from older kinds?
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What is one characteristic of multicellular organisms regarding cell organization?
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What is the primary reason organisms undergo evolution?
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Which statement best describes the process of natural selection?
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What is true about somatic cells in an organism?
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How do autotrophs primarily obtain energy?
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Which of the following best describes the organization of multicellular organisms?
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Study Notes
Reproduction and Inheritance
- All organisms produce new organisms like themselves.
- Organisms transmit hereditary information to their offspring.
DNA
- Contains instructions for traits called genes.
- Makes the structures and complex chemicals necessary for life called proteins.
- DNA in every body cell (somatic cells) is exactly alike.
Sexual Reproduction
- Hereditary information from two different organisms of the same species are combined.
- Egg and sperm combine to create a zygote (fertilized egg).
- Zygote contains hereditary information from both parents.
Asexual Reproduction
- Hereditary information from one organism that divides.
- Resulting cells contain identical hereditary information.
- Genetic information from a single parent.
Evolution
- Populations of organisms change (evolve) over generations (time).
- Explains how many different kinds of organisms came into existence (species).
- Explains how modern organisms are related to past organisms.
Natural Selection
- The driving force in evolution.
- Organisms that have certain favorable traits are better able to successfully reproduce than organisms that lack these traits.
Interdependence of Organisms
- Interaction of organisms with one another and with their environment (ecology).
- Organisms depend on each other for food & pollination (coevolution).
Matter, Energy and Organization
- Living things are highly organized.
- Require a constant supply of energy to maintain their orderly state.
Energy
- All energy comes from the sun (directly or indirectly).
- Photosynthesis is the process by which some organisms capture the energy from the sun (solar) and transform it into energy (chemical) that can be used by living things.
Autotrophs
- Organisms that make their own food.
- Phototrophs use solar energy (photosynthesis) to get energy: Convert H2O and CO2 into sugar and O2.
- Chemotrophs use different chemical processes to get energy.
Heterotrophs
- Organisms that must take in food to meet their energy needs.
- Consume autotrophs (herbivores), other heterotrophs (carnivores) or both (omnivores) for their energy needs.
Cells
- All living things are composed of cells.
- In multicellular organisms, many are specialized to perform specific functions.
- Cells are always very small.
- The size of multi-celled organisms depends on the number of cells NOT their size.
Organization
- Organized at both the molecular and cellular levels.
- Take in substances from the environment and organize them in complex ways.
- Specific cell structures (organelles) carry out particular functions.
Energy Use
- Use energy in a process called metabolism (sum of all chemical processes).
- Require energy to maintain their molecular and cellular organization, grow and reproduce.
Homeostasis
- Maintain stable internal conditions (temperature, pH, etc.)
Growth
- Occurs as the result of cell division and cell enlargement.
- Cell division is the formation of two cells from a preexisting cell.
- New cells enlarge as they mature.
- When a cell grows to a size where its surface area isn’t big enough for its volume, the cell divides.
Development
- The process by which an adult organism arise is called development (repeated cell divisions and cell differentiation).
Reproduction
- All species have the ability to reproduce.
- Not essential to survival of individual but is essential for continuation of a species.
Responsiveness
- Respond to stimuli in the external environment.
- Detect and respond to changes in light, heat, sound and chemical and mechanical contact.
- Coordinates its responses.
Evolve
- Ability to adapt to their environment through the process of evolution.
- Favorable characteristics are selected for and passed on to offspring called adaptations.
- Driven by natural selection or “survival of the fittest”.
Scientific Method
- A systematic process for gaining knowledge about the natural world.
Observation
- Employing your five senses to perceive objects or events.
Asking a question
- Based on observations; one or more questions are generated.
Forming a Hypothesis
- A statement is testable if evidence can be collected that either does or doesn’t support it.
- It can never be proven beyond doubt.
- Often must be refined and revised or discarded.
- Is a statement made in advance that states the results that will be obtained from testing the hypothesis.
- Often written in the form of an “if-then” statement.
Experimenting
- Testing a hypothesis or prediction by gathering data under controlled conditions (conducting a controlled experiment).
- Based on a comparison of a control group with an experimental group.
- Both groups are identical except for one factor (independent variable)
- Observations and measurements are taken for a particular factor (dependent variable) in both groups (driven by or results from independent variable).
Measuring
- Involves quantitative data that can be measured in numbers &/or qualitative data information that isn’t numbers.
Sampling
- Technique of using a sample (a small part) to represent the entire population.
Organizing Data
- Involves placing observations and measurement (data) in order (graphs, charts, tables, or maps).
Analyzing Data
- Collected and organized data must be analyzed (process of determining whether data are reliable or whether they support or do not support a hypothesis or prediction).
Conclusion
- Conclusions are made on the basis of facts, not observations.
- Often drawn from data gathered from a study or experiment.
- Should support the hypothesis.
- Should be re-testable.
Communication
- Scientists must share the results of their studies with other scientists (peers).
- Publish findings in journals.
- Present their findings at scientific meetings.
- Scientists must be unbiased (should not tamper with their data, only publish & report tested & proven ideas).
- Sharing of information is essential to the scientific process.
- Subject to examination and verification by other scientists.
- Allows scientists to build on the work of others.
Theories
- A theory may be formed after many related hypotheses have been tested and supported with experimental evidence.
- A broad and comprehensive statement of what is thought to be true.
- Supported by considerable evidence.
- Ties together related hypotheses.
Laws
- A statement of fact that concisely explains an action or group of actions.
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Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of reproduction and inheritance in organisms. This quiz covers both sexual and asexual reproduction, the role of DNA, and the principles of evolution. Test your knowledge on how genes and hereditary information are transmitted across generations.
