Biology: The Study of Life and Living Organisms

What is Biology?

• The study of life and living organisms
• Examines the structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy of all living things

Branches of Biology

• Botany: study of plants
• Zoology: study of animals
• Microbiology: study of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.)
• Ecology: study of relationships between organisms and their environment
• Genetics: study of heredity and variation
• Biochemistry: study of chemical processes within living organisms
• Molecular Biology: study of biological molecules and their interactions
• Evolutionary Biology: study of the process of evolution and its mechanisms

Levels of Organization

• Molecules: basic building blocks of life (e.g. DNA, proteins)
• Cells: basic structural and functional units of life
• Tissues: groups of similar cells performing a specific function
• Organs: structures composed of two or more types of tissues
• Organ Systems: groups of organs working together to perform a specific function
• Organisms: individual living things
• Populations: groups of organisms of the same species
• Communities: groups of different species living together
• Ecosystems: interactions between living and non-living components of an environment
• Biosphere: all living things on Earth

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates: provide energy and structure
• Proteins: perform a wide range of functions (enzymes, hormones, etc.)
• Lipids: provide energy and structure (fats, oils, etc.)
• Nucleic Acids: contain genetic information (DNA and RNA)

Cell Biology

• Cell membrane: semipermeable membrane surrounding the cell
• Cytoplasm: jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane
• Nucleus: contains genetic material (DNA)
• Mitochondria: generate energy for the cell
• Endoplasmic Reticulum: involved in protein synthesis and transport
• Ribosomes: site of protein synthesis

Genetics

• DNA: double-stranded molecule containing genetic information
• Genes: segments of DNA that code for specific traits
• Chromosomes: thread-like structures composed of DNA and proteins
• Inheritance: passing of traits from parents to offspring
• Mutation: change in DNA sequence
• Gene Expression: process by which genetic information is converted into a trait

Evolution

• Theory of Evolution: explains how species change over time
• Natural Selection: process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce
• Speciation: formation of new species
• Fossil Record: chronological record of ancient organisms
• Comparative Anatomy: study of similarities and differences between organisms

What is Biology?

• Biology is the study of life and living organisms, examining their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.

Branches of Biology

• Botany studies plants.
• Zoology studies animals.
• Microbiology studies microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.
• Ecology studies the relationships between organisms and their environment.
• Genetics studies heredity and variation.
• Biochemistry studies the chemical processes within living organisms.
• Molecular Biology studies biological molecules and their interactions.
• Evolutionary Biology studies the process of evolution and its mechanisms.

Levels of Organization

• Molecules are the basic building blocks of life, including DNA and proteins.
• Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.
• Tissues are groups of similar cells performing a specific function.
• Organs are structures composed of two or more types of tissues.
• Organ Systems are groups of organs working together to perform a specific function.
• Organisms are individual living things.
• Populations are groups of organisms of the same species.
• Communities are groups of different species living together.
• Ecosystems are the interactions between living and non-living components of an environment.
• Biosphere refers to all living things on Earth.

Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates provide energy and structure.
• Proteins perform a wide range of functions, including acting as enzymes and hormones.
• Lipids provide energy and structure, and include fats and oils.
• Nucleic Acids contain genetic information and include DNA and RNA.

Cell Biology

• The cell membrane is a semipermeable membrane surrounding the cell.
• Cytoplasm is a jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane.
• The nucleus contains genetic material in the form of DNA.
• Mitochondria generate energy for the cell.
• The Endoplasmic Reticulum is involved in protein synthesis and transport.
• Ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis.

Genetics

• DNA is a double-stranded molecule containing genetic information.
• Genes are segments of DNA that code for specific traits.
• Chromosomes are thread-like structures composed of DNA and proteins.
• Inheritance is the passing of traits from parents to offspring.
• Mutation is a change in DNA sequence.
• Gene Expression is the process by which genetic information is converted into a trait.

Evolution

• The Theory of Evolution explains how species change over time.
• Natural Selection is the process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
• Speciation is the formation of new species.
• The Fossil Record is a chronological record of ancient organisms.
• Comparative Anatomy is the study of similarities and differences between organisms.

Discover the basics of biology, including its branches and the study of living organisms, from plants and animals to microorganisms and ecosystems.