Questions and Answers
What are emergent properties?
New properties that arise with each step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.
Provide an example of an emergent property.
The arrangement and connections of nerve cells enables nervous signals to travel from a fish's brain to its tail.
What is an emergent property of an ecosystem?
The cycling of matter between organisms and the soil, water, and air.
Study Notes
Emergent Properties Overview
- Defined as new characteristics that develop at higher levels of biological organization as complexity increases.
- Results from the specific arrangement and interactions of various components.
Examples of Emergent Properties
- In neural systems, the specific connections and arrangements of nerve cells allow for the transmission of signals, exemplified by the pathway between a fish’s brain and its tail.
- Ecosystems demonstrate emergent properties through processes like the cycling of matter, highlighting interactions among organisms and their surroundings, such as soil, water, and air.
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Description
Explore the concept of emergent properties through informative flashcards. This quiz provides definitions and examples that reflect the complexity of life and how new characteristics emerge at different levels of biological organization.
