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What is the main focus of biology?
What is the main focus of biology?
Which branch of biology deals with the study of cells as the fundamental units of structure and function in living organisms?
Which branch of biology deals with the study of cells as the fundamental units of structure and function in living organisms?
What is the primary focus of population biology?
What is the primary focus of population biology?
Which of the following branches of biology is concerned with the classification of organisms?
Which of the following branches of biology is concerned with the classification of organisms?
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What is the significance of the rise of genomics in the late 20th and early 21st centuries?
What is the significance of the rise of genomics in the late 20th and early 21st centuries?
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Which branch of biology is concerned with the study of plants?
Which branch of biology is concerned with the study of plants?
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What is the study of physical principles in biological systems called?
What is the study of physical principles in biological systems called?
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Who is credited with suggesting the concept of homeostasis in the 19th century?
Who is credited with suggesting the concept of homeostasis in the 19th century?
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What is the level of organization that is shared by all living organisms?
What is the level of organization that is shared by all living organisms?
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What is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environments called?
What is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environments called?
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What is the term for the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence?
What is the term for the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence?
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What is the study of chemical processes in living organisms called?
What is the study of chemical processes in living organisms called?
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Study Notes
Biology
Biology is the study of living organisms and their vital processes. It deals with all the physicochemical aspects of life and is subdivided into branches for convenience of study, though all the subdivisions are interrelated by basic principles.
Branches of Biology
Molecular Biology
- Life is regarded as a manifestation of chemical and energy transformations that occur among the many chemical constituents that compose an organism.
- The rise of genomics in the late 20th and early 21st centuries was crucial to understanding and defining the ultimate physiochemical organization of molecules in living matter at the molecular level.
Cell Biology
- The study of cells as the fundamental units of structure and function in living organisms.
- Cells were first observed in the 17th century with the invention of the compound microscope.
Population Biology
- Deals with groups or populations of organisms that inhabit a given area or region.
- Includes studies of the roles that specific kinds of plants and animals play in the complex and self-perpetuating interrelationships that exist between the living and the nonliving world, as well as studies of the built-in controls that maintain those relationships naturally.
Other Branches
- Botany: The study of plants.
- Zoology: The study of animals.
- Morphology: The study of the structure of organisms.
- Physiology: The study of the function of organisms.
- Taxonomy: The classification of organisms.
- Biophysics: The study of physical principles in biological systems.
- Biochemistry: The study of chemical processes in living organisms.
- Genetics: The study of heredity and variation in organisms.
- Epigenetics: The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.
- Ecology: The study of the interactions between organisms and their environments.
Basic Concepts of Biology
Homeostasis
The concept of homeostasis, that living things maintain a constant internal environment, was first suggested in the 19th century by French physiologist Claude Bernard. Homeostasis applies not only to the struggle of a single organism to survive but also to any biological system from the cell to the entire biosphere.
Biological Principles
Unity
All living organisms, regardless of their uniqueness, have certain biological, chemical, and physical characteristics in common. All, for example, are composed of basic units known as cells and share common biochemical processes.
Conclusion
Biology is a vast field of study that encompasses all aspects of life. It is subdivided into various branches and levels of study to better understand the complex processes and interactions that occur within and between living organisms.
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Description
This quiz covers the basics of biology, including the definition and branches of biology, biological principles, and fundamental concepts such as homeostasis and unity. It provides a comprehensive overview of the field of biology and its various aspects.
