Introduction to Biology Concepts

The smallest unit of life that can exhibit all properties of life.

The study of life using a systematic, evidence-based approach to understand the natural world.

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested through experiments or observations.

A broad, well-substantiated explanation for a wide range of observations and experiments.

A classification system that organizes life into three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

A way of classifying organisms based on shared characteristics, with increasing levels of organization.

New properties emerge at each level of biological organization due to the arrangement and interaction of components.

A hierarchy of organization that goes from atoms to the biosphere, including cells, tissues, organs, and organisms.

An experiment where a researcher manipulates one factor (the independent variable) and observes the effect on another factor (the dependent variable).

The variable that is manipulated or changed in a controlled experiment.

The variable that is measured in a controlled experiment. Its value depends on the independent variable.

A group in a controlled experiment that does not receive the manipulated variable. It serves as a baseline for comparison.

A group in a controlled experiment that receives the manipulated variable.

The process of generating and testing hypotheses, evolving based on evidence, and seeking understanding of the natural world.

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested experimentally.

The theory that explains the diversity and unity of life on Earth through the processes of descent with modification and natural selection.

A species has a unique evolutionary history, represented as a 'branch' on the tree of life that connects it to its ancestors.

DNA carries the genetic instructions for building and maintaining an organism. It also directs the activities of a cell.

Information from the environment, like signals and stimuli, regulates the functioning of an organism.

The way something is built directly affects how it works. For example, the shape of a protein molecule determines its function.

Energy flows through an ecosystem, entering as sunlight, being converted by plants, and ultimately leaving as heat.

Matter, like carbon and nitrogen, cycles through an ecosystem, moving from the environment to organisms and back.

Interactions between parts of a system lead to new properties that emerge at higher levels of organization.

The study of life spans across different scales, from the tiniest molecules to the entire planet.