Questions and Answers
What is the primary focus of botany within the branches of biology?
Which of the following characteristics is unique to heterotrophs?
Which branch of biology specifically studies diseases?
What are chloroplasts primarily responsible for in plant cells?
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Which of the following best defines ecology within the branches of biology?
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Which process describes how plants convert sunlight into chemical energy?
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Which group of organisms are categorized as autotrophs?
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Which of the following statements about cellular structure is true for plant cells?
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Which characteristic of life involves the formation of new cells or new organisms?
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Who was the first to view microorganisms?
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What does the theory of biogenesis state about the origin of life?
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Which organelle is primarily involved in photosynthesis?
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What was the significant contribution of Robert Brown in cell biology?
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Which of the following is NOT one of the four unifying themes of biology?
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What experiment did Spallanzani conduct to challenge the theory of spontaneous generation?
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What did the first cell theory proposed by Schleiden and Schwann state?
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Study Notes
Branches of Natural Science
- Science originates from "socio" meaning to know and "scientia" meaning knowledge.
- Technology refers to the application of scientific knowledge.
Biological Sciences
- Zoology: Study of animals.
- Botany: Study of plants.
- Genetics: Examination of genes and heredity.
- Ecology: Relationship between organisms and their environments.
- Marine Biology: Study of oceanic organisms.
Physical Sciences
- Includes disciplines like chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology (study of Earth's structure and plate tectonics), and meteorology (study of weather patterns).
Definition of Biology
- Scientific exploration of life, focusing on living organisms.
- Two foundational areas: Botany and Zoology.
Branches of Biology
- Anatomy: Study of organism structure.
- Bacteriology: Study of bacteria.
- Biochemistry: Chemical processes within living organisms.
- Cytology: Study of cells.
- Embryology: Study of embryonic development.
- Entomology: Study of insects.
- Microbiology: Study of microorganisms.
- Mycology: Study of fungi.
- Parasitology: Study of parasites.
- Pathology: Study of diseases and their effects.
- Phycology: Study of algae.
- Physiology: Study of functions and processes of organisms.
- Taxonomy: Classification of living things.
- Virology: Study of viruses.
- Medicine: Application of biological principles to health.
- Marine Biology: Continued study of oceanic life.
Zoology in Biology
- Focused on the study of animals and their evolutionary relationships.
- Animals are heterotrophs, relying on other organisms for nutrients.
- Differ from plants by lacking cell walls and photosynthetic capabilities.
General Characteristics of Life
- Non-motile organisms may also include autotrophs, which produce their own food.
- Multi-cellular eukaryotic structure with unique organelles for various functions.
- Plant cells possess an outer cell wall, large central vacuole, and chloroplasts containing chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
Four Unifying Themes of Biology
- All organisms share a genetic blueprint: DNA.
- Cellular composition is universal among all living things.
- Common evolutionary forces lead to changes in form, structure, function, and habitat.
- All habitats share environmental factors.
Theories on the Origin of Life
- Special Creation Theory: The belief that life forms were created by a divine being.
- Spontaneous Generation: Idea that life could arise from non-living matter under suitable conditions (supported by Needham’s experiment).
- Biogenesis: Concept that life arises from existing life, demonstrated through experiments by Redi, Pasteur, and Spallanzani, the latter showing that microorganisms originate from other microorganisms.
Milestones in Cell Theory
- Robert Hooke (1665): First to observe and describe cells using a microscope.
- Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1673): First to discover living microorganisms.
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Cell Theory Development:
- Matthias Schleiden (1838) contributed to its foundation.
- Theodore Schwann (1839) applied it to animals.
- Rudolf Virchow (1855) stated that all cells come from pre-existing cells.
Notable Scientists and Discoveries
- Zacharias Janssen (1590): Helped invent the first compound microscope.
- Robert Brown (1831): Identified the nucleus within cells.
Characteristics of Life
- Organization: Interaction of organism parts to perform functions.
- Metabolism: Chemical and physical changes occurring in an organism.
- Responsiveness: Ability to maintain homeostasis.
- Growth: Increase in organism size.
- Development: Time-based changes in an organism.
- Reproduction: Production of new cells or organisms.
- Evolution: Formation of new species or populations over time.
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Description
Explore the foundational branches of natural science in this quiz, focusing on the distinctive studies within biological and physical sciences. Learn about key disciplines such as zoology, botany, ecology, and geology, and their significance in understanding the natural world.
