Bio Week 1 Notes
Bio Week 1 Notes
Bio Week 1 Notes
1.1
Biology: Scientific Study of Life
Life is characterized by the following properties and processes:
Order: Life is characterized by ordered structures
Reproduction: Organisms reproduce their own kind
Growth and Development: Inherited Info from DNA controls growth and development patterns
Response to the environment: Environmental stimuli
Energy Processing: Take in energy and use it for power
Regulation: Mechanisms to maintain internals
Evolutionary Adaptation: evolve over generations with heritable traits best suited to environment have
greater reproductive success
Cell:
A basic unit of living matter separated from its environment by a plasma membrane; the fundamental
structural unit of life.
Hypothesis: A testable explanation for a set of observations based on the available data.
Experiment: A scientific test. Often carried out under controlled conditions that involve
manipulating one factor in a system in order to see the effects of changing that factor.
Observation -> Question -> Hypothesis, Prediction -> Test/Experiment -> Results
Theory: A widely accepted explanatory idea that is broader in scope than a hypothesis,
generates new hypotheses, and is supported by a large body of evidence.
Science is based off of hypothesis testing and verifiable evidence. Science is willingness to follow the
evidence and correct itself when new evidence is found.
What is the main requirement for a scientific hypothesis?
It must generate predictions that can be tested by experiments or gathering further observations.
Independent Variable: A factor whose value is manipulated or changed during an experiment to reveal
possible effects on another factor (the dependent variable). MANIPULATED BY RESEARCHER
Dependent Variable: A factor whose value is measured in an experiment to see whether it is influenced
by changes in another factor (the independent variable). Affected by MANIPULATED VARIABLE.
controlled experiment
An experiment in which an experimental group is compared with a control group that varies only
in the factor being tested.
Retrospective study: researchers may interview people or examine death certs/medical records to
id factors that lead to an outcome
Prospective study: researchers start from the beginning, enroll a group of participants called a
COHORT and collect data over a period of time
Correlation is not causation in observational studies, large cohort studies are good.
1.6 Hypotheses can be tested using observational data
Behaviour of species 1 must mean it is similar to species 2
Explain why comparisons of DNA sequences are considered observational and not experimental
data.
Scientists are not manipulating DNA sequences in any type of experiment but are simply
recording and comparing the differences in sequences that they observe.
1) Species living today came from succession of ancestors that were different
a. CALLED DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION
b. Explains unity as we descend from a common ancestor
c. Explains diversity as modifications evolved as species diverged from ancestors
2) Mechanism for evolution
a. CALLED NATURAL SELECTION
b. He made 2 observations and 2 inferences
i. OBS 1: Individual Vartiation
1. People in a population vary in traits, many of which seem to be
heritable via passed from parent to offspring
ii. OBS 2: Overproduction of Offspring
1. All species can overproduce to where environment can sustain them,
this leads to competition among offspring.
iii. Inference 1: Unequal reproductive success
1. Individuals with inherited traits best suited to local environment are
likelier to survive and reproduce
iv. Inference 2: Accumulation of favorable traits over time
1. As a result of unequal reproductive success, over generations, higher
proportion of the population will have traits that are advantageous to
environment
v. EX: Bird eats bright colored beetles, this leaves just dark colored ones, over
generations we got nothing but dark colroed beetles b/c they have a higher
chance of surviving.
Species could evolve as a result of changes over a period of time. Different environemts can change a
species.
1.10 Evolution Connection: Artificial selection: The selective breeding of domesticated plants
and animals to promote the occurrence of desirable traits. Explain how humans are agents of
both artificial selection and natural selection We use artificial selection when choosing specific
traits or genes in organisms that we breed. Our intentional and unintentional manipulations
change the environment and thus affect natural selection.
1.11 Theme: Life depends on the flow of information
DNA is the info that is passed on. Made of 2 chains coiled called a HELIX
Strands made from nucleotides
Genes: A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide sequence in DNA (or
RNA, in some viruses). Most of the genes of a eukaryote are located in its chromosomal DNA; a few are
carried by the DNA of mitochondria and chloroplasts.
1.13 Theme: Life depends on the transfer and transformation of energy and matter
In order to function energy is required. Photosynthesis, energy from sunlight is stored as
chemical energy as atoms in CO2 absorbed by the leaves and H2O from the roots are rearranged
into sugar molecules.
Inflow of light energy from sun makes plants, chemical energy of plants consumed by moose.
Moose takes up Co2 from air and absorbs H2O. Decomposers return chemicals to soil. Heat is
lost. But some energy is reused Energy enters as light, exits as heat.
Matter from the air and soil goes to producers, to consumers and decomposers back to air and
soil
Consumers: obtain matter to build new molecules.
Decomposers: Act as recyclers
Biology is the scientific study of life. Properties of life include order, reproduction, growth and
development, energy processing, regulation, response to the environment, and evolutionary
adaptation. The cell is the structural and functional unit of life.
1.8 Biology, technology, and society are connected in important ways. Technological advances
stem from scientific research, and research benefits from new technologies.
Five Unifying Themes in Biology (1.9–1.14)
1.9 Theme: Evolution is the core theme of biology.
Darwin synthesized the theory of evolution by natural selection.
1.13 Theme: Life depends on the transfer and transformation of energy and matter.
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction
—entering as sunlight, converted to chemical energy by producers, passed on to consumers, and
exiting as heat. Ecosystems are characterized by the cycling of matter from the atmosphere and
soil through producers, consumers, decomposers, and back to the environment.
1.14 Theme: Life depends on interactions within and between systems.
Emergent properties are the result of interactions between the components of a system. Systems
biologymodels the complex behavior of biological systems.
Chapter 2: Atoms and Compounds
Matter: Occupies space and has mass. Matter
makes up everything.
Element: cannot be broken into other
substances.
92 elements found in nature.
Compound: substance containing two or
more different elements
Humans need 25 elements for life essentials
Plants need 17 elements for life essentials
Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen,
Calcium, Phosphorous 99% of body.
O,C,H,N make proteins, carbs and lipids.
Ca and P are major players in bones and
teeth
1% remaining is K, S, Na, Cl and Mg for
nerve signaling and chemical reactions
TRACE elements: Boron, Chromium,
Cobalt, Copper, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron,
Manganese, Molybedenum, Selenium, Silicon, Tin, Vanadium, Zinc, Iron is 0.004%. Fe is trace
need by all forms of life. Iodine is needed only for verterbrates (animals with backbones)
CHEMICAL BONDS
2.5/2.6 Distribution of electrons determines an atoms chemical properties electron shell A level
of electrons at a characteristic average distance from the nucleus of an atom.
SHELLS: 2 8 8
Valence shell determines chemical properties of the atom.
Atoms with unfilled out shells react with other atoms to complete their shells
Chemical bonds are attractions to fulfill this complete shell
Ionic Bond: Transfer of an electron b/w atom
Covalent Bond: Share of electrons b/w atom]
Molecules are 2+ atoms held by covalent bonds. Sharing is not always equal.
Electronegativity measures attraction for shared electron.
Nonpolar covalent: elements w/ 2 same electronegativity, equal share
Polar covalent, negatively charged electrons drawn to more electronegative element. Result is a
dipole of positive charge at one end and negative at other.
4 ways to draw it: Molecule formula: O2
Electron Distribution diagram :c: c:
Structural Formula C-C
Space-filling model: Imagine a 3d shape of the atom OO
Polarity refers to a separation of charges (think of the positive and negative poles of a battery).
Explain why the bonds in a water molecule are polar covalent bonds?
The negatively charged electrons are pulled closer to oxygen, giving it a slight negative charge.
With its electron pulled further away from its positively charged nucleus, the H is slightly
positive.