Chapter 1-A View of Life PDF

A View of Life
Amira K. Fakih
BIOL101 1
Biology as Science
- Biology is the science of life and living organisms.
- It has three basic themes:

1- Evolution
2- Information transfer
3- Energy for life
 Themes give life its unique characteristics.

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THEMES OF BIOLOGY
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1- Evolution
- Organisms evolved through time from earlier forms of life.
- Framework or basis for the science of biology.
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2- Information Transfer
- Information is transferred within organisms and among organisms.
- Important for survival and function of every cell as well as every organism.
- Evolution  Genetic information transfer from one generation to another.
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3- Energy for Life
- Source of energy is the sun.
- Flows through living systems from producers to consumers.
- All life processes require a continuous input of energy.
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3- Energy for Life
From Producers to Consumers
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Characteristics of Life
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1- Organisms are Composed of Cells:
- New cells are formed by the division of existing cells  Cell theory
- Organisms are divided into:

1- Unicellular
2- Multi-cellular
- Unicellular organisms  Consists of a single cell that performs all the functions essential for life.
- Multi-cellular organisms  Billions of cells, which are organized to form tissues, organs and organ systems.
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1- Organisms are Composed of Cells:
- Two different types of cells:

1- Prokaryotic cells: Simple, such as Bacteria.
2- Eukaryotic cells: Complex, contains a variety of organelles such as animals and plants.
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2- Organisms Grow and Develop:
- Growth: Increase in size of cells, number of cells or even both.
- Body proportions or parts change as growth occurs.
 Some organisms continue to grow however many animals have a defined growth period that terminates when a characteristic
adult size is reached.
- Development: Changes that take place during an organism`s life.
 Human begins life as fertilized egg that grows and develops.
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3- Organisms Regulate their Metabolic Processes:

- Metabolism: Sum of chemical activities of the organism.
- Regulation of metabolism is needed:

 Homeostasis: Balanced internal environment.
- Homeostatic mechanisms are self-regulating control systems.

Example: Regulation of glucose
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Regulation of Blood Glucose
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4- Organisms Respond to Stimuli:
- Stimuli: Physical or chemical change in the internal or external environment of organisms.
- Living things respond to various stimuli, including light, sound, touch, smell and taste.
- Stimuli leads to a response.
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5- Organisms Reproduce:
- Asexual reproduction:
 Amoeba
 Splits in half to form two new amoeba
 New amoeba identical to single parent
- Sexual reproduction:
 Plants and animals
 Fusion of an egg and a sperm to form a fertilized egg
 Processes of evolution and adaptation
 Genes contributed to two parents
Asexual Reproduction 15
6- Populations Evolve and Become Adapted to the
Environment:
- Ability of a population to adapt to the environment.
- Adaptations: inherited characteristics that enhance an organism`s ability to

survive in a particular environment.
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7- Cellular Organization:
- Basic level of organization includes atoms.
Atom: smallest component of an element.
- Atoms combine to form molecules.
- Macromolecules combine with each others to form organelles. Cells contain many organelles.
- Cells then forms tissues. For example: muscle and nervous tissue.
- Tissues organize into functional structures called organs. For example: heart and stomach.
- Group of organs forms organ system, such as circulatory and digestive system.
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- Organ systems make up a complex, multi-cellular organism.
Levels of Biological Organization
The Hierarchy of Biological Organization

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7- Cellular Organization:
- Organisms living in the same geographic area at the same time makes up a Population.
- Different types of organisms from different populations occupy a specific area and form a
Community.
- Community with the non-living environment forms an Ecosystem.
- All of the Earth`s ecosystems together are known as Biosphere.

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Levels of Ecological Organization
The Hierarchy of Ecological Organization

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The Process of Science
- Biology is a science.
- Process of science is investigative  to know
- Scientific method: a series of ordered steps to make observations, ask

critical questions and develop hypothesis.
 Hypothesis is an uncertain explanation, guess or proposition.
- By hypothesis, scientists make predictions that can be tested by

experiments.
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Hypothesis
Characteristics of a good hypothesis:
1- Consistent with well established facts.
2- Capable of being tested.
3- It can be proven false.
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Capable of being Tested
 Well stated hypothesis can be tested.
 Hypothesis is rejected when there is no evidence to support it.
 Results that do not support the hypothesis may be valuable and can lead to new
hypothesis.
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Predictions Can Be Tested By An Experiment
Predications can be tested by experiments.
Example:
1-Scientists observed that the nucleus was the most prominent part of the cell and the cells will be
affected if it loses the nucleus.
2-Hence if the nucleus is removed from the cell then the cell will die.
3-They then did an experiment by removing the nucleus surgically of an amoeba.
4-The amoeba continued to live and move but it did not grow and after a few days it died.
5-Results showed that nucleus is necessary to provide growth and cell reproduction.
What if the operation itself not the loss of the nucleus caused the amoeba to die?
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Hence
• Performed a scientific experiment, subjecting two groups of amoebas to the same operation.
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Scientific Experiment
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Experimental group differs from the control group only with respect to the variable
being studied
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Sampling Error Can Lead to Inaccurate
Conclusions
• Sampling error is one of the reasons for inaccurate conclusions.
• If the sample is too small it may not be representative due to random

factors.
Example: a study with 2 samples may not lead reliable data
• If the sample is of large number then it is more accurate to draw a

scientific conclusion.
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Example
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The Process of Science
Scientists use two types of systematic thought in the
scientific method
Deductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning
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Deductive Reasoning
- Begin with premises (supplied information).
- Draw conclusions on the basis of that information.
- Deduction goes from general principles to specific conclusions.

- Example: premise that all birds have wings and another premise that bulbul are birds  deductive conclusion
will be that Bulbul have wings.
- Discover relationships among known facts:

 information or knowledge based on evidence
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Inductive Reasoning
- Opposite of deductive reasoning.
- Begin with specific observations and draw a

conclusion or discover a general principle.
- Example: Bulbul have wings, fly, and are birds. Eagles have wings, fly
and are birds  inductive conclusion will be birds have wings and
fly.
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THANK YOU
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A View of Life

- It has three basic themes:

 Themes give life its unique characteristics.

- Framework or basis for the science of biology.

- Evolution  Genetic information transfer from one generation to another.

- Flows through living systems from producers to consumers.

- All life processes require a continuous input of energy.

From Producers to Consumers

- Organisms are divided into:

1- Organisms are Composed of Cells:

- Two different types of cells:

- Body proportions or parts change as growth occurs.

- Development: Changes that take place during an organism`s life.

 Human begins life as fertilized egg that grows and develops.

3- Organisms Regulate their Metabolic Processes:

- Regulation of metabolism is needed:

- Homeostatic mechanisms are self-regulating control systems.

- Stimuli leads to a response.

- Adaptations: inherited characteristics that enhance an organism`s ability to

- Atoms combine to form molecules.

The Hierarchy of Biological Organization

- Community with the non-living environment forms an Ecosystem.

- All of the Earth`s ecosystems together are known as Biosphere.

The Hierarchy of Ecological Organization

- Process of science is investigative  to know

- Scientific method: a series of ordered steps to make observations, ask

- By hypothesis, scientists make predictions that can be tested by

1- Consistent with well established facts.

2- Capable of being tested.

3- It can be proven false.

 Well stated hypothesis can be tested.

 Hypothesis is rejected when there is no evidence to support it.

Predications can be tested by experiments.

• Sampling error is one of the reasons for inaccurate conclusions.

• If the sample is too small it may not be representative due to random

• If the sample is of large number then it is more accurate to draw a

Deductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning

- Draw conclusions on the basis of that information.

- Deduction goes from general principles to specific conclusions.

- Discover relationships among known facts:

- Begin with specific observations and draw a

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