EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE

UNIT 4 INTRODUCTION TO LIFE SCIENCE

Learning Outcomes:
A. Explain how life begun on earth.
B. Describes the characteristics of living things.
C. Identify the different levels of body organization.

Life Science is a field of science that deals with the study of living things such as animals, plants
and microorganism.

Theories on the origin of Life

1. Divine Creation Theory

 It states that life was created by a supernatural being.
 It is based on the bible from – “The Book of Genesis”.

2. Biogenesis
 It states that life came from living things.
 It is the development of life from pre-existing life.

3. Abiogenesis or Spontaneous Generation Theory

 It states that living things could directly evolve from non-living matter.
 This theory was disproved by Louis Pasteur through scientific experiment.

4. Marine Theory
 It states that the first form of life was formed under the sea.
 The blue-green algae or a cyanobacterium was the first organism to colonize the earth.

5. Cosmozoic or Interplanetary Theory

 It states that life was in the form of a resistant spore originated from some source in the
universe.

6. Physic-Chemical Theory
 It states that life was formed by the combination of elements.
 Hydrogen atom combine with Oxygen atom to form water molecule, then the water
molecule combined with carbon to form carbohydrate.

7. Evolution of Charles Darwin

 It is the process by which changes living organism happen over time.
Characteristics of Life

 All living things are made up of cells.

 All living things are formed and structure (e.g. size, shape).
 All living things are able to respond stimuli (e.g. thigmotropism, geotropism).
 All living things acquire and utilize energy (e.g. photosynthesis, respiration).
 All living things have the ability to reproduce (sexual and asexual reproduction).
 All living things can adapt or adjust to their environment.
 All living things have a chemical component in their body (inorganic compounds,
organic compounds).
 All living things exhibit growth and development by intussusception.
 All living things exhibit metabolism (anabolism, catabolism).
 All living things possess a genetic program and the means to use it.

Levels of Body Organization

Chemical level

Atom is the smallest particle of an element.

Molecules are groups of atoms joined together by molecular bonds.

Cellular level

Organelles refer to the tiny organs inside the cell.

Cell is the basic structure and functional unit of life.

Tissue level

Tissue is a collection of cells performing a specific function.

Organ level

Organ is a group of tissue that performs a definite function.

System level

Organ system is a group of organs that has the same function.

Organism refers to an individual living thing either plant or animal.
Levels of Ecological Organization

Population is a group of similar organism living in the place at the same time.

Community is a group of populations that live together in a defined area.

Ecosystem is composed of biotic and abiotic factors.

Biosphere refers to all the ecosystem on earth.