13/02/15

Biology Bridging Course

What is Biology?
February 2015

Biology: The study of life

…so what are the characteristics of life?

ORGANIZED

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Biology: The study of life

Branches and disciplines

Zoology Botany Microbiology

Physiology Developmental
Ecology Genetics biology
Virology Parasitology
Pharmacology Cell biology
Marine Anatomy Biochemistry
biology Embryology
Evolutionary
Neurobiology biology Biophysics Pathology

Biology: The fundamental principles

1: Cell Theory
All living organisms are
composed of cells. They may be
unicellular or multicellular.

The cell is the basic unit of life.

Cells arise from pre-existing cells.

We now also know that…

Energy flow occurs within cells.

Heredity information (DNA) is

passed on from cell to cell.

All cells have the same basic

chemical composition

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Biology: The fundamental principles

2: Gene Theory
Traits are passed from parents to offspring
through gene transmission.
chromosome

histones

cell

DNA

Gene

Nucleotides

Biology: The fundamental principles

3: Theory of evolution

Biological evolution: genetic change in a

population that is inherited over several
generations.

Over time, the genes, or more specifically, the

alleles in the population change and are
passed on. These changes are noticed in the
phenotypes of the population.

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…but hold on a minute…

– aren’t these all just ‘theories’?
A scientific theory gives explanations and predictions for
naturally occurring phenomena based on observations and
experimentations.

The definition of a scientific theory differs from the common

meaning of theory, which is defined as a guess or a
supposition about a particular process.

A good scientific theory must be testable, falsifiable, and

substantiated by factual evidence.

Biology: The fundamental principles

4: Homeostasis
life requires a relatively
constant internal environment..
Plasma

In order for an organism's life systems to

function properly, the tissues and cells Blood
vessel
require appropriate conditions in their
Interstitial
internal environment. fluid

i.e. appropriate temperature, O2, nutrients,

pH, removal of waste products.
Cell Extracellular fluid

Physiological homeostasis is the regulation of the internal

environment so as to maintain appropriate, life-sustaining
conditions for the cells and tissues of the body

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Our body systems work to maintain

homeostasis
The role of many of the body systems is to transfer materials
between the external and internal environment to maintain
appropriate conditions that support the life and functionality of
the cells

RESPIRATORY
DIGESTIVE
ENDOCRINE
URINARY
NERVOUS
Obtains O2 from and eliminates CO2 to the
externalchanges
Obtains
Secretion
Regulation
Senses environment;
nutrients,
ofofhormones
theinvolume
Hthe helps maintain pH.
20 and
external
intoand
electrolytes
thecomposition
blood
environment
to
from
regulate
of
the
and
the
externalenvironment;
processes
internal
controls rapid
environment
suchresponses
as metabolism,
removes
and oftransfers
the wastes
body
waterthem
and
and toexcess
the
CARDIOVASCULAR
plasma;
electrolyte
water in elimination
thebalance,
urine. of etc.
food wastes to external
environment
Transports nutrients, O2, CO2, wastes, electrolytes
and hormones throughout body

Biology: The fundamental principles

5: Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It may be transferred
or transformed.

When energy is transferred, there will be less energy available

at the end of the transfer process than at the beginning.

Cells absorb energy and

convert it into different
forms. With each energy
conversion in a cell, a
significant proportion is lost
as heat.

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Concept check quiz:

What is Biology?
& review of homeostasis

goo.gl/tHKpvj

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