Honors Biology-Early Topics
Honors Biology
(modified from Foundation Notes)
Unit 1
Early Topics
Main Sections
* Definition of Biology * Characteristics of Life * Levels of Organization * SI Units and Relative Size * Scientific Method * Classification and Binomial Nomenclature
Definition of Biology CHAPTER 1
Biology can be broadly defined as the “study of life” or the “study of living things”. It includes molecules that are made, used by, or derived from living things. It also includes certain groups like viruses, prions, and virions that lack a complete cellular structure but which are agents of infection.
Characteristics of Life CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS LIFE?
If biology is the study of life, how do we know when something is living? There are 8 main characteristics of living things. These are:
1. Feeding – The taking in, digestion, and assimilation of food. 2. Excretion – The removal of wastes that result from metabolism. 3. Respiration – The production and use of energy in the form of ATP. 4. Growth – By increasing the size of one cell, or by cell division to create more cells. 5. Movement – The ability to move from A to B or to move one part into a new position. 6. Sensitivity – The ability to sense and respond to stimuli from the environment. 7. Reproduction – The production of offspring and passing of heritable characteristics from generation to generation. 8. Cells – All living things are made of cells.
Please note that many non-living things possess some of these characteristics, but only living things possess all of them. Certain groups, like viruses, also lack some of these characteristics because they have taken up an extreme parasitic existence and use a host cell to carry out the functions of life for them.
THE BASIC UNIT OF LIFE
The cell is the basic unit of life; this means that a cell is the simplest level of organization that is able to carry out all the
(modified from Foundation Notes)
Unit 1
Early Topics
Main Sections
* Definition of Biology * Characteristics of Life * Levels of Organization * SI Units and Relative Size * Scientific Method * Classification and Binomial Nomenclature
Definition of Biology CHAPTER 1
Biology can be broadly defined as the “study of life” or the “study of living things”. It includes molecules that are made, used by, or derived from living things. It also includes certain groups like viruses, prions, and virions that lack a complete cellular structure but which are agents of infection.
Characteristics of Life CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS LIFE?
If biology is the study of life, how do we know when something is living? There are 8 main characteristics of living things. These are:
1. Feeding – The taking in, digestion, and assimilation of food. 2. Excretion – The removal of wastes that result from metabolism. 3. Respiration – The production and use of energy in the form of ATP. 4. Growth – By increasing the size of one cell, or by cell division to create more cells. 5. Movement – The ability to move from A to B or to move one part into a new position. 6. Sensitivity – The ability to sense and respond to stimuli from the environment. 7. Reproduction – The production of offspring and passing of heritable characteristics from generation to generation. 8. Cells – All living things are made of cells.
Please note that many non-living things possess some of these characteristics, but only living things possess all of them. Certain groups, like viruses, also lack some of these characteristics because they have taken up an extreme parasitic existence and use a host cell to carry out the functions of life for them.
THE BASIC UNIT OF LIFE
The cell is the basic unit of life; this means that a cell is the simplest level of organization that is able to carry out all the