Chapter 1.1: What is Biology?. Biology Biology—The study of life.
Introduction to Biology - WordPress.com · 01.09.2019 · Introduction to Biology. Objectives why...
Transcript of Introduction to Biology - WordPress.com · 01.09.2019 · Introduction to Biology. Objectives why...
Introduction to Biology
Objectives
why is biology important?
what makes biology a science?
what is entropy and how do properties of life relate to entropy?
What is Biology?
branch of science that deals with living things
divided into specialized areas:
example: botany and zoology
science because information can be tested
Biologistsscientists who work in biology are called biologists
parts of their work include
observations
scientific tests or experiments
Biologistsstudy differs between individuals scientists
organisms parts to determine function
observe living things in environments
effects of chemicals
natural environments vs laboratories or both
information about health or disease
Living Thingsin order to be defined as “alive” or “living” an organism must exhibit self-sustaining processes
nutrition, respiration, excretion, locomotion, reproduction, growth, response to external stimuli
Why these Properties?
living characteristics (properties) are a response to entropy (energy)
entropy effects everything in the universe
loss of some energy (heat)
Metabolism and Entropy
death is a lack of metabolism
we must metabolize in order to replace the energy that is lost due to entropy
eat, drink, grow, repair, and thus excrete waste products
Irritability and Entropy
must respond to stimulus in order to replenish the energy lost through entropy
allows us to avoid being metabolized by something else
fight or flight response
Reproduction and Entropy
reproduction allows living things to cheat entropy
entropy is inevitable - energy loss, errors in metabolism, death of the organism
make a new organism so the organism isn’t lost, just one copy