WGU C190 Intro to Biology
Abiotic - ANS-Non-living, may be within or made by a living organism.
Biotic - ANS-Living. Matter is considered ______ if it was ever alive at some point in
time
Atom - ANS-Smallest level. The basic unit of matter. Consists of a dense nucleus
surrounded by electrons.
Molecule - ANS-Second level. A chemical structure consisting of at least two atoms held
together by a chemical bond.
Macromolecule - ANS-Third level. Biologically important molecules that are technically
polymers. Example: DNA.
Cell - ANS-Fourth level. The fundamental unit of life. Essentially a tiny droplet of water
and other molecules enclosed by a fluid "skin" or membrane. The smallest and simplest
entity that possesses all the characteristics of life.
Organelle - ANS-Fifth level. Compartments inside the cell that contain specific groups of
macromolecules and carry out specific cellular functions. One of these organelles is the
nucleus; it encloses the DNA within the cell.
Microorganism - ANS-Sixth level. Single-celled life form. Consists of just one cell and
include unicellular organisms such as bacteria and protists.
Tissue - ANS-Seventh level. Formed when similar cells work together to fulfill the same
detailed function.
Organ - ANS-Eighth level. Collections of tissues that work together to carry out a
common general function. Present not only in higher level animals but also in plants.
Organ System - ANS-Ninth level. Consists of functionally related organs. Mammals
have many.
Organism - ANS-Tenth Level. Individual living entities that survive and reproduce as a
unit. For example, each tree in a forest.
,Population - ANS-Eleventh level. Consists of all the individuals of a species living within
a specific area.
Community - ANS-Twelfth level. Populations can interact with each other in positive and
negative ways, and together they form this.
Ecosystem - ANS-Thirteenth level. Consists of all the living things in a particular area
together with the abiotic, or nonliving, parts of that environment.
Biosphere - ANS-Fourteenth level. The highest level of organization in living systems.
The collection of all ecosystems on Earth. Includes all habitable zones on the planet,
including land, soil, and rocks to a great depth in the Earth's crust; water and ice; and
the atmosphere to a great height.
Emergent Properties - ANS-Characteristics of a system that are not present in any of its
component parts.
Biology - ANS-The scientific study of life and is the branch of science that studies living
organisms and the way organisms interact with their environments.
Homeostasis - ANS-The ability or tendency of organisms and cells to maintain stable
internal conditions.
Nutrient - ANS-Any matter an organism needs but cannot make for itself.
Energy - ANS-The capacity to do work or to make a change in the location,
temperature, or structure of matter. Does not have mass and it does not take up space,
but it can be measured in terms of what it does.
Growth - ANS-An increase in size.
Development - ANS-Structure and function change in an orderly way as an organism
passes through its life cycle. An individual's pattern of _______ is partly determined by
genetic instructions.
Reproduction - ANS-Occurs when an individual organism passes on its genetic
information to a newly independent organism, or offspring.
, Evolution - ANS-A scientific theory that explains how and why life changes over time.
Provides the explanation for why all living organisms share profound similarities, and
yet, the life forms on our planet are so incredibly diverse.
Natural Selection - ANS-Individuals are always a bit different from their parents and
from each other, partly because of changes to their genes. These differences may be
helpful or harmful to the individuals that inherit them. In nature, individuals often have
very low odds of surviving to reproduce. Individuals with slightly harmful or even
average characteristics might be less likely to make it, and those with traits that fit in
very well with the local habitat will have the greatest chance to survive and reproduce.
This sorting process goes on generation after generation.
Atomic Mass - ANS-The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons. The
mass of an atom.
Atomic Number - ANS-The number of protons in an atom, displayed for each atom in
the periodic table.
Chemical Bonds - ANS-Attractions between atoms that hold atoms and molecules
together.
Covalent Bonds - ANS-Strongest chemical bond. Occurs between atoms of in the same
molecule. Electron pairs are shared, creating a strong bond between atoms.
electron - ANS-Subatomic particle, located in shells on the outside of the nucleus, has a
negative charge and almost no mass.
electronegativity - ANS-A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair
of electrons. How strongly does an atoms attract bonding electrons to itself?
element - ANS-Atoms with unique properties, designated by the atomic number.
hydrogen bond - ANS-Weak chemical bond. Occurs between atoms in different
molecules or parts of molecules. Weak electrostatic attraction between areas of
molecules with opposite partial charges.
ion - ANS-Positively or negatively charged atom.
ionic bond - ANS-Moderately strong chemical bond. Occurs between atoms in the same
molecule. Electrons transfer from one atom to another.
Abiotic - ANS-Non-living, may be within or made by a living organism.
Biotic - ANS-Living. Matter is considered ______ if it was ever alive at some point in
time
Atom - ANS-Smallest level. The basic unit of matter. Consists of a dense nucleus
surrounded by electrons.
Molecule - ANS-Second level. A chemical structure consisting of at least two atoms held
together by a chemical bond.
Macromolecule - ANS-Third level. Biologically important molecules that are technically
polymers. Example: DNA.
Cell - ANS-Fourth level. The fundamental unit of life. Essentially a tiny droplet of water
and other molecules enclosed by a fluid "skin" or membrane. The smallest and simplest
entity that possesses all the characteristics of life.
Organelle - ANS-Fifth level. Compartments inside the cell that contain specific groups of
macromolecules and carry out specific cellular functions. One of these organelles is the
nucleus; it encloses the DNA within the cell.
Microorganism - ANS-Sixth level. Single-celled life form. Consists of just one cell and
include unicellular organisms such as bacteria and protists.
Tissue - ANS-Seventh level. Formed when similar cells work together to fulfill the same
detailed function.
Organ - ANS-Eighth level. Collections of tissues that work together to carry out a
common general function. Present not only in higher level animals but also in plants.
Organ System - ANS-Ninth level. Consists of functionally related organs. Mammals
have many.
Organism - ANS-Tenth Level. Individual living entities that survive and reproduce as a
unit. For example, each tree in a forest.
,Population - ANS-Eleventh level. Consists of all the individuals of a species living within
a specific area.
Community - ANS-Twelfth level. Populations can interact with each other in positive and
negative ways, and together they form this.
Ecosystem - ANS-Thirteenth level. Consists of all the living things in a particular area
together with the abiotic, or nonliving, parts of that environment.
Biosphere - ANS-Fourteenth level. The highest level of organization in living systems.
The collection of all ecosystems on Earth. Includes all habitable zones on the planet,
including land, soil, and rocks to a great depth in the Earth's crust; water and ice; and
the atmosphere to a great height.
Emergent Properties - ANS-Characteristics of a system that are not present in any of its
component parts.
Biology - ANS-The scientific study of life and is the branch of science that studies living
organisms and the way organisms interact with their environments.
Homeostasis - ANS-The ability or tendency of organisms and cells to maintain stable
internal conditions.
Nutrient - ANS-Any matter an organism needs but cannot make for itself.
Energy - ANS-The capacity to do work or to make a change in the location,
temperature, or structure of matter. Does not have mass and it does not take up space,
but it can be measured in terms of what it does.
Growth - ANS-An increase in size.
Development - ANS-Structure and function change in an orderly way as an organism
passes through its life cycle. An individual's pattern of _______ is partly determined by
genetic instructions.
Reproduction - ANS-Occurs when an individual organism passes on its genetic
information to a newly independent organism, or offspring.
, Evolution - ANS-A scientific theory that explains how and why life changes over time.
Provides the explanation for why all living organisms share profound similarities, and
yet, the life forms on our planet are so incredibly diverse.
Natural Selection - ANS-Individuals are always a bit different from their parents and
from each other, partly because of changes to their genes. These differences may be
helpful or harmful to the individuals that inherit them. In nature, individuals often have
very low odds of surviving to reproduce. Individuals with slightly harmful or even
average characteristics might be less likely to make it, and those with traits that fit in
very well with the local habitat will have the greatest chance to survive and reproduce.
This sorting process goes on generation after generation.
Atomic Mass - ANS-The sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons. The
mass of an atom.
Atomic Number - ANS-The number of protons in an atom, displayed for each atom in
the periodic table.
Chemical Bonds - ANS-Attractions between atoms that hold atoms and molecules
together.
Covalent Bonds - ANS-Strongest chemical bond. Occurs between atoms of in the same
molecule. Electron pairs are shared, creating a strong bond between atoms.
electron - ANS-Subatomic particle, located in shells on the outside of the nucleus, has a
negative charge and almost no mass.
electronegativity - ANS-A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair
of electrons. How strongly does an atoms attract bonding electrons to itself?
element - ANS-Atoms with unique properties, designated by the atomic number.
hydrogen bond - ANS-Weak chemical bond. Occurs between atoms in different
molecules or parts of molecules. Weak electrostatic attraction between areas of
molecules with opposite partial charges.
ion - ANS-Positively or negatively charged atom.
ionic bond - ANS-Moderately strong chemical bond. Occurs between atoms in the same
molecule. Electrons transfer from one atom to another.
