Chapter One

The worldwide ecosystem

Basic structural units of all living things; the smallest units that dislpay the characteristics of life

Populations of different organisms that interact with one another in a particular place

Used as a basis for comparison in a controlled experiment. No manipulated variables

Mechanisms that ensure an organism will carry out all life activities in proper sequence(coordination) and at proper rate (regulation)

Experiment that includes 2 groups, one in which variable is manipulated in a particular way and one with no manipulation

Using accepted generalizations to predict the outcome of specific events; From general to the specific

Variable that changes in direct response to (depends on) how another variable (independentvariable) is manipulated

Unit consisting of a community of organisms (populations) and its interactions with the physical surroundings

Never-before-seen features that result from the interaction of simple components when they form much more complex substances

Ability to do work or cause things to move

Molecules, produced by organisms, that are able to control the rate at which chemica reactions to occur

Recreation of an event that enables a scientist to gain valid and reliable empirical evidence

The group in a controlled experiment that has a variable manipulated

Actions that increase the size of an individual organism (growth) or increase the number of individuals in a population (reproduction)

Maintenance of a constant internal environment

A possible answer to or explanation for a question that accounts for all the observed facts and that is testable

Variable that is purposely manipulated to determine how it will affect the outcome of an event

Examining many sets of facts and developing generalizations. Specific to general

Anything that has weight (mass) and takes up space (volume)

Total of all chemical reactions and energy changes that take place in an organism

Smallest particles of a chemical compound; The smallest naturally occuring parts of an element of a compound

Molecules required by organisms for growth, reproduction, or repair

Process of recording events by using the sense or extension of the senses

Structure composed of groups of tissues that perform particular functions

Structure composed of groups of organs that perform particular functions

Independent living unit

Group of organisms of the same species located in the same place at the same time

Activity that uses the appearance or language of science to convince or mislead people into thinking something has scientific validity

Abilities to react to external and internal changes in the environment. Ex. irritability, individual adaptation, and evolution

Process used to save problems or develop an understanding of natural events

A uniform or constant fact that describes what happens in nature

A way of gaining info about world around you that involves observation, hypothesis, testing of hypotheses, theory formation, & law formation

A widely accepted generalization about fundamental concepts in science supported by experiments and explains why things happen in nature

Group of specialized cells that work together to perform a specific function

One of the 5 traits displayed by living things and not shown by nonliving things; can be seen at the molecular, cellular, & organism levels

Factors in an experimental situation on or other circumstances that are changeable