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Biology Definitions & Theories Library by Eljack

Biology: is the study of living organisms and how they interact with each other and their
environment.

Disciplines of Biology

Types of organisms being studied

Botany: study of Plants

Zoology: study of Animals

Microbiology: study of Microorganisms

The level at which organisms are studied and the methods used to study them:

Biochemistry: examines the fundamental chemistry of life.

Molecular Biology: study of biological molecules.

Cellular Biology (Cytology): examines the cell

Physiology: examines the functions of the tissues, organ and systems of an organism.

Ecology: examines how different organisms and their environment interrelate

Biology Theories

Cell Theory: all organisms are composed of cells, tiny compartments surrounded by
membranes.

Gene Theory: living organism’s traits are encoded in genes, which are segments of long DNA
molecules.

Energy: all organisms require energy to carryout life processes, like growing and working,
almost all the energy on earth is obtained from the sun, plants capture the energy from
sunlight and use it to make complex molecules (glucose) in a process called photosynthesis,
these molecules then serve as the source of fuel for animals that eat them.

Evolution: is change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive

generations, evolutionary processes give rise to biodiversity at every level of biological
organization, including the levels of species, individual organisms and molecules.

Homeostasis (Stability): human and other organisms must maintain a constant internal
environment in order to function properly (e.g. body temperature must not vary by more
than a few degrees.)

The Basic Cell Theory:

1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells

2. The cell is the basic unit of life in all living organisms
3. All cells are produced by the division of preexisting cells.
 Modern Cell Theory:

1. The cell contains hereditary information (DNA) that is passed on from cell to cell
during cell division.
2. All cells are basically the same in chemical composition and metabolic activities.
3. All basic chemical and physiological functions are carried out inside the cell.
(movement, digestion, etc.)
4. Cell activity depends on the activities of sub-cellular structures within the cell.
(organelles, nucleus, plasma membrane.)

Cellular Respiration: is the process of converting chemical energy of “food” molecules into
ATP, and it occurs in mitochondria and cytoplasm.

Metabolism: is the sum of all biochemical processes, and it consists of both catabolic and
anabolic processes.

Anabolism: means any constructive metabolic process by which organisms convert

substances into other components required for the organism’s growth and repair.
(Carbohydrates, protein)

Catabolism: contains all processes, in which complex molecules are broken down into
simpler ones.

Investigation of a problem

Scientific method: is an organized approach to solving problems.

Observation: is the starting point of making a scientific method.

Hypothesis: is an idea to work from, a preliminary explanation to a problem.

Researching: reading literature to give you a background or information that already exists
concerning your hypothesis.

Prediction: is the second part of the hypothesis’ statement.

Experiment: isolation of a single factor that is directly responsible for an effect, testing the
prediction.

Data: all measurements and observations from a controlled experiment.

Variable: one condition in the experiment that differs (vary, diverge) while other conditions
remain the same.

Control: provides a standard of comparisons for one factor in the experiment that varies.
 Discovery of Cell

Microscope: is an instrument that produces an enlarged image of an object.

Light Microscope: microscopes that accomplish their tasks by using lenses to bend light rays.

Magnification: the ability of microscope to make an image larger.

Resolution: the ability to show details clearly.

Types of Microscope

Compound Microscope: uses multiple lenses to produce and increase in magnification.

TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope): a microscope that transmits a stream of electrons

passing through specimen.

SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope): enables biologists to see detailed three dimensional
images of the surface of the cells.

Types of Cells

Prokaryotes: cells that are smaller than eukaryotes, and lack a nuclear membrane, like
bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryotes: cells that contain nuclear membrane, which separate nucleus from cytoplasm.

Chemical Composition of Living Cells

Matter: anything that takes up space and has mass, exists as solid, liquid or gas.

Element: is a substance composed of only one type of atom. (cannot be broken down to
simpler substances)

Atomic Theory: elements consist of tiny particles called atoms.

Atom: is the smallest particle of an element that can retain its properties, and are composed
of protons, neutrons and electrons.

Property: is a physical or chemical characteristic, such as density, solubility, melting point or

reactivity.

Proton: has a positive charge.

Neutron: has no charge.

Electron: has a negative charge.

Ion: is an atom that gains or loses electrons.

Chemical Bond: is the force of attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent Bonds: are the result of two atoms sharing one or more electrons.

Molecule: is a group of atoms held together by covalent bonds.

Organic Compounds: are molecules with carbon to carbon bonds (C-C).

 Macromolecules

Carbohydrates: are universally used as energy for living organisms.

Monosaccharides: mono mean one, saccharide means sugar, consisting of only a single
sugar.

Disaccharides: di means two, is made by joining of only two monosaccharides by

dehydration reaction.

Maltose: a disaccharide, the product of combining two glucose.

Sucrose: a disaccharide, the product of combining fructose and glucose.

Lactose: a disaccharide found in dairy products, the product of combining galactose and
glucose.

Complex Carbohydrates (polysaccharides): long polymers such as (starch and glycogen),

contains long chains of glucose. (subunit = monomer)

Cellulose: polysaccharides made by plants.

Lipids: are non-polar organic molecules, insoluble in water.

Fatty Acids: the building blocks of an important group of lipids, it consist of long chain of
carbon atoms with carboxyl group.

Saturated fats: the carbon chain has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms
attached to it. (no double bonds)

Unsaturated fats: molecules that have double bonds.

Triglycerides: considered as a major fat in living organisms, composed of three fatty acids,
and three glycerol.

Protein: is composed of long chain of subunits called amino acids.

Protein’s Primary Structure: the actual sequence of amino acids in the protein.

Protein’s Secondary Structure: because amino acids interact with their neighbors, parts of
the chain coil and bend.

Nucleotides: subunit of DNA, RNA.

Genes: a group of nucleotides.

RNA: ribonucleic acid, involved in making working copies of genes.