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