Key Terms
- applied science
- a form of science that solves real-world problems
- atom
- a basic unit of matter that cannot be broken down by normal chemical reactions
- basic science
- science that seeks to expand knowledge regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge
- biology
- the study of life
- biosphere
- a collection of all ecosystems on Earth
- cell
- the smallest fundamental unit of structure and function in living things
- community
- a set of populations inhabiting a particular area
- control
- a part of an experiment that does not change during the experiment
- deductive reasoning
- a form of logical thinking that uses a general statement to predict specific results
- descriptive science
- a form of science that aims to observe, explore, and find things out
- ecosystem
- all living things in a particular area together with the abiotic, nonliving parts of that environment
- eukaryote
- an organism with cells that have nuclei and membrane-bound organelles
- evolution
- the process of gradual change in a population that can also lead to new species arising from older species
- falsifiable
- able to be disproven by experimental results
- homeostasis
- the ability of an organism to maintain constant internal conditions
- hypothesis
- a suggested explanation for an event, which can be tested
- hypothesis-based science
- a form of science that begins with a specific explanation that is then tested
- inductive reasoning
- a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion
- life science
- a field of science, such as biology, that studies living things
- macromolecule
- a large molecule typically formed by the joining of smaller molecules
- molecule
- a chemical structure consisting of at least two atoms held together by a chemical bond
- natural science
- a field of science that studies the physical world, its phenomena, and processes
- organ
- a structure formed of tissues operating together to perform a common function
- organ system
- the higher level of organization that consists of functionally related organs
- organelle
- a membrane-bound compartment or sac within a cell
- organism
- an individual living entity
- peer-reviewed article
- a scientific report that is reviewed by a scientist’s colleagues before publication
- phylogenetic tree
- a diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among biological species based on similarities and differences in genetic or physical traits or both
- physical science
- a field of science, such as astronomy, physics, and chemistry, that studies nonliving matter
- population
- all individuals within a species living within a specific area
- prokaryote
- a unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus or any other membrane-bound organelle
- science
- knowledge that covers general truths or the operation of general laws, especially when acquired and tested by the scientific method
- scientific law
- a description, often in the form of a mathematical formula, for the behavior of some aspect of nature under certain specific conditions
- scientific method
- a method of research with defined steps that include experiments and careful observation
- scientific theory
- a thoroughly tested and confirmed explanation for observations or phenomena
- tissue
- a group of similar cells carrying out the same function
- variable
- a part of an experiment that can vary or change