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Notes on the Fundamentals of Biology
Fundamentals of Biology All living organisms are chemically and physically organized. They have the ability to grow and metabolize, regulate their internal environment, reproduce and react to their surrounding environment. Basic Building Blocks of Life - Water is the most important medium for organisms.
- This is because it is an important substance for the chemical reactions of metabolism to take place inside all organisms.
- Organic compounds consist of carbon, hydrogen and usually oxygen.
- Organic compounds are high energy molecules
- When organic compounds are broken down, energy is released
- When organic compounds are synthesized, energy is absorbed
- Organic compounds can be divided into four main groups:
- Carbohydrates
- Proteins
- Lipids
- Nucleic acids
Metabolic pathways
Cells and Organelles - The basic structural unit of life is the cell
- All organisms can be unicellular or multicellular
- All organisms are either prokaryotic or eukaryotic
- Prokaryotes are primitive and simple
- All prokaryotes are unicellular
- Bacteria are prokaryotes
- Eukaryotes
- Eukaryotes can be unicellular or multicellular
- More notes on prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Some definitions Atom - Molecule
- Two or more atoms that bind together
- Organelle
- A complex structure within a cell
- Cell
- Basic unit of living things
- Tissue
- Specialized groups of cells that bounded together and share the same function
- Organ
- Tissues that are organized into structures
- Organ system
- Different organs working together
- Organism
- Population
- Group of organisms of the same species that live in one place
- crabs living on a rocky shore
- Community
- All populations of different species in a particular habitat
- Crabs interacting with other populations (for example seaweed, mussel, snails) on the rocky shore
- Ecosystem
- One or more communities, along with the nonliving environment in a large area
Marine Biology
Fundamentals of Biology - Back to SG Learn Online
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