Introduction
Welcome to Biology 101: The Basics.
Biology online tuition is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of biology. We’ll cover some of the major topics within biology, like cell structure, genetics, and evolution. You’ll also get started on learning about ecology and population activities—the study of how species interact with each other and their environment over time.
Biology Overview
Biology is the study of life. As such, it’s a broad field that covers everything from how cells work to how plants and animals reproduce. This can be divided into many different subtopics: biochemistry (how chemicals interact with each other), genetics (how genes influence traits in organisms), ecology (how populations interact with their environment), anatomy (the structure of an organism), physiology (how an organism functions) and others.
Biology is an important science because it helps us understand our world better–including how diseases spread through populations or why certain animals are endangered–and gives us tools we can use to solve problems like climate change or food security issues. It’s also useful for anyone interested in medicine since this area studies human health on both a macroscopic level (e.g., anatomy) as well as microscopic level (e.g., biochemistry).
Major Topics in Biology
Biology is the study of life. It’s a science and an applied field, but it can also be considered a multidisciplinary field that includes chemistry, physics and mathematics.
Biological science is an experimental science because it relies on observation and experimentation to test hypotheses about how living organisms work. Observational science involves observing natural phenomena without interfering with them; this type of research does not involve any manipulation or alteration of the subject being observed (though sometimes observational studies do involve collecting data from dead specimens).
The Cell
You may be wondering, “What is a cell?” A cell is the smallest unit of life. It’s made up of three parts:
- The nucleus, which contains DNA and other important molecules for your cells to work properly.
- Cytoplasm (the jelly-like substance that surrounds the nucleus). This part of the cell can change shape when needed to help move things around inside it or outside of it (like when you’re walking).
- A membrane that separates one part from another within your body’s tissues (or between different types of tissue).
Genetics and Evolution
Genetics is the study of heredity, or the passing of traits from one generation to the next. Heredity can be physical, behavioral, or biochemical–any type of inherited trait.
Genetics is often confused with evolution (which we’ll get into later). While genetics does explain how species change over time and adapt to their environments, it doesn’t explain why these changes happen in certain ways. That’s where evolution comes in!
Ecology and Population Activities
One of the most important aspects of biology is ecology, the study of populations. A species’ population is simply the number of individuals in that species living in a particular area, and an area’s population is the total number of individuals from all species living there.
Ecology can be broken down into four main areas:
- Population Ecology studies how populations grow, shrink, move and change over time; for example what causes changes in numbers? How does this affect other organisms?
- Ecosystems Ecology looks at how ecosystems work together as well as individually – what happens when one part breaks down or changes?
- Species Interactions looks at how different species interact within their environment – do they compete with each other or cooperate with one another? Why do some animals eat others while others avoid them completely!
This section is a quick review of important topics in biology in order to help you learn more about the subject.
Biology is the study of life. It’s a science, not a philosophy, so it uses the scientific method to study living organisms and their interactions with each other and the environment. The field of biology covers everything from the smallest microbe to whales and elephants–and everything in between!
The study of biology involves:
- The understanding that all living things interact with each other and their environment in a variety of ways (they may compete for food or shelter; they might share resources like water; they can even help each other out when times are tough).
Conclusion
So there you have it! A quick overview of some of the most important topics in biology. We hope this helps you understand the basics of the subject better, and maybe even want to learn more about these topics on your own time.
