Biofiles~!

Mr. Tan’s

Introduction Mr Zachary Tan Kaiyuan Teaching Sec3 Bio & LSS2 (Bio) Email: tanky@hci.edu.sg Homepage: http://sites.google.com/site/thestuffoflife Sitting under the spiral staircase in the staffroom Academic interests: Biology, Physics, Astronomy Hobbies: Visual Arts, Dance, Design, Digital Media

Punctuality No one is to be later than me. Homework to be returned punctually. Cleanliness Courtesy If you need to speak, raise your hands. If someone is speaking, open your ears, and not your mouth. Consistency You must always have your notes with you. Commitment If you are tasked to do something, I expect it to be done with all your effort. Class Rules – The PCCCC Rules

Class Science Representative Are you 15 years of age? A Responsible Young Man? Have a PASSION for Science?? What are you waiting for??? If you fulfill all the requirements then… Yes… Mr. Tan Wants YOU!

Assessment - Academic 30% 50% + 80% WOW!

Assessment - Academic Make-Up tests For absentees from actual tests with VALID MC. Capped at B3 only. Re-Tests Only for people who fail their tests. Retest grades are capped at 50%. Only the retest grades will be taken into account for final grade (i.e. not average of actual test and retest, nor best of two)

Assessment - Scholastic

Our Syllabus Secondary 3 Syllabus Introduction to Biology Cell Structure & Function Diffusion, Osmosis & Active Transport Enzymes Nutrition in Plants Transport in Plants Nutrients Nutrition in Animals Transport in Humans Respiration Ecology Secondary 4 Syllabus Excretion Homeostasis Coordination & Response (Vision) Nervous System Endocrine System Reproduction in Plants Micro-organisms & Biotechnology Reproduction in Humans Molecular Genetics Cell and Nuclear Division Mendellian Genetics Mutation, variations and selection

What is

Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, you should be able to: Explain what Biology is Explain the characteristics of life – movement, growth, excretion, reproduction, respiration, adaptability, irritability, nutrition Have an awareness of the different aspects of biology – cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetic engineering, microbiology, biomedical, developmental biology, biodiversity, ecology, environmental science, behavior biology, evolution, etc. Have an awareness of the careers in biology Describe some famous biologists and their contributions to mankind.

Chapter Overview Our syllabus The scientific method Themes in biology

What is the Scientific Method? A set of techniques employed to gather new knowledge. It involves: Observation Testing of Hypothesis Collecting empirical evidence and data Reproducibility of experimental results Analysis of data Logical deduction and reasoning

Themes of Biology

What is Biology? Biology is the science of life! What is life about? Life is very difficult to define:

What is Biology? Why is it difficult to define life? What is it that living things are made of that non-living things are not? ROCK POTATO

What is Biology? What is a potato tuber made of? What about the rock? All are made of atoms and molecules! So why is the potato living and the rock not? ROCK POTATO O H O Si O C H P N C Si O O N C O H H H

Characteristics of Life While it is difficult to say what life really is, we can recognize some properties that only living organisms have.

1. Life Forms can Move Most living things are capable of movement either for locomotion or in response to stimuli. Are there non-living organisms that are capable of movement?

2. Life Exchanges Matter & Energy Organisms need raw materials to build biomass. They also need energy to perform work. Energy and raw materials are obtained through various forms of NUTRITION. 2a. Nutrition Autotrophic Nutrition Heterotrophic Nutrition

Energy Released 2. Life Exchanges Matter & Energy Having obtained food, living things must be able to extract useful energy from these food. Extracting energy occurs via the process of RESPIRATION. Respiration is a chemical process involving the breakdown of complex food molecules into simpler forms with the release of energy. 2b. Respiration

2. Life Exchanges Matter & Energy Accumulation of metabolic by-products is toxic to life. Metabolic by-product must be removed by excretion. Energy is also lost in the form of heat as organisms perform work. 2c. Excretion

3. Life Maintains Homeostasis Life is capable of a process known as homeostasis. This means that living things are capable of keeping the natural fluctuations of certain physical parameters (such as body temperature, osmotic pressure etc.) to very narrow range.

4. Life Grows & Develops Living things obtain matter and assimilate these substances into its own body for growth and development. During development and organism passage through various stages of its life cycle and changing in form and function. Are there any non-living things that are capable of growth? Or development? Or both? E.g. Crystals

5. Life Reproduces The biological destiny of all living things is to reproduce. Living things are able to reproduce via two methods: asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction. Are there any non-living things that are capable of reproduction? E.g. Computer viruses, prions.

6. Life Respond to Stimuli (Irritability) Living things respond to stimulation from their surroundings. Are there any non-living things that may respond to stimulation? Hand-dryer in the toilet? Is it a living thing?

7. Life Adapts & Evolves All populations of living things are subjected to the forces of evolution. As the environment changes, over time, the composition of a population of organism will also change. New organisms adapt to the new environment. Are living-things the only things that evolve and adapt?

Characteristics of Life - Summary

Branches of Biology With so many characteristics of life to consider, it is little wonder that the Biology is a study that branches into many other disciplines: Biology Physiology Cell Biology Molecular Biology Genetics Biomedical Sciences Taxonomy & Phylogeny Microbiology Systems Biology Bioinformatics Biodiversity Proteomics Biochemistry Computational Biology Developmental Biology Evolution Environmental Science Ecology Behavioral Biology Epidemiology Biostatistics

Classification of Living Things Taxonomy versus Phylogeny Taxonomy is concerned with the classification of living things. Organisms are grouped by similarities. Not very informative of evolutionary relationships. Why? Phylogeny creates a family tree of organisms that are related by their genetic/evolutionary relationships, instead of grouping organisms by common physical characteristics.

Classification of Living Things So what’s the diff?

Classification of Living Things We have examined how organisms are grouped. The groupings may be arranged in different hierarchies. 3 Domains, 6 Kingdoms System – from highest level to lowest: D King Philip Came Over From Greece Smiling D Kids Playing Chicken on Freeways Get Smashed 域 | 界 | 门 | 纲 |目 | 科 | 属 | 种 Domain – Kingdom – Phylum – Class – Order – Family – Genus – Species

Classification of Living Things 3 domains: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryota 6 kingdoms: Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Plantae, Animalia, Fungi, Protista Species at the lower level. Must be named using binomial system: e.g. Homo sapiens Drosophila melanogaster Panthera tigris Gorilla gorilla

Guess the Biologists! I set off on the hms beagle and went on a voyage that would inspire me to write the book “on the origin of species” Charles Darwin I am a priest and had made observations of the peas in my backyard. I realized something peculiar about the ratio of yellow and green peas produced from the parent plants; they are almost always the same! Gregor Mendel James D Watson Together we discovered the double-helix structure of the dna! Francis Crick I invented a technique that will ensure that no bacteria can p Louis Pasteur Using x-ray crystallography I probed the structure of the molecule of life. Like watson and crick, I independently elicited the structure of the dna. Rosaling Franklin Using the first microscope ever invented, I discovered tiny structures found in cork that looked like little prison cells. I called them “cells”. Robert Hooke Who are these famous biologists? What are their contributions? I work with primates and investigated their level of cognition and memory. I also devised a series of tests to examine if they are capable of higher order thinking. Zachary Tan Kaiyuan