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Unit 1

Portugal seacoast by LOOK Die Bildagentur der Fotografen GmbH/Alamy
Unit 1 0 1 2 3 4 5
Module 0

Introduction

LEARninG GOALS LG 0.1 Four Big Ideas form a fundamental basis for understanding biology.
LG 0.2 Scientific inquiry is a deliberate way of asking and answering questions about nature.

he ears of the snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ) understanding of the gene , which is the unit of heredity, and

T stand tall as it listens carefully and its nose twitches as the genome , which is all of the genetic information that
it smells the air for the scent of its predator, the Canada lynx an organism contains. This information is helping us come
( Lynx canadensis ). At the same time, the lynx uses its keen up with new ways of fighting disease in humans, other ani-
eyesight, its sense of smell, and its ears to locate its prey, the mals, and plants. It is also helping us understand how differ-
hare. Having spotted the hare, the lynx quietly and deliber- ent groups of organisms have evolved and how endangered
ately moves toward it, slowly closing the distance between species might be saved. Many new biological frontiers have
itself and the hare. Then, suddenly, the lynx springs upon the opened up in recent decades, while others are still waiting to
hare and the chase for life and food begins. be explored. For example, researchers are only just beginning
The activities of predator and prey depend on a number to understand how bacteria in our digestive system affect our
of key processes that they both possess. For instance, both health and well-being. Other researchers are looking at how
hare and lynx are strong and swift runners. Both are exqui- the temperature and acidity of seawater affect the ecology of
sitely adapted to sense their habitats, be aware of danger, coral reefs.
and identify potential sources of food. All of the processes By the time you finish this course, you will have an
employed by the hare and the lynx are part of the study of understanding of how life works. You will explore the
biology , the science of life. Biologists , scientists who study structure and function of cells , which are the simplest

life, have come to understand a great deal about these and self-reproducing unit that can exist independently. You will
other processes. They attempt to explain why biology works look at pathways that cycle carbon through the biosphere.
as it does. That is, they explore the underlying principles and You will understand many of the processes that have
processes that shape and mold biological organisms , which shaped the living world. You will see connections among

are the living beings that display all of the properties of life. the different ways of investigating life and gain a greater
We don’t know everything about how life works and there understanding of how to ask and answer scientific ques-
is still so much to discover, but the study of biology provides tions. This study will help you develop a basis for mak-
us with an organized way of understanding ourselves, other ing informed decisions about issues in your life that have a
living things, and the world. direct relationship to biology.
The scope of modern biology is vast and the pace at In this module, we begin our study of biology with a
®

which we acquire new knowledge continues to accelerate. For first look at the four Big Ideas of AP Biology: Evolution,
example, in recent decades, we have gained unprecedented Energetics, Information Storage and Transmission, and

MODULE 0 IntroductIon 1

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