What Is Life? BIO/101 Version 3 2 University of Phoenix Material What Is Life? Read each statement. Write a 100-word summary explaining how that media piece supports that statement and include reference citations. 1. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—related to the scientific method, creating hypotheses, or designing experiments. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better understand how the scientific method is used to create hypotheses and experiments. In the article, “How the Scientific Method Works, by William Harris (n.d.), the author describes the scientific method by first describing science and how the scientific method is useful in science. The article began by breaking down a definition of science. In this description, the author discusses how science is “both a search for information and a quest to explain how information fits together in meaningful ways” (Harris, n.d., p. 2, para 1). He also describes that science is based on observation, data, structure, and behavior (Harris, n.d.). The data must be analyzed to understand the world around us. Also, in science, predictions are made based on the observations and tested using experiments. The tests must be repeated to verify the results. The scientific method is a process as well as a way of thinking. To use the scientific method a scientists, or any type of researcher makes an observation, asks questions, forms a hypothesis, tests the hypothesis using experiments, and lastly shares results and gets feedback. 2. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—that recognizes the fundamental concepts of chemistry in biology. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better understand how fundamental concepts of chemistry affect biology. According to the Royal Society of Chemistry (2004), “To understand biological substances and the changes that take place in living organisms you need a good knowledge of chemistry” (para 1). This article describes the numerous chemicals that make up living organisms. These chemicals include atoms, elements, compounds, mixtures, chemical bonds, and molecules. The most basic biological level is chemical. An atom is the smallest particle that makes up an organism. An element is a substance that is made up of atoms and is the simplest substance. Elements form compounds when a fixed ratio (specific number of protons, electrons, and neutrons) is present and a chemical reaction occurs. Compounds are needed to sustain life. Mixtures contain compounds. The cells of living organisms must separate mixtures. Chemical bonding is necessary so atoms can complete their outer shell of electrons. When a chemical reaction occurs atoms stay close to each other. There are three types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, and hydrogen bonds. Lastly, molecules are clusters of atoms that are held together by covalent bonds (Royal Society o.

1. What Is Life?
BIO/101 Version 3
2
University of Phoenix Material
What Is Life?
Read each statement. Write a 100-word summary explaining
how that media piece supports that statement and include
reference citations.
1. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or
other—related to the scientific method, creating hypotheses, or
designing experiments. Include the link or reference citation for
the piece and describe how it helped you better understand how
the scientific method is used to create hypotheses and
experiments.
In the article, “How the Scientific Method Works, by William
Harris (n.d.), the author describes the scientific method by first
describing science and how the scientific method is useful in
science. The article began by breaking down a definition of
science. In this description, the author discusses how science is
“both a search for information and a quest to explain how
information fits together in meaningful ways” (Harris, n.d., p.
2, para 1). He also describes that science is based on
observation, data, structure, and behavior (Harris, n.d.). The
data must be analyzed to understand the world around us. Also,
in science, predictions are made based on the observations and
tested using experiments. The tests must be repeated to verify
the results. The scientific method is a process as well as a way
of thinking. To use the scientific method a scientists, or any
type of researcher makes an observation, asks questions, forms
a hypothesis, tests the hypothesis using experiments, and lastly
shares results and gets feedback.

2. 2. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or
other—that recognizes the fundamental concepts of chemistry in
biology. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and
describe how it helped you better understand how fundamental
concepts of chemistry affect biology.
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry (2004), “To
understand biological substances and the changes that take
place in living organisms you need a good knowledge of
chemistry” (para 1). This article describes the numerous
chemicals that make up living organisms. These chemicals
include atoms, elements, compounds, mixtures, chemical bonds,
and molecules. The most basic biological level is chemical. An
atom is the smallest particle that makes up an organism. An
element is a substance that is made up of atoms and is the
simplest substance. Elements form compounds when a fixed
ratio (specific number of protons, electrons, and neutrons) is
present and a chemical reaction occurs. Compounds are needed
to sustain life. Mixtures contain compounds. The cells of living
organisms must separate mixtures. Chemical bonding is
necessary so atoms can complete their outer shell of electrons.
When a chemical reaction occurs atoms stay close to each other.
There are three types of chemical bonds: ionic, covalent, and
hydrogen bonds. Lastly, molecules are clusters of atoms that are
held together by covalent bonds (Royal Society of Chemistry,
2004). This is when two atoms share one or more pairs of
electrons in the outer shell. Atoms are the building blocks of
all matter and are constantly moving and changing within the
organism. Compounds found in humans include water,
carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. These are needed to sustain
life.
3. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or
other—that describes the energy metabolism of cells. Include
the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it
helped you better understand the energy metabolism of cells.
The PowerPoint presentation, titled “Cellular Metabolism” by
Hartnell College, describes the many actions of cellular energy

3. metabolism. The presentation begins by defining cellular
metabolism as “all of the chemical processes that occur inside
living cells” (Cellular Metabolism, n.d., slide 2). Next, the
presentation describes energy as kinetic and potential. Potential
energy is stored in bonds and is released when the bonds are
broken. Energy cannot be created or destroyed only converted
into another form. The cells of living organisms transform
stored energy such as sugars, proteins, and carbohydrates into
the energy of motion (kinetic energy). According to Simon,
Reese, and Dickey (2010), “mitochondrion are the sites of
cellular respiration, a process that harvests energy from sugars
and other food molecules and converts it to another form of
chemical energy” (p. 68, para 4). Cells use molecules of ATP (a
form of chemical energy) for most of their work.
4. Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or
other—that compares structures and functions of different cell
types. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and
describe how it helped you better compare structures and
functions of different cell types.
Understanding cells is fundamental to biology. Every living
organism is made up of cells. Cells are the building blocks of
life. Cells share similar characteristics and can be defined by
cell theory. According to Hartnell College (2008), cell theory is
defined as:
“all living things are composed of cells; all cells arise from
preexisting cells through cell division; cells contain hereditary
material; which they pass to daughter cells during cell division;
the chemical composition of all cells is quite similar; and the
metabolic processes associated with life occur within cells”
(para 3).
Basic features that are common among cells include plasma
membrane, cytosol, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and DNA. This
tutorial also discusses the two major cell types: prokaryotic and

4. eukaryotic. Prokaryotic cells are not as organized as eukaryotic
cells. The only similar organelles are cytoplasm, nucleus, and
ribosomes. The cytoplasm only consists of ribosomes and
enzymes. This cell type includes bacteria. Eukaryotic cells are
plant, fungi, and animal. The nucleus is enclosed by a nuclear
envelope. The cytoplasm consists of organelles and each has its
own membrane.
5. Discuss what life means to you after completing questions 1–
4.
After answering questions 1 – 4, I would say life is a
complexity of chemicals and structures that work together to
perform specific functions for survival. Living organisms begin
with atoms and join together with one or many other chemicals
to form cells. Atoms and cells are the building blocks of life.
Cells take in energy from the environment to maintain
metabolism, which is necessary for survival. Energy consists of
food such as water, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Living
organisms have the ability to regrow, rebuild, replenish, and
reproduce. Lastly, life has the ability to respond to its
environment and adapt for survival.
Reference:
Cell Structure and Function Tutorial. (2008). Retrieved 1/13/14
from http://www.hartnell.edu/tutorials/biology/cells.html
Cellular Metabolism. (n.d.). Retrieved 1/13/14 from
www.hartnell.edu/faculty/nwheat/4.%20Cellular%20Metabolism
.ppt
Harris, W. (n.d.). How the Scientific Method Works. Retrieved
1/13/14 from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-
experiments/scientific-method2.htm
Royal Society of Chemistry (2004). Some Basic Chemistry.
Retrieved 1/13/14 from
http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/basicche

5. mistry.htm
Simon, E.J., Reece, J.B., & Dickey, J. L. (2010). Essential
Biology with Physiology. (3rd. ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.