Reference no: EM132264342

Question: What do all living organisms have in common? What distinguishes a living organism from a nonliving thing?

How can we get life from something that isn't alive? To answer this question and to understand how life functions, we must learn some foundational chemistry.

Next week we will learn how cells (the smallest units of structure and function in biology) rely on atoms, molecules, and molecular forces in order to be fully functional.

During the latter weeks of the semester, we will move on to examine larger and more complex layers of organization. As we move to these layers, we begin to see distinct differences between living organisms and nonliving things. Each of the remaining layers of organization is present in living organisms but absent from nonliving things.

The study of living organisms, whose characteristics we described above, forms the science of biology.

So what exactly is science?

This week, we will also learn about the scientific method and how it can help us solve problems and recognize what scientific research is and what it is not.

Furthermore, you will be introduced to UMUC policies on academic integrity.

You will participate in a class discussion related to topics in biology.

You will practice laboratory skills.