Introduction to Biology | Biology Form One | New Syllabus
A person who studies Biology is called a Biologist.
Living things are also called organisms. They include, plants, animals, fungi, and micro-organisms.
Micro-organisms are very small living things, such as bacteria and some protozoans, which cannot be seen with the naked eyes.
The size of organisms varies and ranges from very small such as bacteria to very large such as trees, birds, hippopotamus, and whales.
Life is a state that distinguishes living things from non-living things.
Characteristics of life
nutrition,
respiration,
excretion,
growth,
and development,
sensitivity or irritability,
movement,
and reproduction.
The basic unit of life is the cell.
All living things are made up of cells.
Cells are so small that they cannot be seen with naked eyes. They can only be seen by using the microscope.
The microscope is an instrument that is used in scientific studies to enlarge very small things so that they can be easily seen and examined.
The process of enlarging very small things is called magnification.
Branches of Biology
Botany
Zoology
and Microbiology.
Botany is the study of plants,
zoology is the study of animals,
and microbiology is the study of microbes.
A person who is specialised in the study of plants is called a Botanist.
a person who deals with the study of animals is called a Zoologist,
whereas a person who deals with the study of microbes is called a microbiologist.
Other branches of Biology
No. | Branch | Area of study |
1 | Anatomy | Body structures of organisms1 |
22 | Cytology3 | Structure and functions of cells4 |
35 | Ecology6 | Relationship between organisms and their environment7 |
48 | Entomology9 | Insects10 |
511 | Genetics12 | Heredity and variation13 |
614 | Immunology15 | Immune syste16ms |
7 | Mycology | Fungi |
8 | Parasitology | Parasites |
9 | Taxonomy | Classification of organisms |
10 | Physiology | Physical and chemical processes taking place within living organisms |
Exercise
1. Explain the term Biology.
2. Differentiate Botany from Zoology.
3. Biology is more than a study of animals and plants. Explain.
Importance of studying Biology
(a) Helps to understand and care for the environment properly. It helps to learn about the plants, animals, and micro-organisms that surround us and how they affect us.
(b) Helps to identify and group living things which makes it easier to learn more about them.
(c) Helps to appreciate nature and many fascinating things about different organisms and how their functions are learnt in Biology.
(d) Helps to understand our bodies.
(e) Helps to acquire research skills that are useful when carrying out scientific investigations. Such skills include measuring, observing, analysing, and drawing conclusion.
(f) Helps to improve food production. Scientists can use biological skills to develop higher-yielding and disease-resistant varieties of plants and animals. These improved breeds of plants and animals are called hybrids.
(g) Helps to improve the standard of living in human, and care for animals and plants. Skills from Biology can help to determine the causes, symptoms, and methods of transmission of infections and diseases.
(h) Helps to answer important questions, such as when and where life originate, how plants move, and how animals survive without plants.
(i) Enables scientists to come up with ways to prevent, treat, and cure diseases. This has greatly improved the quality of people's lives. For instance, the first cure discovered for malaria was quinine. It was extracted from the bark of the Cinchona tree (or quinine tree). Quinine has helped to reduce the number of deaths from malaria, especially in Africa.
Relationship between Biology and other scientific fields
Biology is not an isolated field of study. Biology is related to many other fields of study, such as Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, and Nutrition. Biological researches have a direct impact on the development of these fields.
Activity: Investigating the relationship between Biology and other fields of science
Materials: Newspapers and magazines with articles on Biology, Agriculture, Medicine, Forestry, and other scientific fields, ICT tools, notebook, and pen
Procedure |
1. Collect newspapers and magazines with articles on Biology, Agriculture, Medicine, Forestry, Nutrition, and other fields of science. |
2. Search from the library or internet sources the articles on Biology, Agriculture, Medicine, Forestry, Nutrition, and other scientific fields. |
3. Go through the articles and state which other fields of study, apart from Biology, are mentioned. |
4. Relate Biology to other fields of science, such as Agriculture, Medicine, Forestry, and Nutrition. |
Question
Explain the fields that you think are related to Biology. Give examples to explain these relationships.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the field of study which deals with growing crops and rearing animals for food, money, or both. Biological research findings on crops and livestock have led to improved agricultural production. Scientists have developed breeds of crops and animals that mature quickly and produce high yields. For instance, indigenous breeds of chicken start laying eggs when they are about eight months old while the improved breeds known as layers can start laying eggs as early as five months.
Researchers have also developed breeds of crops and animals that perform well under specific climatic conditions. For example, researchers have been able to develop varieties of maize seeds that are resistant to diseases and that grow well even in harsh conditions.
Medicine and pharmacy
Medicine is the study of the prevention, treatment, and cure of diseases.
Pharmacy is the science of preparation and administration of drugs. Anatomy and Immunology form an important part of the study of medicine.
The study of Anatomy helps medical doctors to learn the structure of the body and how it functions. This makes it possible for them to know what is wrong in the body and how it can be treated. In Immunology, scientists study the body's response to disease-causing agents. This knowledge is important in the formulation of vaccines and drugs that are able to prevent and treat diseases, respectively. Some of these drugs and vaccines are made from animals, plants, fungi, or micro-organisms.
Nutrition
The study of Biology is important in understanding the composition and value of different groups of foods. This knowledge is used by dieticians to determine the kind of diets that are suitable for people with different health needs.
Biologists have also developed breeds of livestock and crops that yield products of higher nutritional value.
Forestry
Forestry deals with creating, managing, and conserving forests.
Forests are sources of fuel (firewood and charcoal), building materials, and medicinal plants. They also serve as water catchments.
Biologists have developed varieties of trees that grow well in dry areas. Such trees are used to reclaim dry land for human settlement.
Through Biological research, varieties of fast-growing trees have been developed.
The fast-growing trees are planted in deforested areas. This is called reforestation.
Reforestation helps to preserve water catchments so as to ensure a continuous supply of water.
Forests also prevent desertification.
Revision Exercise 1
Choose the most correct answer
Which of the following fields of study is NOT related to Biology?
(a) Agriculture
(b) Astrology
(c) Medicine
(d) Nutrition
Which of the following is a reason for studying Biology?
(a) Biology helps us to appreciate and improve nature.
(b) Biology deals with non-living objects in our environment.
(c) Biology enables us to pollute the environment.
(d) Biological research contributes to the development of low-yielding breeds of crops.
The branch of Biology that deals with microbes is called:
(a) Zoology
(b) Microbiology
(c) Botany
(d) Cytology
4. Which of the following is one of the main branches of Biology?
(a) Sociology
(b) Agriculture
(c) Anthropology
(d) Botany
5. Outline four reasons as to why it is important to study Biology.
7. Differentiate:
(a) Unicellular from multicellular organisms
(b) Cytology from Taxonomy
