SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE NATSCI01: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

General Luna St., Guitnang Bayan II, San Mateo, Rizal Ms. Abigael Comson-De Mesa, R.N.
Tel.No. (02) 997-9070
www.smmc.edu.ph

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

MODULE SCHEDUE:
I. Synchronous
II. Asynchronous

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, you must be able to:
1. Explain the concepts and importance of Biological Science;
2. Discuss the characteristics of life;
3. Enumerate the different Branches of Biological Science ;
4. Identify the different levels of biological organization;
5. Describe the parts and functions of microscope and
6. Determine some tools used in Biology.

INPUT INFORMATION:

Lecture/Discussion:

I. The Nature of Biological Science

Science is a vast collection of knowledge and, like other fields
has its own sub-branches.

Science is defined in many ways such as the following:

 A systematized body of knowledge based on truths and facts;
 A catalogue of observations or list of information to understand the world around us;
 A knowledge gained through careful observations of objects and events;
 A vast body of knowledge contributed by people from different parts of the world, regardless of
sex, color, race, religion, or political ideology.
 A systematic way of explaining a wide range of phenomena in the simplest possible; and
 A system that uses experimentation to help explain observations and questions.

It has three main branches namely: Natural Science, Social Science and Applied Science.

Social Science deals with human behaviour, primarily in its social

and cultural aspects.
Social Science is the study of society and social behaviour. The
following are the branches of social science:
a. Politics is the science or art of political government.
b. Economics is the science that deals with the production,
distribution and consumption of goods and services or the
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 material welfare of humankind.
c. Anthropology is the science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural development, biological
characteristics, social customs and belief of humankind.

Applied Science deals with the application of the theoretical

sciences, like those in the natural and social
sciences.
Applied Science is a discipline of science that applies scientific
knowledge to develop more practical
applications. The following are the branches of
applied science:
a. Medicine is the science of treating diseases with drugs or
curative substances.
b. Engineering is the science of practical application of
knowledge of pure sciences.
c. Technology is an applied science. It deals with the application of knowledge for practical ends.
d. Architecture is the science of designing the character of style of infrastructure.

Natural Science is the branch of science where Biology is included,

deals with the understanding and description of
natures. It is divided into two; biological sciences,
which deals with the study of living things, and
physical science which deals with the study of
non-living things.

 Physical Science is the branch of science that studies non-life forms. The following are the major
branches of physical science:
 Physics is the study of matter and energy, their interaction and the changes they
undergo.
 Chemistry concerns itself with the description and classification of matter, the changes it
undergoes, the energy associated with this changes and their interaction.
 Earth Science is a branch of physical science that studies all aspect within planet earth.
 Astronomy is a branch of physical science that covers the study of all extra-terrestrial
objects and phenomena.

 Biological Science is the branch of science that studies life. The following are the major branches
of biological science:
 Microbiology is the branch of biology that deals with microorganisms and their effects on
other living organisms. It studies microscopic organisms like Bacteria, protozoans,
viruses and fungi.
 Zoology is the branch of biology that study animals, their life, structure, physiology,
development and classification.

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  Botany is the branch of biology that studies plants.
 Genetics is the branch of biology that deals with heredity and variation of inherited
characteristics.
 Ecology is the branch of biology that studies the relationship between plants, animals
and their environment.

FIELDS OF SCIENCE

Biology is the science of life, the study of life. The word comes from the Greek
word bios meaning life and logos which means the study of life. Biology is
concerned with the unity in all forms of life. There is unity because all forms of
life share a number of basic similarities in units of structure likewise in the
functions and activities that they carry out.

It is but indispensable to engage ourselves in the study of biology for it concerns us all. It is very much
important for us to know more about ourselves, our function in our society, and our relationship with other
organisms, how we affect each other and what the very essence of our existence is.

II. FIELDS OF BIOLOGY

Biology is a very complex science and is divided into different fields of specialization:

 Agriculture – science and practice of producing crops and livestock from the natural resources of
the earth.
 Anatomy – study of the animal form, particularly human body.
 Astrobiology – branch of biology concerned with the effects of outer space on living organisms
and the search for extra-terrestrial life.
 Biochemistry – the study of the structure and function of cellular components, such as proteins,
carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other bio molecules, and of their functions and
transformations during life.
 Botany – the scientific study of plants.
 Cell biology – the study of cells at the microscopic or at the molecular level. It includes studying
the cells’ physiological properties, structures, organelles, interactions with the environment, life

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 cycle, division, and apoptosis.
 Biophysics – an interdisciplinary science that applies the theories and methods of physical
sciences to questions of biology.
 Biotechnology – applied science that is concerned with biological systems, living organisms, or
derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.
 Ecology – the scientific study of the relationships between plants, animals, and their environment.
 Entomology – the scientific study of insects.
 Evolution – concerned with the origin and descent species, as well as their change over time.
 Genetics – a science that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary
transmission and inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms.
 Immunobiology – study of the structure and function of the immune system, innate and acquired
immunity, the bodily distinction of self from non-self, and laboratory techniques involving the
interaction of antigens with specific antibodies.
 Neurobiology – branch of biology that deals with the anatomy and physiology and pathology of
the nervous system.
 Paleobiology – study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, as represented
by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms.
 Parasitology – study of parasites and parasitism.
 Pathology – study of nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and
consequences.
 Medicine – the science which relates to the prevention, cure, or alleviation of disease.
 Microbiology – the branch of biology that deals with microorganisms and their effects on other
living organisms.
 Molecular Biology – the branch of biology that deals with the formation, structure, and function of
macromolecules essential of life, such as nucleic acids and proteins, their role in the cell replication
and the transmission of genetic information.
 Mycology – study of fungi.
 Pharmacology – the study of preparation and use of drugs and synthetic medicines.
 Physiology – the biological study of the functions of living organisms and their parts.
 Psychobiology – the study of mental functioning and behaviour in relation to other biological
processes.
 Ichthyology – study of fishes.
 Herpetology – study of reptiles and amphibians.
 Ornithology – study of birds.
 Mammalogy – study of mammals.
 Toxicology – study of how natural or man-made poisons cause undesirable effects in living
organisms.
 Virology – study of viruses.
 Zoology – branch of biology that deals with animal life, including the study of the structure,
physiology, development and classification of animals.

III. CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS

Living and non-living things are different in many ways. One would say that living things are breathing while
non-livings do not, or others may conclude that living things think while non-living things do not. In any case,
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what is the best way to differentiate living from non-living things? What characteristics are unique in a living
thing that would separate it from a non-living thing?

a. Complex Organization
Living things have a level of complexity and
organization not found in lifeless objects. At its most
fundamental level, a living thing is composed of one or
more cells. These units, generally too small to be seen
with the naked eye, are organized into tissues. A tissue
is a series of cells that accomplish a shared function.
Tissues, in turn, form organs, such as the stomach and
kidney. A number of organs working together compose
an organ system. An organism is a complex series of
various organ systems.

b. Metabolism
Living things exhibit a rapid turnover of chemical
materials, which is referred to as metabolism. Metabolism
involves exchanges of chemical matter with the external
environment and extensive transformations of organic
matter within the cells of a living organism. Metabolism
generally involves the release or use of chemical energy.
Non-living things do not display metabolism.

c. Responsiveness
All living things are able to respond to stimuli in the external
environment. For example, living things respond to changes in
light, heat, sound, and chemical and mechanical contact. To
detect stimuli, organisms have means for receiving
information, such as eyes, ears, and taste buds.
To respond effectively to changes in the environment, an
organism must coordinate its responses. A system of nerves
and a number of chemical regulators called hormones
coordinate activities within an organism. The organism
responds to the stimuli by means of a number of effectors,
such as muscles and glands. Energy is generally used in the
process.

Organisms change their behavior in response to changes in the surrounding environment. For
example, an organism may move in response to its environment. Responses such as this occur in
definite patterns and make up the behavior of an organism. The behavior is active, not passive; an
animal responding to a stimulus is different from a stone rolling down a hill. Living things display
responsiveness; non-living things do not.
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d. Growth
Growth requires an organism to take in
material from the environment and organize the
material into its own structures. To accomplish
growth, an organism expends some of the
energy it acquires during metabolism. An
organism has a pattern for accomplishing the
building of growth structures.

During growth, a living organism transforms material that is unlike itself into materials that are like it. A
person, for example, digests a meal of meat and vegetables and transforms the chemical material into
more of himself or herself. A non-living organism does not display this characteristic.

e. Reproduction
A living thing has the ability to produce copies
of itself by the process known as reproduction.
These copies are made while the organism is still
living. Among plants and simple animals,
reproduction is often an extension of the growth
process. More complex organisms engage in a
type of reproduction called sexual reproduction, in which two parents contribute to the formation of a new
individual. During this process, a new combination of traits can be produced.

Asexual reproduction involves only one parent, and the resulting cells are generally identical to the
parent cell. For example, bacteria grow and quickly reach maturity, after which they split into two
organisms by a process of asexual reproduction called binary fission.

f. Evolution
Living organisms have the ability to adapt to their
environment through the process of evolution. During
evolution, changes occur in populations, and the organisms
in the population become better able to metabolize, respond,
and reproduce. They develop abilities to cope with their
environment that their ancestors did not have.

Evolution also results in a greater variety of organisms than existed in previous eras. This proliferation
of populations of organisms is unique to living things.

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 g. Ecology
The environment influences the living things that it
surrounds. Ecology is the study of relationships between
organisms and their relationships with their environment.
Both biotic factors (living things) and abiotic factors (non-
living things) can alter the environment. Rain and sunlight are
non-living components, for example, that greatly influence
the environment. Living things may migrate or hibernate if the
environment becomes difficult to live in.

IV. BIOLOGICAL LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION

 Atom is the smallest and most fundamental unit of matter.

 Molecule is a chemical structure consisting of at least two atoms held together by a chemical bond.
 Cell is the smallest fundamental unit of structure and function in living organisms.
 Tissues are groups of similar cells carrying out the same function.
 Organs are collections of tissues grouped together based on a common function.
 Organ system is a higher level of organization that consists of functionally related organs.
 Organisms are individual living entities.
 Population are all the individuals of a species living within a specific area.
 Community is the set of populations inhabiting a particular area.
 Ecosystem consists of all the living things in a particular area together with the abiotic, or non-living
parts of that environment.
 Biosphere is the collection of all ecosystems, and it represents the zones of life on Earth. It
includes land, water, and portions of the atmosphere.

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V. BASIC EQUIPMENT USED IN BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
Students studying biology with relative experimental applications involve the use of basic equipment in
their biology experiments. This equipment is necessary for the basic understanding and visualizing of
cells and organelles, as well as preparing samples of cells or fluid, or dissecting specimen.

MICROSCOPE
 It is the most useful tool in dealing with
microscopic creatures.
 It is the fundamental equipment in biology.
 It has different powers of lens to see
organisms and samples more closely.

Microscope now has an advancement compared to

other tools in laboratory.

Structural Components of a Microscope

 Head/body – Houses the optical parts in
the upper part of the microscope.
 Base – Supports the microscope and
houses the illuminator.
 Arm – Connects to the base and supports
the microscope head.

Optical Components of a Microscope

There are two optical systems in a compound microscope:
 Eyepiece Lenses
 Objective Lenses

 Eyepiece or Ocular
It is the part what you look through at the top of the microscope. Typically, standard
eyepieces have a magnifying power of 10x. Optional eyepieces of varying powers are
available, typically from 5x-30x.

 Eyepiece Tube
It holds the eyepieces in place above the objective lens. Binocular microscope heads
typically incorporate a dioptre adjustment ring that allows for the possible inconsistencies
of our eyesight in one or both eyes. The monocular (singe eye usage) microscope does
not need a dioptre. Binocular microscope also swivel (interpupillary adjustments) to allow
for different distances between the eyes of different individuals.

 Objective Lenses
These are the primary optical lenses on a microscope. They range from 4x-100x and
typically, include, three, four, or five on lens on most microscopes. Objectives can be
forward or rear-facing.

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 Nosepiece
It houses the objectives. The objectives are exposed and are mounted on a rotating
turret so that different objectives can be conveniently selected Standard objectives
include 4x, 10x, 40x, and 100x although different power objectives are available.

 Coarse and Fine Focus knobs

They are used to focus the microscope. Increasingly, they are coaxial knobs – built on
the same axis with the fine focus knob on the outside. Coaxial focus knobs are more
convenient since the viewer does not have to grope for a different knob.

 Stage
It is where the specimen to be viewed is placed. A mechanical stage is used when
working at higher magnifications where delicate movements of the specimen slide are
required.

 Stage Clips
They are used when there is no mechanical stage. The viewer is required to move the
slide manually to view different sections of the specimen.

 Aperture
It is the hole in the stage through which the base transmits light reaches the stage.

 Illuminator
It is the light source for a microscope, located in the base of the microscope. Most light
microscopes use low voltage, halogen bulbs with continuous variable lighting control
located within the base.

 Condenser
It is used to collect and focus the light from the illuminator on to the specimen. It is
located under the stage often in conjunction with an iris diaphragm.

 Iris Diaphragm
It controls the amount of light reaching the specimen. It is located above the condenser
and below the stage. Most high quality microscopes include an Abbe condenser with an
iris diaphragm. Combined, they control both the focus and quantity of light applied to the
spectrum.

 Condenser Focus Knob moves the condenser up or down to control the lighting focus
on the specimen.

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LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS

The daily routine of a biologist involves the use of basic equipment in their biology experiments such as
microscopes, test tubes, beakers, and Bunsen burners as well as high-tech scientific equipment and
computers.

This equipment is necessary for the basic studies of biology: visualizing cells and organelles, as well as
preparing samples of cells or fluids for testing or visualization, dissecting specimens, or mixing chemicals.

a. To examine a specimen, biologists must place a sample whether the sample is blood, mucus,
saliva, skin cells, or urine in or on something.

 Slides
If the sample is going to be viewed under a microscope, some of the cells are gently smeared
onto a glass slide, treated with a fixative so that the cellular components don’t move, and
covered with a glass cover slip.

 Test tubes
If the sample needs to be centrifuge, twirl very rapidly to separate fluid and particles or needs to
have solutions added to it.

 Petri dishes
If a sample must be grown before it can be identified, the sample must be cultured. To culture a
sample, a petri dish containing a culture medium is inoculated, or smeared and pressed, onto
the medium.

 Dyes
These are agents that colour structures of the cell, which allow the structures to be more easily
viewed when using a microscope.

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  Indicators are papers that are used to determine chemical characteristics, such as acidity and
composition.
Litmus paper is a common example. When dipped into a solution, litmus paper will turn red if the
solution is acidic and blue if the solution is basic. Strips of pH paper have a range of colors that
can be matched up to estimate the approximate pH of a solution.

b. The following equipment used to perform dissection.

 A scalpel is an extremely sharp bladed instrument that can neatly split open skin and cut
through muscle and organs.

 Forceps are used to hold tissue out of the way or to pick up a structure.

 A probe can be used to remove connective tissue or to lift a structure before it is dissected.

c. The following equipment used for mixing solutions and chemicals.

 Beakers are used when the solution mixed in it is going to be poured into something else. (They
have a lip on them for pouring.)

 Flasks have a narrow neck and are used when the solution may splash out of a beaker or when
the container of solution needs to be plugged at some point in the experiment.

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ASSIGNMENT:

Explain the following briefly.

1. Explain the postulates of the cell theory.

2. Give the significant contributions of biologist in cell discovery.
3. Enumerate the cell types according to number of cells, structure, and function.
4. Distinguish the difference between the features of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
5. Explain the parts and functions of plant cell and animal cell.

LEARNING RESOURCES:

 Books:
Morano, Lourdes N (2011). Fundamentals of Biology.Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Chanco, Christine R (2005). Biological Science.Paranaque City: ACNN Printing Press

 Online Resources:
https://www.dummies.com/education/science/biology/basic-equipment-used-in-biology-experiments/
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/biology/biology/biology-quizzes/biology-quizzes
https://www.britannica.com/technology/microscope
https://www.bioexplorer.net/importance-of-biology.html/
https://www.bioexplorer.net/divisions_of_biology/
https://study.com/academy/lesson/8-characteristics-of-life-in-biology.html
https://www.sophia.org/tutorials/parts-of-the-microscope--4
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/biology/biology/the-science-of-biology/quiz-characteristics-of-
living- things
https://www.homesciencetools.com/product/probe-and-seeker/
https://www.sks-science.com/chemistry-glassware-c-114_205.html

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