Part 2

Organisms do not exist in isolation. In fact, they depend on other organisms AND also nonliving things. These interactions are necessary for life to exist and we notice that, in nature, a change in one population affects other populations in an ecosystem. This is something that can lead to interesting consequences.

This section is an introduction to the principles of ecology. We look at these principles from the level of the individual organisms all the way up to the biosphere. We start of by talking about what ecology actually is and end by talking about the different types of living relationships that exist between species.

This is section 2.1 in the Book Biology: The Dynamics of Life.

Enjoy

This is section 1.3 in the book Biology: The Dynamics of Life. I talk about quantitative vs. qualitative research, how science is influenced by society, the difference between pure science and applied science and then I finish off with the definition of technology, when it comes to science.

This ends the introductory chapter entitled “What is Biology”. Now that we understand what biology is, we are going to go into the next section on Ecology. Stay tuned!

Enjoy

Section 1.2 in the book Biology: The Dynamics of Life deals with the Methods of Biology. In this section, I talk about the Scientific method, which shows the steps that are used to answer questions scientifically. Of course, when talking about the scientific Method, you have to include a discussion of Controlled experiments.

When conducting experiments, there are certain scientific tools that you can use to make life easier. Some of these tools are presented in the video.

What happens when hypotheses are supported over a long period of time? Watch the video to understand the difference between a hypothesis, theory and law.

Part 2

In this section, I give an introduction to what biology is. This is the first section in the book, Biology, the dynamics of life. It gives the foundation of everything we cover in my Biology 1 class.

I go talk about what an organism is and talk about the 5 characteristics of living things.

There’s a lot of repetition in this section because it’s importants for students to get a good grip of these basics. If you have any questions or comments, please post them in the comments section.

Hope you enjoy the presentation.

Leslie Samuel

Internal control of the body is directed by two systems: 1, The Nervous System and 2, The Endocrine System. In this lecture, I discuss the endocrine system and how endocrine glands control functions in the body through the release of hormones. The pituitary gland is known as the Master Endocrine Gland and plays a major role in controlling the other glands of the endocrine system.

I illustrate HOW the endocrine system by giving specific examples such as insulin and Human Growth Hormone’s role in regulating blood sugar, and adrenaline’s role in preparing the body for stressful situations. Enjoy!

This is section 35.1 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life and is part of the chapter on The Digestive and Endocrine Systems.

Outline:

• The Vital Nutrients
• Calories and Metabolism

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Olive Garden and China Garden – they all have something in common, they all serve FOOD. But all foods are not created equally. I you want to be healthy, you want to make sure that you are getting what you need. In this lecture, I talk about nutrition, starting with the 6 vital nutrients and where you ind them and how your body deals with those nutrients.

I end the section by talking about Calories and metabolism. What determines how many calories we need on a daily basis? Watch the video to find out.

This is section 35.1 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life and is part of the chapter on The Digestive and Endocrine Systems.

Outline:

• The Vital Nutrients
• Calories and Metabolism

Do you like to eat? I do, and since I’m a biologist, I like to also look at what happens in our bodies when we take stuff in. In this lecture, I first deal with the functions of the digestive system. We then take a journey through the digestive system by following your food from your mouth all the way through your body and even through the elimination of waste.

I also talk about enzymes like amylase in the saliva, pepsin in the stomach and bile from the liver and how those enzymes help in the process of digestion. So go ahead and join me on this journey through the digestive tract.

This is section 35.1 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life and is part of the chapter on The Digestive and Endocrine Systems.

Outline:

• The Functions of the Digestive System
• A Journey through the digestive tract

What would the skeletal system be without muscles to move our bones. Muscles are an essential part of what makes us humans and in this lecture, I talk about the three types of muscle, and more importantly, how they work. How does muscle contraction happen at the cellular level? Why does the heart beat on its own? What is actin and myosin and what happens to our muscles in response to exercise? These are a few of the questions I answer in this lecture.

This is section 34.3 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life and is part of the chapter on Protection, Locomotion and Support. There are a few audio “glitches” in this video, but not too much to compromise your understanding of the material. Enjoy!

Resources:

• Go to the Presentation and Handout for Chapter 34: Protection, Support and Locomotion
• More Coming Soon

Outline:

• The 3 Types of Muscle
• How Muscles Work
• Muscles during exercise

This is section 34.2 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life and is part of the chapter on Protection, Locomotion and Support. The audio for this section and the next is a little messed up in some places because there seems to have been a short in the wireless mic cable I was using. However, it’s good enough for you to hear it all.

Resources:

• Go to the Presentation and Handout for Chapter 34: Protection, Support and Locomotion
• More Coming Soon

Outline:

• The Structure of the Skeletal System
• The Formation of the Skeletal System
• The Function of the Skeletal System
• Bone Injury and disease

Section 34.1 deals with the Skin, starting with its structure, with the two layers: Epidermis and dermis. I also talk about the functions of the skin, from regulating internal temperature to functioning as a sense organ, producing vitamin D and protecting the underlying tissue. The lecture concludes with a discussion of what happens to the skin in response to an injury.

This is a part of Chapter 34 in Biology: the Dynamics of Life, which deals with Protection, Support and Locomotion. Enjoy!

Resources:

• Go to the Presentation and Handout for Chapter 34: Protection, Support and Locomotion
• More Coming Soon

Outline:

• The Structure of the Skin
• The Function of the Skin
• Skin injury and Healing

In this section, I talk about changes to DNA Sequence, a.k.a Mutations. Mutations can lead to some significant problems, but in some cases, they can also lead to a trait that is beneficial to an organism, helping it better survive in its particular environment. There are different types of mutations, and these different types vary in how much of a difference they can make in an organism’s genetic code. Any change to the genetic code can result in a change in the proteins, which can result in a significant change in an organism’s traits.

Fortunately, there are some mechanisms in place to minimize spontaneous mutations, and I also talk about these things in this section.

This is part Chapter 11 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on DNA and Genes.

Outline

• What are Mutations?
• The Types of Mutations
• DNA Repair

DNA is expressed and put into action through proteins. These proteins are involved in structural support and they also act as enzymes. Enzymes are involved in all of the chemical reactions that happen in the body. In this lecture, I first talk about the relationship between DNA and Protein and how this relationship leads to all of the traits that an organism expresses. I then go into the differences between DNA and RNA.

Transcription is the process that results in the production of mRNA. Translation ultimately results in the production of proteins. Understanding these to processes is essential to our understanding of how DNA is the Blueprint of Life.

This is part Chapter 11 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on DNA and Genes.

Outline

• Genes and Proteins
• RNA and its functions
• Transcription
• Tranlation

Deoxyribonucleic Acid – You know, the word that everyone likes to say. The blueprint of all living organism that controls every trait that an organism expresses. It makes you who you are, because it is the foundation of who you are. In this lecture, I talk about the structure of DNA. It is a polymer that is made up of subunits called nucleotides. DNA controls our traits through the production of protein and these proteins are responsible for all functions of life.

Lastly, I talk about DNA replication, because in order for cells to go through mitosis or meiosis, DNA replication has to happen. DNA polymerase is an essential enzyme in this process, and I end the lecture by talking about how DNA polymerase does what it does. Enjoy!

This is part Chapter 11 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on DNA and Genes.

Outline

• What is DNA?
• The Structure of DNA
• DNA Replication

Meiosis is a process that body cells undergo that results in the production of gametes (sex cells). The male gamete is the sperm and the female gamete is the egg. When a cell undergoes meiosis, the end result is 4 gametes, with half as much genetic information (haploid). In this section, I talk about Chromosomes and genes and how the process of Meiosis plays a vital role in living things. I also go through the steps of Meiosis in some detail.

At the end, I talk about mistakes that can happen in Meiosis and how this can either lead to significant problems or (in some cases) benefits, depending on the organism involved.

This is part Chapter 10 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on Mendel and Meiosis.

Outline

• The Two Types of Cells
• Chromosomes and Genes
• Meiosis
• Mistakes in Meiosis

Gregor Mendel is known as the Father of Modern Genetics. His work on pea plants form the basis for what we know about how traits are passed on from Parents to Offspring. In this video, I deal with his Laws of Heredity and also with some terms that are essential to our understanding of genetics. We look at the Punnett Square and how it’s useful in making predictions. Why do you look the way you look and what role do your genes place? These are some of the exciting concepts I cover in this section.

This is part Chapter 10 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on Mendel and Meiosis.

Outline

• Who is Gregor Mendel
• Mendel’s Crosses
• Phenotypes and Genotypes
• Probability in Genetics

This is part Chapter 9 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on Energy of the Cell.

Outline

• What is Cellular Respiration?
• The three stages of Cellular Respiration
• Fermentation
• The two Phases of Photosynthesis

I also get into why we see different colors in terms of what wavelengths of light are being absorbed vs reflected. Lastly, I go through the 2 stages of Photosynthesis: The light-dependent and light-independent reactions, with some custom animations to illustrate the steps of those reactions.

This is part Chapter 9 in the textbook Biology: The Dynamics of Life, which is the chapter on Energy of the Cell.

Outline

• What is Photosynthesis?
• Where Photosynthesis Happens
• Color: How it works
• The two Phases of Photosynthesis

Outline

• What is Energy?
• What ATP is and what it does
• Noteworthy People