| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Aristotle | developed the first system of classification; based groups of animals on careful observation |
| Carolus Linnaeus | created a naming system called binomial nomenclature; this system is the modern system used today |
| classification | the grouping of things based on similar characteristics |
| taxonomy | the scientific study of how things are classified |
| dichotomous key | a tool that allows the user to group items with similarities; user is presented with two choices about the characteristics of the unknown organism |
| binomial nomenclature | naming system for organisms in which each organism is given a two-part name – genus and species |
| scientific name | an organism’s name derived through binomial nomenclature Uses the genus and species and written in Latin |
| genus | a classification grouping that consists of a number of similar, closely related species; the first part of an organism’s scientific name |
| species | a group of similar organisms whose members can mate with one another and produce fertile offspring; the second part of an organism’s scientific name |
| kingdom | the largest group of organisms in our modern classification scheme |
| prokaryote | an organism whose cell lacks an enclosed nucleus and other cell structures |
| eukaryote | an organism whose cell/cells contain a nucleus enclosed in a membrane and other cell structures; "true" nucleus |
| autotroph | an organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis (plants) |
| heterotroph | an organism that cannot make its own food and therefore consumes other organisms for food |
| unicellular | a type of organism that is made up of only one cell |
| multicellular | a type of organism that is made up of at least 2 or more cells |
| Archaebacteria | a kingdom of prokaryotic, unicellular, autotrophic or heterotrophic organisms; have the ability to live in some of the harshest conditions on Earth |
| Eubacteria | a kingdom of prokaryotic, unicellular, autotrophic or heterotrophic organisms; these are often the bacteria that causes illness and diseases |
| Protista | a kingdom of eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, autotrophic and/or heterotrophic organisms; known as the “odds and ends" |
| Fungi | a kingdom of eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms (decomposers) |
| Plantae | a kingdom of eukaryotic, multicellular, autotrophic organisms; these begin most of Earth’s food webs/chains |
| Animalia | a kingdom of eukaryotic, multicellular, heterotrophic organisms; these are found in diverse environments worldwide because of their varied adaptations |
