Final answer:
The biological levels of organization range from the smallest level, which is the atom, to the largest, which is the planet. These levels show increasing complexity and interaction, and when considering various items like a hydrogen atom, water molecule, skin cell, liver, elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, and planet Earth, they can be placed in an ordered hierarchy from smallest to most encompassing level.
Step-by-step explanation:
Levels of Organization in Biology
When examining the biological world, we can categorize different items into a hierarchy of levels from the smallest to the largest. The levels of organization typically recognized in biology, from smallest to largest, are as follows:
- Atom: This is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element. For instance, a hydrogen atom is less complex than a water molecule.
- Molecule: A group of atoms bonded together. A water molecule, which is made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, is an example of this level.
- Cell: The basic unit of life. A skin cell is more complex than a molecule but is part of a larger system within an organism, such as an elephant.
- Tissue/Organ: Multiple cells of the same type form tissues, and different tissues work together to form an organ like the liver.
- Organism: An individual living thing made up of a collection of organs. For instance, an elephant.
- Population/Group: A group of organisms of the same species that inhabit a certain area, like a wolf pack.
- Ecosystem: A community of living things interacting with the nonliving components of their environment. A tropical rainforest is an example of an ecosystem.
- Biosphere/Planet: This encompasses all ecosystems. Planet Earth is an example at this level.
Using the list provided, we can order the items as follows: hydrogen atom, water molecule, skin cell, liver, elephant, wolf pack, tropical rainforest, and planet Earth. Each subsequent level encompasses the previous levels, adding complexity and interactions.