Chapter 1 The Science of Biology

1. Chapter 1The Science of Biology Section 1:1 What is Science?

3. I. Science goals • A. Investigating and understanding the natural world, in an organized way. • Science uses evidence from testing, collecting, organizing, connecting, observing and examining, to learn about the natural world.

4. II. Thinking like a scientist • Whenever a scientist begins research he/she usually begins to compile information in a very organized fashion. • Data- gathering information in 2 different ways. • Quantitative – data expressed in numbers, obtained by counting and measuring • Qualitative – descriptive, involves characteristics that usually cannot be counted. • Inferences – logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience. It’s like an assumption of what you think. (testing a body of water)

5. B. Explaining and interpreting evidence. • After a scientist’s initial observation they will propose one or more hypothesis. • Hypothesis- a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observation, that can be TESTED. • Generate this by using: • Prior knowledge ( already know) • Logical inference • Informed, creative imagination • (Could be competing)

6. Science: as a way of knowing • Science is an ongoing process that is constantly changing. • Scientist are skeptics, questioning existing ideas and new hypothesis. • Scientific way is to view that the whole physical universe is a system or a collection of parts and processes that interact, and it contains small systems within it. • Biologist concentrate on the living systems, from invisibly small to the size of an entire planet.

7. Chapter 1 • Section 1:2

8. Section 1-2 How Scientists Work • I. Designing an experiment • 1. Ask a question/problem? Where did life come from? • 2. Forming a hypothesis: • Spontaneous Generation? • Life from non living things. • Maggots arose from the meat • Mice arose from the rice • Earthworm from the rain

9. Redi’s experiment on Spontaneous Generation, Where do maggots really come from?

10. Controlled Experiment: This type of experiment is using variables and only one variable can change. All others should be kept unchanged or CONTROLLED.

11. Variables – factor that can change in an experiment • Equipment, material, amount of material, temperature, light and time.

12. Manipulated variable – (Independent)- the variable that is deliberately changed. b. Responding variable – (Dependent) - the variable that is observed and changes in response to the manipulated variable.

13. So in Redi’s experiment: • the manipulated variable would be, whether or not there was gauze over each jar. • The responding variable would be whether the maggots appeared.

14. D. Recording and Analyzing Results • Keeping records of all the observations and data during the experiment. • This is more accurate than a verbal explanation.

15. Drawing a Conclusion • Use the data, evidence from the experiment to evaluate the hypothesis, and draw a valid conclusion. • This way they can determine whether the hypothesis is supported or refuted.

16. III. How a Theory Develops A. A well tested explanations and observations that are thought to be true, but could change.