What is Life?
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Transcript What is Life?
Chapter 1
Scientific Process and
Themes of Biology
1-3 Scientific Process
Scientific
knowledge is
acquired using a rigorous
process
True science always follows
this process
Don’t be fooled by
pseudoscience!
Steps to Process
Collecting
observations
Asking questions
Forming hypotheses and
making predictions
Confirming predictions
Drawing conclusions
Observations
Using
your senses, observe
the world around you
Document your observations
Asking Questions
Ask
questions based on your
observations
What was causing your
observation?
Forming Hypotheses and
Predictions
Hypothesis-a
statement that
can be tested by more
observations or
experimentation
Prediction-expected outcome
of a test
Confirming Predictions
Use
a controlled experiment
(must have certain key parts)
Control Group-group in an
experiment that receives no
experimental treatment
Independent
Variable-the
factor that is varied in the
experiment
Dependent Variable-variable
that is measured in the
experiment
Drawing Conclusions
Was
the hypothesis
supported or rejected?
Why did the data support or
reject the hypothesis?
Publishing Results
Most
experiments are
eventually published
Accumulation of related
hypotheses that have been
tested many times by many
scientists can result in a
theory
1-1 Themes of Biology
Biology
is the study of life
There are 7 properties of life
Cellular
Organization
Reproduction
Metabolism
Homeostasis
Heredity
Responsiveness
Growth and Development
The
science of Biology is
unified by 7 distinct themes
These are different then the 7
properties of life!
Unifying Themes of Biology
(1)Cellular
Structure-all living
things are made of one or
more cells
(2)Reproduction-all living
things must reproduce
(3)Metabolism-the sum of all
chemical rxns carried out
inside an organism
(4)Homeostasis-maintaining
a
stable environment inside of the
cell
(5)Heredity-passing characteristics
from parents to offspring
Gene-set of inherited instructions
for making proteins
Mutation-change in the DNA of a
gene
(6)Evolution-change
in the
inherited traits of species over
time
Species-group of genetically
similar organisms that can
produce fertile offspring
Natural Selection-organisms with
favorable genes are more likely
to survive and reproduce
(7)Interdependence-
organisms have evolved to
interact with other organisms
Ecology-the science that
studies the interactions of
living organisms with the
nonliving part of their
environment