The Science of Biology Mr. Freidhoff

Can you solve this?

What is Science? Science is an organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world. Science is a process, not a “thing”. Experiment = Learning.

What is Science? Science has gathered an enormous amount of information about the natural world. Science also is an understanding what we don’t know.

The Scientific Method

“Scientific Method” Steps in solving a problem or researching a topic. Observation Ask Question Form Hypothesis Experimentation Analyze Results Accept Hypothesis Reject Hypothesis

Scientific Method Memes

Hypothesis A hypothesis is a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations. “Educated guess”

Experimentation Experiment: Includes procedure and materials used. Controlled Experiments: An experiment where only one variable is changed at a time.

Variables Independent Variable: the part of the experiment that you change. One variable Dependent Variables: the part of the experiment that changes as a result of the manipulation. Scientists collect data from DV

A Scientific Theory Scientific Theory: A well tested explanation that makes sense of a great variety of scientific facts and observations. Is supported by a large body of evidence. “It’s just a theory” Theories can change with new evidence. Theories never become laws.

Fact: objective and verifiable observation. Facts support theories. Fact: My shirt is blue.

Pseudoscience Pseudoscience: A collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method. Astrology Alternative Medicine Toxins

Chapter 1: An Introduction to Environmental Science Mr. Freidhoff

Environment Environment: includes all of the living and nonliving things which organisms interact with in a particular area. How do you affect the environment? Think of ways you affect your surrounds environment. Create a list of as many of these ways as possible.

Renewable Resources Naturally replenished resources that are renewed over a short period of time. Wind Solar Wave Energy Geothermal

Nonrenewable Resources Naturally occurring resources formed much more slowly than we use them. Coal Gas Nuclear Petroleum Natural Gas

Fossil Fuels Nonrenewable material that is used in the production of energy. Examples Oil Coal Natural Gas

What does the human population look like on a graph?

Sustainable Living Resources are equally used at a rate in which they are being produced. Trees are cut down to be used for wood, paper, and other products. Trees are replanted for future use at an equal volume.

Ecological Footprint Measures how much land and water area a human population requires to live. Land must produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes under prevailing technology.

Discussion Why does the United States have such a large ecological footprint? Why do other countries have a small ecological footprint? What can the United States and other countries do to shrink our footprint? How are people in other parts of the world affected by the increased use of resources and the decrease in productive land?

Ethics Branch of philosophy that involves the study of behavior. Good vs. bad Right vs. wrong Moral values held by a person or a society. Promoting human welfare.

Environmental Ethics Ethical standards within a relationship between humans and their environment.

Tragedy of the commons Commons: Areas or resources that are available to everyone. Land When people use resources unregulated, resources can’t be replenished. Hurts everyone using the resource. A common area can support a small population, not a large one.

Tragedy of the commons In other words, everyone acts as an independent, ignoring the group's collective interests in favour of their own. What is E-Waste? Electronic Waste Describes discarded electrical or electronic devices

E-WASTE