1. Chapter One The Science of Biology
Bio A – Mrs. Sleevi

2. What is science? Facts and ideas Not stagnant new discoveries
rejection of some ideas
confirmation of other ideas

3. Why do we study science? Provide explanation of the natural world
Understand structure and function of living organisms
Understand the interaction between living organisms and the physical world
To make predictions
‘Cause it’s neat stuff

4. Is there such a thing as “settled science”?
What does science provide?
Proof?
Evidence?
Conjecture?
Certainty?
Uncertainty?
Science is never 100% settled. Science is about narrowing uncertainty. (scepticalscientist.com)

5. How do we do science? The Scientific Method Observations/Questions
Formulate hypothesis
Design controlled experiment
Collect/analyze the data
Draw conclusions
Evaluate the hypothesis based on the outcomes; change as needed; conduct further experiments

6. What if the hypothesis appears to be wrong?

7. The controlled experiment
Independent variable (IV)
deliberately changed in the experiment
Values that are “tested”
Sometimes referred to as the “I-Change” variable
Dependent variable (DV)
What is measured
Result is expected to vary based upon the value of the IV
Constants
Those variables that are held the same regardless of the value of the IV

8. The controlled experiment
Redi’s Experiment – YouTube
What was the control in Redi’s experiment?
How would you describe the control?

9. Examples of Experimental Design
The Effect of the IV on the DV….
The Effect of Different Aged Compost on Bean Plant Growth
The Effect of Different Perfumes on Bee Behavior
The Effect of Volume of Water on Plant Growth
The Effect of Various Concentrations of Chemical X on the Growth of Tomato Plants

10. Qualitative vs Quantitative Data
When conducting experiments…

11. Do we always collect data from an actual experiment?

12. Scientific Inquiry Exercise

13. How is scientific knowledge organized?
Scientific Law
A concise statement that summarizes the results of a broad spectrum of observations and experiments’
Describes a natural phenonmenon
Does not attempt to explain it
Often expressed by simple mathematical relationships
Gas Laws
Thermodynamics
Conservation of Energy
Conservation of Mass

14. How is scientific knowledge organized?
Theory
A thoroughly tested explanation of why experiments give certain results.
A theory can never be proved, only disproved
Useful to provide mental pictures of objects or processes that cannot be seen
Predict the behavior of natural systems under varying circumstances

15. The anatomy of a scientist….
A scientist is…..
Curious
Skeptical
Creative
Open-minded

16. Are discoveries always what we set out to find?
“Chance favors the prepared mind” Louis Pasteur ( ), France “Serendipity” Post-It notes Teflon Penicillin

17. Preconceived Notions
Beware!
Bias

18. How do we share scientific data?√
Peer-reviewed journals
Presentations at scientific meetings
Blogs
Wikipedia √ × ×

19. Other aspects…. Ethics Morality
Although very important to society, pure science is about content. The application of the technology we obtain requires evaluation with respect to its impact and ethics.
Biology seeks to understand and define WHAT life is, not WHY life exists. We leave that to the philosophers and theologians and other fellow travelers.

20. What is Biology?
Greek: Bios = Life
-ology = study of

21. Characteristics of Living Things
Cells
Genetic Code
Obtain and use materials for energy (metabolism)
Grow/Develop
Reproduce (sexual or asexual)
Respond to the environment
Maintain stable internal environment (homeostasis)
Change over time

22. How is science organized?
By discipline
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Geology
Others
By specialty within the discipline
Microbiology
Ecology
Biochemistry
Biopharmaceutical
Genetics
Zoology
Botany

23. Topics for this semester
Technology
Chemistry of Life
Cells
Structure and function
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
Cell Growth
Genetics
Early Genetics (Mendel)
DNA
RNA
Heredity
Genetic Engineering