1. 1.1 Introduction to Biology
The Study of Life
1.1 Introduction to Biology
1.2 The Nature of Science
1.3 Methods of Science

2. What is Biology? Biology: the science of life Biologists
Study the diversity of life
Research diseases
Develop technologies
Improve agriculture
Preserve the environment

3. All Living Things…. Are made of one or more cells Are organized
Grow and develop
Reproduce
Respond to stimuli
Require energy
Maintain homeostasis
Evolve over time

4. Levels of Organization in Living Things
Molecules ↓
Cells
Tissues
Organs
Systems
Organisms
Populations (members of the same species)
Communities (members of several species)
Ecosystems (living and non-living elements)
Biosphere

5. What is Science?
Science: the body of knowledge based on the study of nature (biology, chemistry, physics, Earth science)
How is science different than your other classes? In science class we will:
Relies on evidence
Explain scientific knowledge
Challenge accepted theories
Question results
Test Claims
Use peer review
Use the metric system

6. Comprehension Check
What is the difference between an inference and an observation?
Why should scientists be observant, curious, skeptical, and open-minded?

7. How does science work?
Science follows a process (sometimes called the scientific method):
Ask a Question
Observations: collected with your senses
Inferences: made with your mind
Form a hypothesis
A testable explanation of a situation
Collect Data
Controlled Experiments have control and experimental groups
Independent
Dependent Variables
Constants
Data: Quantitative (numbers) and Qualitative (descriptions)
Analyze Data
Graphs and Charts
Report Conclusions

8. Comprehension Check
Identify if the following are qualitative or quantitative data:
The beans were light green in color
The ostrich gained 4.3 grams over a period of 6 weeks
The beaker contained 300 mL of red liquid

9. Making a Valid Hypothesis
Must make a prediction
Must be stated in the “If … then…” format
Must be testable

10. Experimental Design B
A fish was taken from one fish tank with a population of sixty fish to another fish tank with a population of six fish. The fish’s rate of breathing decreased. What was the most probable cause for this decrease?
The population density did not change.
The temperature in the tank increased.
The concentration of oxygen in the tank decreased.
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the tank decreased.

11. Experimental Design B
A fish was taken from one fish tank with a population of sixty fish to another fish tank with a population of six fish. The fish’s rate of breathing decreased. What was the most probable cause for this decrease?
The population density did not change.
The temperature in the tank increased.
The concentration of oxygen in the tank decreased.
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the tank decreased.

12. Tools of the Biologist
Scientists use the Metric System of Measurement (S.I.)
based on multiples of 10
Scientific data are recorded in tables and graphs
Examples of metric units:

13. Experimental Design A
A scientist has planned an experiment where the growth of mice populations in four aquariums is observed. Each aquarium will initially contain 10 mice and will receive the following food regimens:
Aquarium 1: 5 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 2: 7 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 3: 10 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 4: 15 grams food pellets/day
What is the scientists most likely studying in this experiment?
a. The effect of habitat size on mice population growth
b. The effect of available food resources on mice population growth
c. How resource availability changes in a given environment
d. The effect of mice population on hawk population

14. Experimental Design A
A scientist has planned an experiment where the growth of mice populations in four aquariums is observed. Each aquarium will initially contain 10 mice and will receive the following food regimens:
Aquarium 1: 5 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 2: 7 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 3: 10 grams food pellets/day
Aquarium 4: 15 grams food pellets/day
What is the scientists most likely studying in this experiment?
a. The effect of habitat size on mice population growth
b. The effect of available food resources on mice population growth
c. How resource availability changes in a given environment
d. The effect of mice population on hawk population

15. Microscope Basics 1. Compound Light Microscope:
uses light reflected by two or more lenses
We have many of these in the room
Used to see Living objects
Special Type of Scope: Stereoscope
2. Electron Microscope
Uses electrons reflected by magnets.
Can be used only with dead or non-living specimens
These are very large, about the size of the teacher desk up to the size of a whole room

16. Scope Vocabulary Field of view Working Distance Depth-of-field
What you see when looking in the eyepiece
Gets smaller when you increase magnification
Working Distance
Distance between objectives and stage
Gets smaller when you use the high power objectives
Depth-of-field
Occurs when you are looking closely at the layers of a specimen, you can actually see different layers at the same time!

17. Compound Light Microscopes versus Stereoscopes
Eyepieces (2 vs 1):
2 eyepieces allow for a 3-D image
Lights (2 vs 1):
2 lights allow you to see solid objects
Size of Object:
Larger working distances allows you to see bigger things

18. Marty Martian was sent to Earth by the Martian government to
The Martian and the Car
Marty Martian was sent to Earth by the Martian government to
find life. While on Earth, Marty captured a car and brought it
back to Mars. He thought he'd found a good example of life on Earth. The Martian government does not believe that the car Marty brought back is alive. Marty must stand trial for failing to perform his Martian duties.
At the trail, Marty spoke in his defense. "I first saw these life forms rolling along roads in great numbers. They were giving off thick clouds of poisonous waste as they moved. They seemed to exhibit herding behavior, as many of the cars moved in the same direction. They appeared to have a great deal of energy, some of them moved faster than 60 kilometers per hour. When one of these life forms stopped or slow down, the others behind it responded. They slowed down and gave off a reddish light from the back, and sometimes they would make honking noises. I observed that they would stop to feed on a liquid substance."
Take the part of Marty's defense attorney and make a good case for the car's being alive. Then be the prosecutor and show that the car is a nonliving thing.
Defense Attorney Prosecutor
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