The study of life (chapter 1)

What are the earliest (first) form of life on earth?

Scientists believe that the first forms of life on Earth were microorganisms that existed for billions of years in the Ocean before plants and animals appeared.

What is biology?

the scientific study of life

Is biology considered as science? If so what is science?

Yes. We can define science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge") as knowledge that covers

general truths or the operation of general laws, especially when acquired and tested by the scientific method. It

becomes clear from this definition that applying scientific method plays a major role in science. The scientific

method is a method of research with defined steps that include experiments and careful observation. (In here we have link to another question about scientific method)

One thing is common to all forms of science: an ultimate goal "to know." Curiosity and inquiry are the driving forces

for the development of science. Scientists seek to understand the world and the way it operates. To do this, they use

two methods of logical thinking: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. (In here we have link to another question about inductive and deductive reasoning).

What is scientific method?

A logical, systematic approach to the solution of a scientific problem. The scientific

method is a method of research with defined steps that include experiments and careful observation. one of the most important aspects of this method is the

testing of hypotheses by means of repeatable experiments. A hypothesis is a suggested explanation for an event,

which one can test. These areas of study are still sciences, however. Consider archaeology—even though one cannot perform repeatable

experiments, hypotheses may still be supported. For instance, archaeologists can hypothesize that an ancient

culture existed based on finding a piece of pottery. They could make further hypotheses about various

characteristics of this culture, which could be correct or false through continued support or contradictions from

other findings. A hypothesis may become a verified theory. A theory is a tested and confirmed explanation for

observations or phenomena. (In here we have link to hypothesis and theory)

What are steps in scientific method?

1. Make an observation 2. Ask a question 3. Form hypothesis 4. Make predictions based on hypothesis 5. Do an experiment 6. Analyze results (are your hypothesis supported or not) 7. Report results.

Proposing a hypothesis - To solve a problem, one can propose several

hypotheses. For example, one hypothesis might be, "The classroom is warm because no one turned on the air

conditioning." However, there could be other responses to the question, and therefore one may propose other

hypotheses. A second hypothesis might be, "The classroom is warm because there is a power failure, and so the air

conditioning doesn't work."

Once one has selected a hypothesis, the student can make a prediction. A prediction is similar to a hypothesis but it

typically has the format "If . . . then . . . ." For example, the prediction for the first hypothesis might be, "If the

student turns on the air conditioning, then the classroom will no longer be too warm."

To test hypothesis-A valid hypothesis must be testable. It should also be falsifiable, meaning that experimental results can disprove it.

Importantly, science does not claim to "prove" anything because scientific understandings are always subject to

modification with further information. This step—openness to disproving ideas—is what distinguishes sciences from

non-sciences. The presence of the supernatural, for instance, is neither testable nor falsifiable.

To test a hypothesis,

a researcher will conduct one or more experiments designed to eliminate one or more of the hypotheses. Each

experiment will have one or more variables and one or more controls. A variable is any part of the experiment that

can vary or change during the experiment. The control group contains every feature of the experimental group

except it is not given the manipulation that the researcher hypothesizes.

To test the first hypothesis, the

student would find out if the air conditioning is on. If the air conditioning is turned on but does not work, there

should be another reason, and the student should reject this hypothesis. To test the second hypothesis, the student

could check if the lights in the classroom are functional. If so, there is no power failure and the student should reject

this hypothesis. The students should test each hypothesis by carrying out appropriate experiments. Be aware that

rejecting one hypothesis does not determine whether or not one can accept the other hypotheses. It simply

eliminates one hypothesis that is not valid.

warm classroom” example is based on observational results, other hypotheses and experiments might

have clearer controls. For instance, a student might attend class on Monday and realize she had difficulty

concentrating on the lecture. One observation to explain this occurrence might be, “When I eat breakfast before

class, I am better able to pay attention.” The student could then design an experiment with a control to test this

hypothesis.

What’s a hypothesis and theory in science? Difference between them.

one of the most important aspects of this method is the

testing of hypotheses by means of repeatable experiments. A hypothesis is a suggested explanation for an event,

which one can test.

These areas of study are still sciences, however. Consider archaeology—even though one cannot perform repeatable

experiments, hypotheses may still be supported. For instance, archaeologists can hypothesize that an ancient

culture existed based on finding a piece of pottery. They could make further hypotheses about various

characteristics of this culture, which could be correct or false through continued support or contradictions from

other findings. A hypothesis may become a verified theory. A theory is a tested and confirmed explanation for

observations or phenomen

What is life science and physical science?

Other scholars choose

to divide natural sciences into life sciences, which study living things and include biology, and physical sciences,

which study nonliving matter and include astronomy, geology, physics, and chemistry. Some disciplines such as

biophysics and biochemistry build on both life and physical sciences and are interdisciplinary. Some refer to natural

sciences as “hard science” because they rely on the use of quantitative data. Social sciences that study society and

human behavior are more likely to use qualitative assessments to drive investigations and findings.

What is indicative and deductive reasoning? What is their importance?

Scientists seek to understand the world and the way it operates. To do this, they use

two methods of logical thinking: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion.

This type of reasoning is common in descriptive science. A life scientist such as a biologist makes observations and

records them. These data can be qualitative or quantitative, and one can supplement the raw data with drawings,

pictures, photos, or videos. From many observations, the scientist can infer conclusions (inductions) based on

evidence. Inductive reasoning involves formulating generalizations inferred from careful observation and analyzing a

large amount of data.

Deductive reasoning or deduction is the type of logic used in hypothesis-based science. In deductive reasoning, the

pattern of thinking moves in the opposite direction as compared to inductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is a

form of logical thinking that uses a general principle or law to predict specific results. From those general principles,

a scientist can deduce and predict the specific results that would be valid as long as the general principles are valid.

What are descriptive and hypothesis-based science?

Both inductive and deductive types of logical thinking are related to the two main pathways of scientific study: descriptive science and

hypothesis-based science. Descriptive (or discovery) science, which is usually inductive, aims to observe, explore,

and discover, while hypothesis-based science, which is usually deductive, begins with a specific question or

problem and a potential answer or solution that one can test.

Talk about scientific reasoning.

One thing is common to all forms of science: an ultimate goal “to know.” Curiosity and inquiry are the driving forces

for the development of science. Scientists seek to understand the world and the way it operates. To do this, they use

two methods of logical thinking: inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning.

Visual graph on pg15.

What are basic and applied science?

of science. Is

it valuable to pursue science for the sake of simply gaining knowledge, or does scientific knowledge only have worth

if we can apply it to solving a specific problem or to bettering our lives? This question focuses on the differences

between two types of science: basic science and applied science.

Basic science or “pure” science seeks to expand knowledge regardless of the short-term application of that

knowledge. It is not focused on developing a product or a service of immediate public or commercial value.

In contrast, applied science or “technology,” aims to use science to solve real-world problems, making it possible,

for example, to improve a crop yield, find a cure for a particular disease, or save animals threatened by a natural

disaster

What’s the last step of scientific research?

Whether scientific research is basic science or applied science, scientists must share their findings in order for other

researchers to expand and build upon their discoveries. Collaboration with other scientists—when planning,

conducting, and analyzing results—is important for scientific research. For this reason, important aspects of a

scientist’s work are communicating with peers and disseminating results to peers. Scientists can share results by

presenting them at a scientific meeting or conference, but this approach can reach only the select few who are

present. Instead, most scientists present their results in peer-reviewed manuscripts that are published in scientific

journals. Peer-reviewed manuscripts are scientific papers that a scientist’s colleagues or peers review. These

colleagues are qualified individuals, often experts in the same research area, who judge whether or not the

scientist’s work is suitable for publication.

The scientific paper consists of several specific sections—introduction, materials and methods, results, and

discussion. This structure is sometimes called the “IMRaD” format.