Miller and Levine Biology The Science of Biology Chapter 1

What is science?

An organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world.

Observation

The act of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

inference

A logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience.

hypothesis

a tentative scientific explanation that can be tested further observation or by experimentation; the best explanation for a set of data

controlled experiment

An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time.

independent variable

variable that is manipulated; what is being tested

dependent variable

the variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable; what is being measured

control group

in an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

Data

Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations.

field study

research that takes place outside the laboratory

Sources of Error

anything that can have an effect on the results of an experiment

Theory

well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

bias

a personal, rather than scientific point of view for or against something

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking questions and defining problems

Developing and using models

Planning and carrying out investigations

Analyzing and interpreting data

Using mathematical and computational thinking

Constructing explanations and designing solutions

Engaging in argument from evidence

Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

scientific attitudes

curiosity, skepticism, open-mindedness, and creativity

peer review

A process by which the procedures and results of an experiment are evaluated by other scientists who are in the same field or who are conducting similar research.

scientific ethics

study of the impact of technology and science on human society

Biology

the study of living or once living things

Characteristics of life

reproduce, grow, respond, cells, DNA, energy

sexual reproduction

type of reproduction in which cells from two parents unite to form the first cell of a new organism

asexual reproduction

A reproductive process that involves only one parent and produces offspring that are identical to the parent.

DNA

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes; deoxyribonucleic acid

Growth

increase in size

development

the process of change that occurs during an organism's life to produce a more complex organism

Metabolism

the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.

Stimulus

a signal to which an organism responds

Homeostasis

process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment

Evolution

The gradual change in a species over time

evolve

Change over time

Crosscutting Concepts in biology

cause and effect

systems and system models

stability and change

patterns

scale, proportion and quantity

energy and matter

structure and function

Biological Levels of Organization

Atom, Molecule, Compound, Organelle, Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ systems, Organisms, populations, ecosystems, biome

Scientific Measurement

a standard or fixed quantity used by everyone when measuring.

metric system

a system of measurement based on the number 10

SI units

a system of physical units ( SI Units ) based on the meter, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, and mole, together with a set of prefixes to indicate multiplication or division by a power of ten.; measurement systems used in science