Chapter 1.5-1.8 : Invitation to Biology

critical thinking

Mental process of judging information before accepting it.

science

Systematic study of nature.

hypothesis

Testable explanation of a natural phenomenon.

law of nature

Generalization that describes a consistent natural phenomenon for which there is incomplete scientific explanation.

model

System similar to an object or event that cannot itself be rested directly.

prediction

A statement, based on a hypothesis, about a condition that should exist if the hypothesis is not wrong.

scientific theory

Hypothesis that has not been disproven after many years of rigorous testing, and is useful for making predictions about other phenomena.

control group

A group of objects or individuals that is identical to an experimental group except for one variable.

experiment

A test designed to support or falsify a prediction.

experimental group

A group of objects or individuals that display or are exposed to a variable under investigation.

variable

A characteristic or event that differs among individuals.

sampling error

Difference between results derived from testing an entire group of events or individuals, and results derived from testing a subset of the group.

statistically significant

Refers to a result that is statistically unlikely to have occurred by chance.

observation

first step of scientific approach

question

second step of scientific approach

hypothesis

third step of scientific approach

prediction

fourth step of scientific approach

test (observational)

fifth step of scientific approach

test (experimental)

sixth step of scientific approach

report results

final step of scientific approach