BIO 1110 - Chapter 1: What is Science?

What is Science?

A process of inquiry by which we come to discover and better understand the natural world.

What does the term 'flasifiable' mean?

Able to be proved to be false.

What is Biology?

The scientific study of life.

What are the properties of life?

Ordered organization, regulation of internal environment, growth and development, energy processing (metabolism), response to the environment, and reproduction.

What are the three domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya.

What is the Scientific Method?

A formal process of inquiry used to test hypotheses.

What is a hypothesis?

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon or a set of observations that must be specific, testable, and falsifiable.

What is Discovery Science?

A type of science that describes nature.

What is Hypothesis-Driven Science?

A type of science that explains nature.

What is an experimental group?

A group of individuals who are exposed to a particular treatment in an experiment.

What is a control group?

A group that is not exposed to the treatment in an experiment.

What are independent and dependent variables?

Independent variable is changed or manipulated, while the dependent variable is measured and is dependent on the independent variable.

What is a theory in science?

A comprehensive explanation supported by abundant evidence that needs to be repeatedly tested.

Give examples of scientific theories.

Atomic theory, Gravitational theory, Cell theory, Evolutionary theory.

What does 'controlling variables' mean?

Minimizing differences between a control group and an experimental group other than the treatment itself.

What is replication in an experiment?

Repeating the experiment to determine the accuracy of the data.