Basics

Biology Nomenclature

a system that assigns names to every living creature, enabling scientists to communicate effectively across borders

Nomenclature

Based on the hierarchy of organisms

Level 1

Domain

Domain includes:

Bacteria, archaea, eukarya

Bacteria, Archaea

Single cell organism w/o nucleus

Eukarya

Multicellular w nucleus

Level 2:

Kingdom

Eukarya’s Kingdom

• Animila (animals)

• Plantae (plant)

• Fungi (fungus)

level 3

Phylum: kingdoms divided into phyla.

Chordate Phylum

Has notochord, vertebrate

level 4

class

Within chordate:

• mammalia

• aves (birds)

Level 5

Order: classes divided into orders

• carnivore: eat meat

Level 6

Family: orders divided into families

Felidae family

Cats, domestic cats and tigers

level 7

Genus: families into genera

Felius Catus (genus)

House cat

level 8, The most specific level. It consists of individuals that can interbreed and produce offspring

Species

Bionomial nomenclature

Genus + Species

Unicellular

Single - ceiled organisms like bacteria

Multicellular

Organisms made up of many cells, like animals and plants

Sexual reproduction

Two parents contributing genetic material

Asexual reproduction

One parent giving rise to genetically identical offspring

Independent variable

Factor being tested I the thing the scientist purposefully changes for each variable

Which step takes note of measurable outcomes (quantity & quality)

Conducting the experiment

Observation

This is where it all starts. Scientists make observations about the world around them. They notice something interesting, unusual, or something they want to learn more about. These observations can come from everyday life, reading, or even from previous experiments. An easy way to determine if something is an observation? Simply ask yourself if it is something someone can notice using their five senses.

Asking a Question

Once scientists observe something, they come up with a question they want to answer. This question should be clear and specific, like “Why does the sun look bigger on the horizon?” or “How does temperature affect plant growth?”

Forming a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is like a scientific guess. It’s an educated prediction that tries to answer a question. It’s based on what the scientist already knows and what they’ve observed. For example, if the question is about the sun looking bigger on the horizon, a hypothesis could be, “The sun looks bigger on the horizon because of an optical illusion caused by the Earth’s atmosphere.”

Conducting an Experiment

An experiment is a way to test a hypothesis. It’s a carefully planned and controlled test to see if a hypothesis is right or wrong. Scientists create experiments by setting up specific conditions and variables (things that can change) to see what happens. They collect data, which is information that they can use to analyze the results.

Analyzing the Data:

After running the experiment, scientists look at the data they’ve collected. They compare the data to their hypothesis to see if it supports their prediction (hypothesis). They might use graphs, charts, or calculations to make sense of the information.

Drawing a Conclusion

Based on the data they’ve collected and analyzed, scientists can draw a conclusion. This is where they answer the original question: Is the hypothesis supported by the data? If the data supports the hypothesis, the scientist might say it’s “confirmed” or “supported.” If the data doesn’t match the hypothesis, the scientist might say it’s “refuted” or “not supported.”