Learning Objectives: Intro to Bio

Chapter 1 (on exam 1)

List the five fundamental characteristics of life

Energy, cells, hereditary info, replication, and evolution

Define a hypothesis

A testable statement that explains something observed

2 steps - 1) state hypothesis as precisely as possible and list predictions. 2) design an observational experimental study to test predictions.

Define scientific theory

An explanation for a very general class of phenomena/observations that are supported by lots of evidence.

2 parts: Pattern - something that occurs in natural world and Process - what creates or explains pattern

Similarities between scientific theory and hypothesis

Both falsifiable, an observation, and an explanation

Example of a hypothesis

Cells arise from cells

Define cell theory

All organisms are made up of cells (pattern). All cells come from preexisting cells (process).

What are the implications of cell theory

Because all cells come from preexisting cells…

• All single celled organisms are related by common ancestry.

Define the two central theories of biology

The cell theory (cell is the fundamental structural unit in all living organisms) and theory of evolution (all species are related by common ancestry and have changed by natural selection).

Define heritable characteristics

Features passed from parents to offspring through genes (units of inheritance)

List the levels of the three-domain taxonomic system

Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species (domain bacteria, archaea, and eukarya) (Dear King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup)

List and define the components of a controlled experiment

• Test a single independent variable

• Includes a control group

• Reapeated