BIOL 1170 Lab Notes: Safety, Measurements, Conversions, Graphing, and Scientific Method

Vocabulary flashcards covering lab safety rules, measurement concepts, unit conversions, graphing, and the scientific method from the lecture notes.

Gloves

Protect hands from toxic chemicals; use to avoid skin contact; wash skin immediately if contact occurs.

Rinse eyes under cold water

Immediately flush eyes with cold water if chemical exposure occurs; do not delay.

Read and follow container labels

Read labels on chemical containers before use to identify hazards and proper handling.

No guests in the lab

Do not bring guests (including children) into the lab due to safety hazards.

No food or drinks in the lab

Eating or drinking is prohibited in the laboratory to prevent contamination and exposure.

Closed-toe shoes

Shoes that fully cover the toes; required in the lab for safety.

Open-toed shoes

Shoes that expose the toes; not allowed in the lab.

Clean bench area

Keep your bench and work areas clean to avoid contamination and risk.

Laboratory Safety Contract

A safety agreement that must be read and signed before participating in lab activities.

Measurement

The process of determining the size, amount, or degree of something in an experiment.

Range

Difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Conversion

Process of changing units or measurement systems (e.g., inches to centimeters).

Mean (Average)

Arithmetic mean; sum of values divided by the number of values.

Median

Middle value in an ordered data set.

Scientific Method

Systematic approach to investigating questions, including forming hypotheses and testing them; conclusions are supported by evidence.

Hypothesis

Proposed explanation to answer questions about observations; testable.

Theory

Well-supported explanation of phenomena, repeatedly tested by many scientists; not proven, supported by evidence.

Celsius

Temperature scale used in the metric system.

Centimeter (cm)

Unit of length in the metric system; 1 cm = 0.01 m.

Meter (m)

Base unit of length in the metric system.

Kilometer (km)

Unit of length equal to 1,000 meters.

Gram (g)

Unit of mass in the metric system.

Milligram (mg)

Smaller unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a gram.

Milliliter (mL)

Unit of volume in the metric system; used for liquids.

Liter (L)

Unit of volume equal to 1,000 milliliters.

Inch

Unit of length in the imperial system; 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters.

Inches to centimeters conversion

To convert inches to centimeters, multiply by 2.54 (1 in = 2.54 cm).

Graduated cylinder

Measuring instrument for liquid volumes; read the meniscus at eye level.

Meniscus

The curved surface of a liquid in a graduated cylinder; read at eye level.

Independent variable

Variable deliberately changed by the experimenter; plotted on the X-axis.

Dependent variable

Variable measured in response to the independent variable; plotted on the Y-axis.

X-axis

Horizontal axis on a graph representing the independent variable.

Y-axis

Vertical axis on a graph representing the dependent variable.

Next week's quiz

Quiz at the beginning of the next lab session.

Microscope

Instrument used to magnify small objects.

Eye-level reading

Reading measurements at eye level to avoid parallax error.