Claim, Evidence, Reasoning and Biological Foundations

Vocabulary terms covering scientific methodology, lab equipment, graphing standards, characteristics of life, and cellular organization.

Claim

A complete statement that answers an investigative question regarding what you think or what you’ve found out, which should not begin with a "yes" or "no".

Evidence

Quantitative or qualitative data, facts, or observations gathered through experiments or research that support a claim.

Reasoning

The explanation of what the evidence means and how it supports a claim, often including scientific concepts, principles, or data analysis.

Scientific Method

An organized plan for gathering, organizing, and communicating information.

Observation

Information that is obtained through the senses.

Inferences

An assumption based on prior experience.

Quantitative observation

Measures of value or counts expressed as numbers, such as height or weight.

Qualitative observation

Measures of types that may be measured by a name, symbol, or color using the five senses.

Independent Variable

The manipulated variable that causes a change in another; it is graphed on the X-axis.

Dependent Variable

The responding variable that changes in response to the manipulated variable; it is graphed on the Y-axis.

Constant

The variable in an experiment that remains the same.

DRY MIX

An acronym for remembering variables: Dependent Responds Y-axis; Manipulated Independent X-axis.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation to a situation or problem, typically written as an "If… then…" statement using future tense.

Controlled Experiment

An experiment where only one variable, the independent variable, is deliberately changed at a time.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that is exposed to the independent variable and receives treatment.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that is not exposed to the independent variable and receives no treatment.

Compound Light Microscope

An instrument that allows light to pass through a specimen and uses two lenses to form an image.

SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope)

A type of electron microscope that uses beams of electrons to scan the outer surfaces of specimens.

TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope)

A type of electron microscope that uses beams of electrons to show detailed images of inner structures.

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the true value.

Precision

How exact a measurement is, based on measurements made in the same way; more precision is indicated by more decimal places.

Metric System

An International System of measurement scaled on multiples of $10$, using base units like meters ($m$) for length, liters ($L$) for volume, and grams ($g$) for mass.

Meniscus

The bottom of the curve formed by the line of liquid in a graduated cylinder, which should be read at eye level.

SULTAN Method

An acronym for elements of a good graph: Scale, Units, Labels, Title, Accuracy, and Neatness.

Homeostasis

The regulation of constant internal conditions within a normal range.

Adaptation

Inherited characteristics and changes that occur over time resulting in evolution.

Biology

The study of life and living things.

Biotic Factor

The living factors in an organism's environment, such as predators and plant-life.

Abiotic Factor

The non-living factors in an organism's environment, such as rainfall and temperature.

Cells

The basic unit of life responsible for all life's processes.

Organelles

Organized, specialized structures making up cells; considered nonliving when isolated.

Eukaryotic Cell

Cells that contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles, found in plants, animals, fungi, and protists.

Prokaryotic Cell

Simpler cells without a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles, typically found in bacteria.

Binary Fission

The division of a prokaryotic cell into $2$ identical cells.

Viruses

Nonliving particles of nucleic acid, protein, and sometimes lipids that can only reproduce by infecting living cells.

Mitochondria

The organelle that converts carbohydrates into cellular energy.

Chloroplasts

Organelles found in plants and some bacteria that convert light energy into carbohydrates.

Golgi Apparatus

The organelle responsible for sorting, packaging, and transporting proteins.