Science of Life Honors Biology Study Guide

What is biogenesis?

living things come from other living things

What is the difference between a scientific theory and scientific law?

theory= hypothesis that has been tested with lots of data

law= a pattern in nature, generally doesn’t include an explanation of “why”

Until what year did people believe that life arose from nonliving things through spontaneous generation?

1668

To be living, something must show all _____ characteristics

8

1- living things are made of cells (CELLS)

cells are tiny but highly organized units that can grow/divide

2- living things reproduce (REPRODUCE)

either through sexual or asexual reproduction

3- living things have a universal genetic code (DNA)

DNA carries the blueprint required to give the organism characteristics

4- living things grow (GROW)

some get larger, some develop

5- living things require energy (ENERGY)

sun, chemicals, eating, etc

6- living things respond to their enviroment

have to react to change around them

7- living things maintain internal balance (HOMEOSTASIS)

this balance is known as homeostasis

8- living things change over time (EVOLUTION)

groups of organisms that adapt through evolution

Things the body can regulate:

body temp, glucose, sleeping, breathing rates, water levels

evolution definition:

group of organisms change over time to adapt to their enviroment

how do scientists decide living, non living, once living?

living- all 8 characteristics

once living- used to have all 8 characteristics

dead/nonliving- has 7 or less characteristics

homeostasis definition:

the body's automatic process to maintain a stable, steady internal environment even when the outside world changes

IV-

factor we changed on purpose (x)

DV-

factor we measure (y)

Hypothesis:

If _____ then ________ because... IV;DV

peers:

people at the same or higher level of education

peer review process:

1. peers review your experiment for flaws

2. If satisfied, it may be published in a scientific journal

!One of the most important ways to avoid faulty science!

anthropocentrism:

human welfare and human population

biocentrism:

every organism even humans

ecocentrism:

ecosystems or communities as a whole

Data:

information collected from an experiment

quantitative data:

numbers or statistics

qualitative data:

words, qualities, characteristics, opinions, etc

what does the conclusion do?

supports or rejects the hypothesis; not used to prove that something is true

spontaneous generation:

life arose from nonliving things

What are the 2 reasoning’s used in a hypothesis?

inductive=looks for patterns or rules in the natural world

deductive=compares new things to the rules of the world

What is a controlled experiment?

an experiment that only changes one variable at a time

What is a scientific theory?

explains a phenomenon and is supported by many different fields of evidence

EG-

the factor being tested/changed (receives the IV)

CG-

the group separated/compared from experiments test

constants-

factor that stays the same