Experimental Design (Biology Honors)

Experimental design study, such as independent and dependent variables

What are the two types of scientific observations?

Qualitive and Quantitative

What is qualitive observation?

Research method using your five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing).

What is quantitative observation?

Research method using numerical and statistics to collect data.

What is a ‘hypothesis’?

A testable prediction based on observations that describes cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

What is the format of a hypothesis?

If _____________, then ___________.

What is the independent variable (IV)?

The thing the researcher will deliberately change or manipulate in the experiment.

What axis on a graph do you put the independent variable?

X-axis

What is the dependent variable? (DV)?

The thing that changes in response to the independent variable.

What axis on a graph do you put the dependent variable?

Y-axis

What is the experimental group?

The group that receives the special treatment.

What is the control group?

The group that doesn’t get any special treatment, usually compared with the experimental group. Also known as the “experimental control”.

What are constants?

The things between the experimental groups and control group that you keep the same.

Why do scientists repeat experiments?

To ensure the results aren’t due to chance and ensure the data is precise.

What does the line graph do?

Used to show the change of information over a period of time.

What does the bar graph do?

Used to compare things between different groups.

What could be an example of the usage of a bar graph? (you can click this and stuff yeahyeah)

The number of bus riders and car riders at Northwest versus Page High School

What could be an example of the usage of a line graph? (you can click this and stuff too yeahyeah)

The growth of legume plants over time as they experience varying amounts of water.

What pH level are neutral liquids?

Exactly 7

What pH level are acidic liquids?

Under 7

What pH level are base liquids?

Above 7

What are buffers and what do they do?

Substances that help keep the pH of a liquid stable. They are important for maintaining homeostasis by keeping the pH of our body (cells) neutral.

What are the eight characteristics of life?

• Obtain and use energy

• Cells

• Grow and develop

• Reproduce

• Contains DNA

• Respond to the environment

• Maintain an internal balance called homeostasis

• Evolve

What are the two types of organisms that obtain and use their energy?

• Autotrophs - Organisms that can make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. (ex. plants)

• Heterotroph - Organisms get their energy by breaking down organic molecules that come from living things. (ex. animals)

What are the two types of cells? (composition)

• Unicellular - Composed of one cell (ex. bacteria)

• Multicellular - Composed of more than one cell (frog and tree)

What is growth vs development?

• Growth - Using cell division (multicellular) and cell enlargement (unicellular)

• Development - Cell differentiation (cell chose jobs)

What are two types of of reproduction?

• Asexual reproduction - One parent; offspring are identical to parent

• Sexual reproduction - Offspring are genetically different from both parents.

What is stimuli vs response?

• Stimuli - The change in an environment that triggers the response.

• Response - The reaction to a stimuli.

Examples of homeostasis?

Shivering and sweating

Define Evolution

Change in the frequency of traits over time.

Define Natural Selection

Organisms better suited to the environment will survive and reproduce more than organisms not as suited to the environment.

Levels of Organization

• Atomic Level

• Molecular Level

• Cellular Level

• Tissue Level

• Organ Level

• Organ System Level

• Organismal Level

• Organism Level

• Population Level

• Community Level

• Ecosystem Level

• Biosphere