Unit 1 Module 0: Introduction

biology - the study of life

Big Idea 1: Evolution (EVO)

Evolution - change over time

Natural selection - mechanism of evolution in which some individuals survive and reproduce more than others in a particular environment as a result of variation among individuals that can be passed on to the next generation

Evolution explains the diversity of life and unity of life, but the explanation of the origin of a species is less clear

Big Idea 2: Energetics (ENE)

Biological systems use energy  and molecular building blocks to grow, reproduce, and maintain dynamic equilibrium.

Energy - ability to do work and it is absolutely essential for life

Energetics - examines the properties of energy and how energy is distributed in biological, physical, and chemical properties.

Energetics considers the process used by cells and organisms to exchange matter and energy with their environment.

Big Idea 3: Information Storage and Transmission (IST)

Living system store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes.

DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) - carrier of genetic information for all organisms

Gene - unit of heredity

Big Idea 4: Systems Interactions (SYI)
Biological systems interact and these systems and their interactions exhibit complex properties.

System - a group of things that function together as a whole

Biotic - living or once living things

Abiotic - non-living things

AP Task Verbs:

Calculate - Perform mathematical steps to arrive at a final answer, including algebraic expressions, properly substituted numbers, and correct labeling of units and significant figures.

Construct/draw - Create a diagram, graph, representation, or model that illustrates or explains relationships or phenomena. Labels may or may not be required.

Describe - Provide relevant characteristics of a specified topic.

Determine - Decide or conclude after reasoning, observation, or applying mathematical routines (calculations). Evaluate: Judge or determine the significance or importance of information, or the quality or accuracy of a claim.

Explain - Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning to support or qualify a claim. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome. Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

Justify - Provide evidence to support, qualify, or defend a claim, and/or provide reasoning to explain how that evidence supports or qualifies the claim.

Make a claim - Make an assertion that is based on evidence or knowledge.

Predict/Make a prediction - Predict the causes or effects of a change in, or disruption to, one or more components in a relationship, pattern, process, or system.

Represent - Use appropriate graphs, symbols, words, illustrations, and/or tables of numerical values to describe biological concepts, characteristics, and/or relationships.

State (the null/alternative hypothesis) - Indicate or provide a hypothesis to support or defend a claim about a scientifically testable question.

Support a claim - Provide reasoning to explain how evidence supports or qualifies a claim.

Scientific Inquiry

Scientific Inquiry is a deliberate way of asking and answering questions about nature

- Making observations and asking questions
- Formulating a hypothesis
- Design Controlled experiments
- Analyzing and interpreting Data
- Communicating Findings
- Establishing Theories

Designing a Controlled Experiment

Controlled experiment - The researcher sets up at least two groups to be tested; the conditions and setup of the groups are identical, except the researcher deliberately introduces a single change, or variable, in one group to see its effects.

Test or experimental group - this is the test group that is exposed to the independent variable

Independent variable - the variable that is manipulated to test the hypothesis

Dependent variable - the measured variable

Control group - Not exposed to the variable and not expected to show a change; also know as a negative control group

Positive control group - a sample or group that receives a treatment or variable with a known effect and therefore is expected to show a predictable change

Analyzing Data

Correlation - X and Y change together

Null hypothesis - predicts that the treatment or intervention has no effect at all

Alternate hypothesis - predicts that the treatment or intervention has an effect, so the difference between the control group and test group is real

Example: Caffeine vs Heart Rate

Null hypothesis - the caffeine does not cause an increase in heart rate

Alternate hypothesis - caffeine causes an increase in resting heart rate

Observed - Resting heart rate is higher in the test group

Generalizations:

These are made when only a small sample size is made, and based on the results from that experiment the same patterns can be assumed of the larger whole.
- Avoid this at all costs (goes back to common sense).
- A lot of “sensationalist” news reports like to do this to science.

In order to avoid making false generalizations, try to have a large sample size.
- Keep budget, time, and feasibility in mind.
- Try to keep experimental and control groups as representative of the whole population as possible.

Sampling error - The difference between the results of the subset (your experimental group) and the results of the whole

Theory:

Theory - a well-tested explanation that not only unifies a broad range of observations but also enables scientists to make accurate predictions about new situations. Theories are different from hypothesizes because they are peer reviewed.

Unit 1 Module 0 - Intro to Statistics

Types of Data Collection:

Tables - are used to organize exact amounts of data and to display numerical information. Tables do not show visual comparisons. As a result, tables take longer to read and understand. It is more difficult to examine overall trends and make comparisons with tables, than it is with graphs.

Line graphs - are used to display data or information that changes continuously over time. Line graphs allow us to see overall trends such as an increase or decrease in data over time

Bar graphs - are used to compare facts. The bars provide a visual display for comparing quantities in different categories or groups. Bar graphs help us to see relationships quickly.

Circle (pie) graphs - are used to compare the parts of a whole (usually dealing with percentages). Circle graphs represent data visually in the same proportion as the numerical data in a table. Constructing an accurate circle graph is difficult to do without a computer. Circle graphs are best used for displaying data when there are no more than five or six “pie slices”, and when the values of each sector are mostly different. Otherwise they can be difficult to read and understand.