Bio Chapter 1 Study Guide

What is biology?

1. the study of life and living organisms. 

What are the properties that all living things share? List them.

1. Order: Complex but well-ordered structure.

2. Energy and Matter Processing: Intake, conversion, and expulsion of energy.

3. Reproduction: Ability to reproduce their own kind.

4. Growth and Development: Controlled by genetic information.

5. Response to the Environment: Reacting to environmental changes.

6. Evolutionary Adaptations: Traits evolving over generations 

Are viruses alive? Explain your answer.

1. Viruses are generally not considered alive because they do not display all properties of life simultaneously. They cannot reproduce on their own and exist in a state between living organisms and nonliving chemicals

List the basic steps in the scientific method.

1. Observation: Noticing and describing phenomena.

2. Question: Formulating a question based on observations.

3. Hypothesis: Proposing an explanation that can be tested.

4. Experiment: Testing the hypothesis through controlled experiments.

5. Data Collection: Gathering and analyzing data.

6. Conclusion: Drawing conclusions based on data.

7. Repetition: Repeating experiments to verify results ​

What is a hypothesis?

1. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon, based on observations, that can be tested and falsified 

What are the characteristics of a good hypothesis?

1. Specific: Clearly defined.

2. Testable: Can be tested through experiments.

3. Falsifiable: Can be proven false ​

How are hypotheses and theories different?

1. Hypothesis: A proposed explanation for a specific phenomenon.

2. Theory: A well-substantiated explanation that is comprehensive and explains a wide range of observations

What is a controlled experiment?

1. A controlled experiment is one in which all variables are kept constant except for the one being tested (independent variable)

Be able to recognize dependent and independent variables in an experiment.

1. Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated.

2. Dependent Variable: The variable that is measured or observed 

What is a placebo?

1. A placebo is a substance with no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs 

What is a control group? Why is it important?

1. A control group is a group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, providing a baseline to compare the effects of the treatment. It is important for validating the results of the experiment

What is pseudoscience?

1. Pseudoscience is a field of study that is falsely presented as having a scientific basis.

How can you recognize pseudoscience? How is it different from science?

1. Lack of adherence to the scientific method.

2. Results that cannot be duplicated.

3. Unprovable or untestable claims.

4. Rejection of external review.

5. Overreliance on a small amount of data 

What is peer review?

1. Peer review is the evaluation of work by impartial, qualified, often anonymous, outside experts. It is considered the gold standard for recognizing valid scientific work

How can you recognize a reliable source?

1. Current information.

2. Primary source.

3. Identifiable and qualified authors.

4. Lack of conflicts of interest.

5. Cited references.

6. Peer-reviewed.

7. Unbiased information

What is a primary source?

1. Primary Source: Original material presented for the first time by the person(s) who performed the research.

What is a secondary source?

1. Secondary Source: Description or review of primary sources, often containing commentary