Exam 1 Chapter 1

What is skepticism?

A questioning attitude.

Definition and issues over tissues

An association of cells with the same general structure and function. Issues: Using human fetal tissues in research

Populations of living things evolve

Various forms of life may change over many generations. Reason why there are so many different forms of life.

What is a theory?

A borad hypothesis that has been extensively tested and supported over time and that explains a broad range of scientific facts with a high degree of reliability

What is an experiment?

A carefully planned and executed manipulation of the natural world to test your prediction.

What is the difference between fact and a conclusion?

A fact is a verifiable piece of information while a conclusion is a judgement based on facts.

Definition and issues over population

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area. Issues: rationing in medical care and determining who gets the scarce human organs avaliable for transplantation

What is a hypothesis?

A tentative theory about the natural world

What does a hypothesis and theories have in common and how do they different?

A theory is a hypothesis, but one that is broad and has been tested and supported over time while a hypothesis is just is a statement that can be tested.

Living things are composed of cells

All cells come only from existing cells. Least one cell in any living thing. Unicellular: one cell and Multicellular: many cells.

Definitiona and Issues biosphere

All ecosystems combined. Portion of Earth occupied by living organisms, plus those organisms. Issues: global warming and destruction of the ozone layer

Living things maintain homeostasis.

All living things must maintain an internal environment compatiable with life. Unicellular organisms: surrounded by membrane allows cells maintain internal heomeostasis providing selective barrierto entry and exits for substances. Multicellular: Tissues, organs, and organ systems work together to maintain homeostasis of the fluids that surrounds the cells.

Definition and issues over organs

An association of several tissue types that carry our a specific function. Issues: Increasing supply of human organs for transplantation, transplanting animal organs into humans

Definition and issues over organisms

An individual living being composed of several organs or organ systems. Issues: Testing for heritable disease for which there are no cures, abortion, deciding who should pay for human behavior related illnesses such as those caused by smoking

What is a placebo?

An inert substance given to the control group in an experiment. "False treatment"

What are the levels of organization in the human body?

Atom and molecule, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere.

Definitions and issues over atom and molecules.

Atom is the smallest unit of an element of matter. Molecule is more than one atom in a stable associatiom. Issues: Disposing radioactive wastes and role of unstable molecules (free radicals) in cancer and aging

What are ways to become a critical thinker?

Become a skeptic, appreciate the value of statistics, learn to read graphs, distinguish anecdotes from scientific evidence, separate facts from conclusions, and understand differences between correlation and causation.

What are the defining features of humans?

Bipedalism, opposable thumbs, large brain, and capacity for complex language.

Describe kingdom Animalia

Eukaryotic animals, heterotrophs

Describe kingdom Fungi

Eukaryotic, decomposers such as yeast and mushrooms.

Describe kingdom Protista

Eukaryotic, examples are protzoa, algae and slime molds.

Describe kingdom Plantae

Eukaryotic, photosynthetic plants

What is step four in the scientifc method?

Experiment or observe: The truth or falsehood of your prediction is determined by observation or by experimentation. Scientists try to design experiments that can be conducted under strictly controlled conditions.

What are controlled experiments?

Experiments conducted under specific controlled conditions that account for all possible variables

What are variables?

Factors that might vary during the course of the experiment.

What is step two in the scientific method?

Form a hypothesis: Observations and generlizations are used to make a hypothesis.

What is the experimental group?

In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

What is the control group?

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Living things grow and reproduce

Living organisms have capacity to grow and produce more living things. Ability to grow and reproduce determined by genetic material in cells, called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

What is step three in the scientific method?

Make a testable prediction: To have confidence in hypothesis must have a testable prediction or working hypothesis based on the hypothesis and then test them one at a time. Prediction employ deductive reasoning, and mostly are If then statments.

What is step five in the scientific method?

Modify the hypothesis as necessary and repeat steps 3 and 4: If prediction turns out false the hypothesis has to be modified to fit the new findings. Even if prediction is correct, still not done. Only tests small part of hypothesis.

What are the characteristics of life?

Molecular composition different than nonliving things, require energy and raw materials, composed of cells, maintain homeostasis, respond to external environment, grow and reproduce, and populations evolve.

What are the five kingdoms in classifying organisms?

Monera, animalia, plantae, fungi, and protista. Classification based on organisms life cycle, structure, and mode of nutrition.

What is data?

Numerical information that can be organized and interpreted by mathematics.

What is step one in the scientific method.

Observe and Generlize: When observing the world we use inductive reasoning. Difference between common experience and good science is that science uses generlizations to make a prediction that can be tested.

What is Biology?

One branch of science that is the study of living organisms and life's processes. (Greek word bios-life and logos-word of thought)

What is the best reason for scientific discoveries to be presented and why?

Peer-reviewed journals are the best because they are subject to scrutiny of scientists' peers who must approve the article before it is published. This is why they contain the most accurate scientific information.

What is photosynthesis?

Plants contain green pigment called chlorophyll that allows them to capture energy of sunlight which they convert for own use by this process.

Living things respond to their external environments

Plants respond by turning leaves toward light, bacteria respond moving toward nutrients.

What is natural selection?

Process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest

What is homeostasis

Process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment

What are the four major kinds of biological molecules?

Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids.

What is deductive reasoning?

Reasoning from the general to the specific

What are different types of graphs?

Scatter plot, line graph, bar graph.

What is genus?

Second unit of classification.

Definition and issues over community

Several populations of different species who inhabit the same area and interact with each other. Issues: Impact of humans on the well-being and survival of other species, genetic engineering of plants and animals for human purposes, an dusing animals in medical research and cosmetic testing

Describe kingdom Monera.

Single-celled prokaryotes. Bacteria and Archaea.

Definition and issues over cell

Smalles unit of life Issues: Cloning adult animals, plants, and humans from a single cell

What is a cell?

Smallest unit that exhibits all the characteristics of life.

What is anecdotal evidence?

Takes form of a testimonial or short unverified report.

What is metabolism?

The physical and chemical processes involved in transforming energy and molecules so that life can be maintaned.

What is the scientific method?

The process of science, or the way scientific knowledge is acquired. Has five steps: observe and generlize, form a hypothesis, make a testable prediction, experiment and observe, and modify hypothesis as necessary repeat steps 3 and 4

What is species?

The smallest unit of classification. One or more populations of organisms with similar physical and functional characterists that interbreed and produce fertile offspring under natural conditions

What is Science?

The study of the natural world that includes all matter and energy.

Living things have a different molecular composition than nonliving things.

There are 100 different chemical elements but few are present in abundance in living organisms. Living organisms combine elements in unique ways creating molecules that nonliving organisms cannot create (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids.)

Living things require energy and raw materials.

Transformation of molecules to one element to another requires energy. All living things take in raw materials and energy from the environment and metabolize them into molecules and energy they need to survive

Definition and issues over organ systems

Two or more organs that work together to carry out a general function, such as the digestive or movement. Issues: Enhancing human performance with drugs or by genetic engineering

The horizontal axis on a graph is called the abscissa or the ____ axis. The ______ variable is plotted on this axis.

X; independent variable

The vertical axis on a graph is called the ordinate or ____ axis. The _____ variable is plotted on this axis.

Y; dependent variable.

What is inductive reasoning

deriving general principles from particular facts or instances ("Every cat I have ever seen has four legs; cats are four-legged animals").