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2. What is Biology?
The study of LIFE

3. What is “life”?

4. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
An organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world.

5. WHAT IS SCIENCE? Science is a way of observing “ “ a way of thinking
understanding

6. WHAT IS SCIENCE? Science only deals with the Natural World.
Never concern the supernatural phenomena of any kind
Pseudoscience
“Pseudo” is a Greek word
Meaning false
How can you tell if information is reliable?
How can you tell if information is reliable?

7. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Scientist collect and organize information in an orderly way
Looking for patterns and connections among events

8. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Scientist propose explanations that are based on evidence.
Then test those explanations with more evidence

9. SCIENCE
Scientific knowledge helps us cure disease, place satellites in orbit, and send instantaneous electronic communications

10. SCIENCE Science continues to advance
Science not only understands what we “know”
But also what we don’t know

11. Scientific Process Science is way of knowing
It’s a way to answer questions about the natural world.
Curiosity is the starting point for exploring life through inquiry.
Inquiry is a process of investigation
Asking QUESTIONS.
Asking TESTABLE questions
What does it mean to ask a “testable Question”?

12. What is a testable question?
Specifically stated
Measurable
Has defined variables
Examples
Temperature
Size
Time
Distance
etc
Variable – A condition that can differ within the experiment

13. Assignment Write down 3-5 testable questions
For each one: define the variables
Explain any connections you see between the variables
Reflection: write down what you learned today about science

14. Bellringer:
Jana is a runner. Recently, Jana bought a pair of new running shoes. She noticed that her shins began to hurt after running in her new shoes. She noticed that her new shoes have a thicker midsole than her old shoes. She thought that thicker midsoles might cause increasing her shin pain. So she bout 2 more pairs of shoes: 1 pair with ½ midsoles, another pair with 1.5 inch midsoles, in addition to her new shoes with 2.5 inch midsoles. She ran with the ½ in. shoes 3 miles and felt no shin pain. The next day, she ran with the 1.5 in. shoes for 3 miles. Her shins felt slightly during after. The next day she ran with her 2.5 in. shoes. She had to stop running after the first mile because her shin pain was so intense.
Experiment
Collect Data
State Problem
Observe
Analyze
Hypothesize

15. The questions that drive scientific inquiry are based on observation.
Observations & Data
The questions that drive scientific inquiry are based on observation.
Observation – the use of senses; such as
vision/hearing; to gather and record
information about structures or
process.
Data - recorded observation; items of information
All observations depend on human senses.
Scientific instruments vastly increase the range of possible observation

16. Quantitative Data vs. Qualitative Data
Measurements
Ex. Mean, range, percentages, values
Ex. The average life span is 79 years
QUALItative
Descriptions
Ex. The sky is Blue
Think- Quantity vs. Quality

17. Forming and Testing a Hypothesis
Hypothesis – a suggested answer to a well-defined scientific question.
An explanation on trial
An “Educated Guess”
Based on Background knowledge

18. Hypothesis An incorrect hypothesis does not mean failure Just wrong
The inquiry continues with test of alternative hypothesis.
Even when an experiment supports a hypothesis curiosity can send you in a new direction.
Science Generates Questions

19. What makes a Hypothesis Scientific?
A Hypothesis must be testable.

20. Variables Variable – A condition that can differ within the experiment
Must always regulate all variables.

21. Types of Variables Independent (Manipulated) variable
The variable that you purposely change in an experiment
“the cause”
Dependent (responding) variable
The variable that changes in effect (or response) the Independent Variable.
“The effect”

22. Designing a Controlled Experiment
Controlled Experiment – An experiment that tests the effect of a single variable
In a controlled experiment scientist try to eliminate (or control) other variables that could affect the outcome
Eliminates experimental bias

23. Eliminating Unwanted Variables
Control Group
Equals Cancelled out
Experimental Group

24. Putting it all together
7 step- Scientific process
State the Problem
Observe/obtain background info
Form a Hypothesis
Must include your variables
Test your hypothesis
The fun part
Collect data
Graphs, charts, tables
Analyze the results
Conclude
Reject or accept the hypothesis

25. Limitations of Science
Science requires repeatable observations and testable answers to a hypothesis.
These standards restrict science to a search for natural phenomena.

26. Limitations of Science
Science can not or have an answer to the unobservable or supernatural forces.
Science-based knowledge = confirmed observations/testable
hypothesis

27. Theories in Science
Scientist are interested in finding patterns in data
Then expand on these patterns
Now advances in science has allowed new theories to tie together previously unrelated facts.

28. Theory
A well tested explanation that makes sense of a great variety of scientific observations
Compared to hypothesis, a theory is much broader in scope.

29. Models
Are physical, mental, or mathematical representations of how people understand a process or an idea.
Graphs, charts, etc.

30. Biology
The Study of Life

31. Biology… Explores life from the macroscopic to the microscopic.
This is an enormous amount of information!

32. To Study Biologist divide this information into different levels of organization.
Biosphere
Consist of all parts of the planet that are inhabited by living things.

33. Biosphere Includes: Most areas of land Most bodies of water
Several kilometers up into the atmosphere
Even from space you can see
all the green….. That is LIFE!

34. Ecosystems
The community of living things in an area, along with nonliving features of the environment that support the living community.
Sunlight
Water
Air
Soil

35. Ecosystems Ecosystems vary widely:
All of Earth’s ecosystems combined make-up the biosphere
From Desert to Tropical rain forest

36. Organisms Individual living things
Interactions among the organisms of a community make each ecosystem dynamic place.
Dynamic – Constantly changing.

37. Life’s basic unit of structure and function.
Cells
Life’s basic unit of structure and function.
All organisms are made – up of 1 or more cells.

38. Atoms
The basic building blocks of all materials both living and nonliving.
Atoms bond together forming molecules.

39. DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid The chemical responsible for inheritance
Contains instructions for a cell to make all other molecules it needs to function
Genes – Units of inherited information

40. Biology Explores Life at its Many Levels

41. Themes that unify the study of life….
Form & Function
How something works is related to its structure.
Form fits function
Form and function are everywhere
Birds – hollow bones makes them light

42. The Characteristics of Living Things
Living Things Reproduce
All organisms reproduce.
They produce new similar organisms
Sexual Reproduction – Cells from two parents unite to form the first cell of a new organism
Asexual Reproduction – a single organism produces offspring identical to itself.

43. The Characteristics of Living Things
Interaction with the Environment
We are not isolated from our environment, No One Is!
All organisms in an environment interacts continuously with its environment.
Stimulus – a signal to which organism
responds

44. The Characteristics of Living Things
Energy
Moving, growing, reproducing, and other activities of life require organisms to perform work.
Work depends on a source of energy
We obtain energy in the chemical form, sugar, fats, etc.
Metabolism – the combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials

45. The Characteristics of Living Things
Living Things are Made of Cells
Organisms are composed of one or more cells
The smallest units considered fully alive.
Cells can grow
Respond to the environment
Despite their small size they are highly organized
Phytoplankton – primary producer in the oceans and provides the majority of oxygen production on Earth

46. The Characteristics of Living Things
Regulation
Organisms have the ability to regulate their internal conditions
Sweating on a warm day
Dogs panting to cool off
Homeostasis – internal stability or “steady state” maintained by the body
Mechanisms of homeostasis enables organisms to regulate internal environment, despite changes in their external environment.

47. The Characteristics of Living Things
Adaptation and Evolution
Taken as a group living things evolve.
Over generations, groups of organisms evolve, or change over time

48. The Characteristics of Living Things
Living things Grow and Develop
During development a single egg divides again and again
As cells divide they differentiate
They begin to look different
They perform different functions

49. The Characteristics of Living Things
Living Things are Based on a Universal Code
All organisms store the information they need to live, grow, and reproduce in a genetic code written on a molecule called DNA.
This information is passed from parent to offspring

50. Summary All living things have these characteristics: Reproduction
Interact with environment
Use energy
Are made of at least 1 cell
Internally Regulate
Adaptation
Grow/develop
Universal genetic code

51. Biology & Society Biology changes our lives daily
New findings in DNA affect medicine
Studying the process of evolution help scientist understand how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
Everyday you can find a “current” story on Biology/Science and how it affects our lives:
Global warming
Pollution
Stem cell Research
On and on………