Week 2 Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is Biology?
The scientific study of how life works
Biologists ask questions about organisms, their development, interactions, and cellular processes.
What are some key questions biologists ask?
Biologists ask questions like:
* How does a single cell develop into an organism?
* How does the human mind work?
* How do living things interact in biological communities?
* How and why do cells divide normally or abnormally?
* How do muscles coordinate for movement?
* How do viruses replicate?
How is life recognized?
Life is recognized by what living things do, such as moving, respiring, and reproducing.
What is Reductionism?
A theory centered on reducing complex phenomena to their most basic parts.
What is the purpose of Reductionism?
To simplify observations and processes by examining their smallest elements.
Who is known as the Father of inductive reasoning?
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
What does Bacon’s inductive approach involve?
Careful observation of nature and systematic accumulation of data to draw conclusions.
What is Inductive reasoning?
A logical process that draws conclusions from repeated specific observations.
What is an example of Inductive reasoning?
The water at the beach has always been about 24 degrees in July; therefore, it will be about 24 degrees this July.
What is Deductive reasoning?
Using general premises to make specific predictions.
Provide an example of Deductive reasoning.
If organisms are made of cells and humans are organisms, then humans are composed of cells.
What is the Hypothetico-deductive method?
A scientific method that emphasizes falsifiability as a criterion for scientific theories.
Who argued for the Hypothetico-deductive method?
Karl Popper (1902-1994)
List the steps of the Hypothetico-deductive method.
- Identify a broad problem
- Define a problem statement
- Develop hypotheses and predictions
- Determine measures to test the prediction
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Interpretation of data
What are the Properties of Life?
Key characteristics include:
* Order
* Sensitivity or response to the environment
* Reproduction
* Adaptation
* Growth and development
* Regulation/homeostasis
* Energy processing
* Evolution
What is Ecology?
The study of the relationships of organisms to one another and to the environment.
What is Data in a scientific context?
Recorded observations or items of information, categorized into quantitative and qualitative data.
What is Quantitative Data?
Recorded measurements often organized into tables and graphs, including counts, continuous measurements, and binary data.
What is the purpose of Statistical analysis of results?
To give meaning to numbers and determine if results occurred by chance.
What is a controlled experiment?
An experiment that compares an experimental group with a control group, ideally differing only in the variable of interest.
Why is repeatability important in science?
Observations and experimental results must be repeatable to validate findings.
True or False: Observations in science are often repeated.
False
