the science of biology

Essay text:

fire) · An organism is something possesses all of the characteristics of life · All Organisms: -have and orderly structure -produce offspring -grow and develop -adjust to changes in the environment Living Things Are Organized: · All living things show an orderly structure (organization) · All living things are -filled with one or more cells -contain the genetic material DNA (provides info needed to control the organisms life processes) -are unified by cellular organization Living Things Make More Living Things: · Reproduction (the production of offspring) is the most obvious of all characteristics of life · It is not essential for the survival of an organism to reproduce · It is essential for the continuation of a species (group of organisms that can interbreed) Living Things Change During Their Lives: · Organisms begin as a single cell · An increase in the amount of living material and the formation of new structures is growth · Development is the changes your body undergoes in a lifetime Living Things Adjust To Their Surroundings: · Environment is your surroundings · A condition that requires an organism to adjust is a stimulus · A reaction to a stimulus is a response · Adaptation is an important characteristic of a living thing · Homeostasis is the regulation of an organisms internal environment to maintain conditions suitable for its survival · Homeostasis occurs in all living things · Organisms would die without the ability to make internal changes · Energy is the ability to do work · Energy makes it possible for all life processes to occur Living Things Adapt And Evolve: · An adaptation is anything that enables an organism to respond to a stimulus and better survive · Adaptations are inherited · Organisms with the most adaptations are the most likely to survive and reproduce · Evolution is the gradual accumulation of adaptations Observing And Hypothesizing The Methods Biologists Use: · Scientific methods are common steps that biologists use to gather information and answer questions · Scientists often identify problems (questions to be answered) The Question Of Brown Tree Snakes: · Was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam in the 1940's · Was rumored to be beneficial for the environment because it feeds on rats, mice, and other small rodents · It was also hypothesized that it was responsible for the decrease in the bird population · A hypothesis is an explanation for a question or a problem that can be formally tested · A hypothesis is not a random guess · Before a hypothesis is made some research is done Experimenting: · An experiment is a procedure that tests a hypothesis What Is A Controlled Experiment? · Control is the group in which all conditions are kept the same · The experimental group is the test group, in which all conditions are kept the same except for the single condition being tested Designing An Experiment: · Independent variable is the condition that is changed because it is the only variable that affects the outcome of the experiment · The dependent variable is the condition that results from the change because any changes in it depends in changes made to the independent variable · Controlled experiments are most often used in laboratories · Non-controlled experiments are most often used in field work Using Tools: · A wide variety of tools are used to obtain information in an experiment · Common Tools: -beakers -test tubes -hot plates -petri dishes -thermometers -dissecting instruments -balances -metric rulers -graduated cylinders · Complex Tools: -microscopes -centrifuges -radiation detectors -spectrophotometers -DNA analyzers -Gas Chromatographs Maintaining Safety: · It is your responsibility to maintain the highest safety standards to protect yourself as well as your classmates Data Gathering: · Information obtained from experiments is called data · Data are often in numerical form · Sometimes data are expressed in verbal form · Having the data from a scientific experiment does not end the scientific process · After analyzing data more questions are often formed Reporting Results: · Results and conclusions are reported in scientific journals Verifying Results: · Scientists try to verify the results by repeating the experiment · The more times a hypothesis is proven, the more accepted it is Theories And Laws: · A theory is an explanation of a natural phenomenon that is supported by a large body of scientific evidence obtained from many different investigations and observations Kinds Of Research: · Research can be classified into either quantitative or descriptive Quantitative Research: · Numerical data occur in quantitative research · The data are analyzed by comparing numerical values · Data obtained may be used to make a graph or table Measuring In The International System: · A form of the metric system is used · It is known as the SI system · There are only a few basic units which makes it fairly simple Descriptive Research: · Observational data are often just as important in the solution of a scientific problem as numerical data · Some phenomena are not appropriate for quantitative research...