The Science of Life

1
The Science of Life

• Aim How does scientific inquiry help in studying
  biology?
• Do Now
• Answer this question
• How does biology relate directly to your own life?

2
Vocabulary Words

• Biology
• Organism
• Scientific inquiry
• Inference
• Observation
• Quantitative data
• Qualitative data

3
Discovery Science Emphasizes inquiry and
observation

• -Describe the nature of scientific inquiry.
  -Compare quantitative and qualitative data.
  -Summarize the nature of discovery science.
  -Distinguish between observations and
  inferences. -Explain the term generalization

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Describe the nature of scientific inquiry

• Science as InquiryBiology is defined as the
  scientific study of life.
• What is science? Science is a way to answer
  questions about the natural world.
• At the heart of science is inquiry asking
  questions about what people observe in nature

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Discovery Science Emphasizes inquiry and
observation -Describe the nature of scientific
inquiry

• Inquiry
• Starts with curiosity
• Ex A plants leaves turn to the sun
• Asks questions
• Your observations lead to questions
• Ex What if the plant was put in the dark?
• Actively seeks answers
• Ex Experiment with two plants- one in the dark
  and one in the light

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Discovery Science Emphasizes inquiry and
observation -Describe the nature of scientific
inquiry

• Experiments give us Data
• Recorded observations are called data
• quantitative data numbers (How many)
• qualitative data- descriptions (color)
• Data must be clearly recorded and reliable

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Discovery Science Emphasizes inquiry and
observation -Describe the nature of scientific
inquiry

• What Is Discovery Science?-Inferences -logical
  conclusions based on observations (Fig 2.6)
• Generalizations -many specific observations to
  reach a general conclusion (cell theory)
• Figure 2-8A graph is a visual way to uncover
• general patterns in data.
• For example, a generalization
• here is that girls stop growing,
• on average, before boys do.

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Discovery Science Emphasizes inquiry and
observation -Describe the nature of scientific
inquiry

• Jane Goodall's research on chimpanzees is an
  example of discovery science (also called
  descriptive science).
• Discovery science describes natural structures or
  processes as accurately as possible through
  careful observation and data collection.

www.wic.org www.iskcon.net.au
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Hypothesis based science is a search for
explanations -Outline the generalized steps of
hypothesis-based science. -Trace the process of
hypothesis-based science through a case study.

• Discovering something interesting inspires
  curious minds to seek an explanation.
• And that's when hypothesis-based science comes
  into play

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2.2 Hypothesis based science is a search for
explanations -Outline the generalized steps of
hypothesis-based science

• Figure 2-10
• Science
• rarely matches
• this step-by-step
• process exactly,
• inquiry often
• includes
• hypotheses

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2.2 Hypothesis based science is a search for
explanations -Outline the generalized steps of
hypothesis-based science

• A hypothesis
• (plural, hypotheses)
• is a suggested answer
• to a scientific question
• an explanation on trial.

Applying hypothesis-based science to the problem
of a failed flashlight leads to a test in the
form of an experiment. If the results of the
test do not support the hypothesis, other
hypotheses can be suggested and tested.
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A Case Study of Hypothesis-Based Science (click
for link)
Eastern Coral-BAD

• Scarlet Kingsnake-GOOD

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Hypothesis based science is a search for
explanations . -Trace the process of
hypothesis-based science through a case study.
Researchers David and Karin Pfennig
Experiment The story begins with some key
observations Many poisonous animals are brightly
colored, with distinctive patterns in some
species The question that follows from these
observations is What is the function of such
mimicry?
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2.2 Hypothesis based science is a search for
explanations . -Trace the process of
hypothesis-based science through a case study.

• Figure 2-16
• Results of Pfennig
• mimicry
• experiments
• show a
• difference in the
• frequency of attacks
• on plain brown snakes
• Compared to
• snakes
• with colored rings

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2.3 Understanding science will help you in many
areas

• State how the terms evidence, hypothesis, and
  theory are used in science.
• Explain how scientific models are useful in
  understanding ideas.
• Describe the importance of communication in
  science.
• Distinguish between the roles of science and
  technology in society

16
State how the terms evidence, hypothesis, and
theory are used in science

• In science, evidence
• consists of a collected data from observations
• and experiments repeated multiple times with
  similar results

17
State how the terms evidence, hypothesis, and
theory are used in science

• Scientists test a hypothesis many times and in
  different ways.
• A hypothesis may be revised or even rejected.
• One way such change occurs is when new tools
  make new kinds of observations and experiments
  possible.
• Pluto

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2.3 State how the terms evidence, hypothesis, and
theory are used in science

• The Limitations of ScienceScientific knowledge
  is built from confirmed observations and
  testable hypotheses
• Which questions can science answer?
• Is there a Bigfoot in the universe?
• Is there a Bigfoot in this room?
• Are there angels?
• How did the universe/ life begin?

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2.3 State how the terms evidence, hypothesis, and
theory are used in science

• a theory is a well-tested explanation that makes
  sense of a great variety of scientific
  observations
• Compared to a hypothesis, a theory is much
  broader in scope.
• This is a hypothesis "Mimicking poisonous
  snakes is an adaptation that protects
  nonpoisonous snakes from predators."
• But this is a theory "Adaptations such as
  mimicry evolve by natural selection."

20
Explain how scientific models are useful in
understanding ideas

• Have you ever drawn a simple map for a friend who
  needed directions to your home? If so, you
  created a model.
• Models are physical, mental, or mathematical
  representations of how people understand a
  process or an idea

21
Describe the importance of communication in
science

• Communication in ScienceCartoons and movies
  sometimes portray scientists as loners working in
  isolated laboratories. In reality, science is an
  intensely social activity.
• Most scientists work in teams and must be good
  communicators.
• Researchers share their findings by publishing
  articles in journals and by giving talks or
  presenting posters at meetings.
• The Internet has become an important way for
  scientists to exchange ideas and data with
  colleagues all over the world.

22
Distinguish between the roles of science and
technology in society

• Science, Technology, and SocietyThe strong link
  between science and society becomes clear when
  you add technology to the picture.
• James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the
  structure of DNA
• Their discovery led to a variety of DNA
  technologies.
• genetic engineering is producing a new
  generation of medicines.

23
Distinguish between the roles of science and
technology in society

• The goal of science is to understand nature
  through observation
• The goal of technology is to apply scientific
  for some specific purpose.
• Scientists speak of
• "discoveries."
• Technologists speak
• of "inventions.
• velcro