1.1 The Study of Life 1.1 What Is Science?
1.1 The Study of Life 1.1 What Is Science?
1.1 The Study of Life 1.1 What Is Science?
• Biology is the scientific study of all forms of life.
1.1 What is Science?
The Study of Life
Quantitative Observation:
a) involve measurements and numbers
b) ex: There are 2 windows and 36 chairs in this room.
Qualitative Observation:
a) do not involve measurements and numbers
b) ex: The chairs in this room are blue.
1.2
1.1 How Scientists
The Study Work
of Life
Example 1:
Observation = Bill is not in school today.
Inference = Maybe Bill is sick.
Example 2:
Observation = Mom is late for an hour.
Inference = She must be stuck in traffic.
1.2
1.1 How Scientists
The Study Work
of Life
There is no single “scientific method” but all scientific investigations
have common stages:
• Asking questions (stating problems or objectives)
• Doing research (gathering background information)
• Forming hypotheses (making a possible prediction)
• Confirming predictions with experiments
• Collecting and analyzing data
• Drawing conclusions
1.2
1.1 How Scientists
The Study Work
of Life
Designing an experiment
• Experiments require two groups:
1. Control group
‐ the standard group; all conditions are kept the same.
2. Experimental group
‐ the test group; all conditions are kept the same
except the variable (or the condition being tested)
Two types of variables:
• Independent Variable
A condition that is changed (ex: salt added to plant)
• Dependent Variable
A change of second condition caused by the independent variable
(ex: plant growth caused by salt)
Besides the variables, all other conditions have to stay the same =
constants.
1.2
1.1 How Scientists
The Study Work
of Life
Scientific Method in Action
• Homer notices that his shower is covered in a strange green slime.
• His friend Barney tells him that coconut juice will get rid of the green
slime.
• Homer decides to do test this out by spraying half of the shower with
coconut juice. He sprays the other half of the shower with water.
• After 3 days of “treatment”, there is NO change in the appearance
of the green slime on either side of the shower.
1) What was Homer’s hypothesis?
2) Identify: control group and
independent/dependent variables
3) What should Homer’s conclusion
be?
1.2
1.1 How Scientists
The Study Work
of Life
Name Cube