Chapter 1 Notes
Organization of the living universe. Science tries to provide an organized way of viewing the universe.
Ecosystem - all living organisms and the non-living components in an area
Community - all living organisms in an area
Population - members of one species in a community
Organism - one individual
Organ system - organized components which work together to accomplish some biological requirement for an organism.
Organ - one component of an organ system
Tissue - similar parts within a single organ
Cells - individual unit of living matter
Molecular level - groups of atoms arranged in a specific way.
The Scientific Method
Observations – define the problem
Questions – also includes preliminary research
Form a hypothesis which attempts to answer your question
Experimentation/Survey – an important aspect of experimentation is to have ‘controls’, a standard to which your experiment can be compared.
Analyze Results – does the data support or negate the hypothesis?
Conclusions are drawn based upon your results
Results from using the Scientific method must be repeatable, so someone else could repeat the experiment and obtain the same results. Conclusions drawn from experiments must also be subject to modification or changed if new information becomes available.
The Limits of Science – Science deals with physical phenomena which are observable and measurable. It can only describe, not explain. Observations may be faulty (e.g. Von Helmont’s experiment) and interpretation of results are subject to an individual’s philosophical beliefs. While science can be a tool to provide information about the world around us, it cannot establish values or morals.
Scientific Classification
Three Major Domains - Bacteria, Archaea. and Eukarya
Kingdoms - Bacteria, Archaea, Protista, Fungi, Animalia, Plantae
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Characteristics of Living Things
1. Order
2. Regulation
3. Growth/development
4. Energy utilization
5. Response to environment
6. Reproduction
7. Evolution