TOPICS:

Scope of Biology
Evolution, Unity and Diversity
Scientific Process
Biology and Everyday Life

What is science?

from Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge" is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes
knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe and the things
around us.

knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the
operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with
the physical world."

Scope and limits of science.

-does not address some questions, such as Why do I exist? (gives subjective answers
based from personal experience)
-does not address the supernatural, or anything that is beyond nature
-Science helps communicate our experience without bias so it may be as close as we can get
to a universal language.

We have encountered only a fraction of the organisms that live on Earth
Scientists constantly discover new species. Extinction rates are accelerating

BIOLOGY

Benefits:
new species are discovered
new technologies & medicines to cure diseases are discovered
food production was improved
human health to prolong life was improved

NATURE AND LIFE
Nature- Everything in the universe, except what humans have manufactured

Evolution

In biology, evolution can be defined as any change in the heritable traits (physical traits ex. skin color,
hair, eyes, etc of an organism) within a population, across generations .

Lifes Levels of Organization
Matter
- anything that occupies space and has mass
- consists of atoms which combine to form molecules







Lifes Levels of Organization
Atom- Fundamental building block of all matter (living and nonliving things)
Elements- Are made up of atoms joined together chemically
Cell- Smallest unit of life
Organism
- An individual; consists of one or more cells

UNITY

Overview of Lifes Unity
All living things have similar characteristics
Require energy and nutrients
Sense and respond to change
Reproduce with the help of DNA

Energy Sustains Lifes Organization
One-way flow of energy through the biosphere and cycling of nutrients among organisms
sustain lifes organization. Ex: water cycle, nitrogen cycle, etc.
Energy- The capacity to do work
Nutrient- Substance that is necessary for survival, but that an organism cant make for itself

DIVERSITY

The millions of species on Earth vary greatly in details of body form and function
Each species is given a unique two-part name that includes genus and species names
Species- A type of organism
Genus- Group of species that share a unique set of traits


EVOLUTION, THE CORE THEME OF BIOLOGY

The unity of life is based on DNA and a common genetic code
*The DNA is responsible for heredity and for programming the activities of the cell.

Evolution explains the unity & diversity of life.
*Biological evolution by natural selection explains how life changes over time
How Science Works
Researchers make and test potentially falsifiable predictions about how the natural world
works
Generally, scientific inquiry involves forming a hypothesis (testable assumption) about an
observation then making and testing predictions based on the hypothesis
A hypothesis that is not consistent with the results of scientific tests is modified or discarded





Common Research Practices

1. Observe some aspect of nature
2. Frame a question about your observation
3. Propose a hypothesis (a testable explanation of the observation)
4. Make a prediction a statement based on a hypothesis, about some condition that should exist if
the hypothesis is not wrong
5. Test the accuracy of the prediction by experiments or gathering information.
6. Assess the results of the tests (data) to see if they support or disprove the hypothesis
7. Conclusions: Report all steps of your work and conclusions to the scientific community

A Scientific Theory
Scientific theory
A hypothesis that has not been disproven after many years of rigorous testing
Useful for making predictions about other phenomena
Laws of Nature
Law of nature
Generalization that describes a consistent and universal natural phenomenon for which we do not
yet have a complete scientific information
Example: gravity

Examples of Scientific Theories




SCIENCE - Mankinds ongoing, collective, and systematic attempt to accurately
describe reality.