Scientific Processes Chapter 1.2 & 1.3 (You already know this!)

Scientific Processes

Chapter 1.2 & 1.3

(You already know this!)

Why study Biology?

If Biology is the study of life, what could you do with an education in Biology?

With your tablemate, list at least 3 world issues that can be addressed through the knowledge

of Biology. (5 min)Be ready to share

Preserve Our Environment

“Improve” the Food Supply

Understand the Human Genome

•Genome – the complete set of DNA in one entire organism.

Fighting Disease

•HIV•Cancer

•New Diseases–West Nile Virus–Mad Cow Disease

Gene Therapy

Inserting “healthy genes” into people with genetic disorders.

–Cystic Fibrosis (CF)–Genetic, lung disorder,

–Hemophilia–Bleeder’s disease–Blood won’t clot/scab

How do scientists uniformly study and present their findings?

Scientific Process•How are scientific experiments conducted?

•Must be complete, detailed, and able to be replicated by other scientists.

•Science community has an accepted format.

1. Observation

•What do you notice?–Are there patterns?–What are the conditions?–Has anyone else noticed this before?

2. Ask Questions

● How?● Why?● How many?● How often?● What variations?● What conditions?

3. HypothesisUsing your knowledge, develop an educated explanation of might be true.•Has to be testable.

4. Predict

•What do you expect to happen with your experiment, assuming your hypothesis is correct?

5. Experiment•Confirm or refute your predictions/hypothesis•Terms to know:–Control Group – receives no experimental treatment–Experimental Group –

receives some type of experimental treatment.

5. Experiment

•Terms to know:•Independent (manipulated) Variable –what is changed in an experiment•Dependent (responding) Variable – what is measured in an experimentE.g. IV – sunlight DV – height of plant

6. Conclusion(The Write-Up)

•Is your hypothesis supported or rejected?

Constructing a Theory

•Related hypothesis, tested and confirmed many times by many different scientists.

In Police work means: hypothesis/or educated guess.

In science means: “most certain”. Explains a broad range of observations. Is probably always true.

E.g.: Theory of Evolution, Big Bang Theory

The definition of THEORY