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01 01 exploring life - Life Explored is an informal Christian evangelistic teaching course developed
Basic Biology (BIOL 111)
Campbell University
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1 Biology Notebook: Exploring Life
Note: Do not submit the guided notes as your assignment.
Page 1: Biology and a World of Science?
What are the different fields of the study of living things? Zoology is the study of animals., Botany is the study of plants., Ecology is the study of living things in their environment., Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms., Biochemistry is the study of the chemical reactions in living things, Anatomy and Physiology is the study of the human body.
Define phenomena. The interactions between living things are observable events,
Key Terms: Jot down terms and definitions that are new to you. You will see them used in the lesson.
Page 2: What is Science?
Describe each fundamental characteristic of science in your own words.
● observable: Science attempts to explain natural phenomena by analyzing and observing the world and testing ideas about it.
● Testable: Science must be able to answer a testable question, using observation and experimentation. Investigations must produce empirical evidence that can be observed or measured to be considered science.
● Replicable: Empirical evidence can be replicated, or reproduced, and verified by other scientists if they conduct the same tests.
● Reliable: The more an experiment is repeated, with the same outcomes, the more reliable the evidence becomes. Evidence without bias also increases reliability.
● Flexible: Science is an ever-changing body of knowledge as new observations are made through experimentation. As new information is discovered, new evidence can add to current evidence, allowing scientists to improve their theories.
What questions can be answered by science?
● If the question is asking about an __opinion_or a _moral value, it cannot be measured using a scientific process.
● If the answer to the question cannot be__tested__ and observed_ using a scientific process, it is not considered science.
Complete the interactive. Give two examples of testable and non-testable questions:
Testable Non-testable
How long does it take water to freeze? What career should I pursue after I graduate?
How many people live in an area prone to earthquakes?
Should mining for phosphates be stopped?
Page 3: What is Not Science
Describe in your own words and give examples of pseudoscience. fake science, cannot be proven, does not follow the scientific method
Page 4: Scientifically Reliable
Describe in your own words why reliability in science is so important. ideas are modified, expanded, or combined to form stronger explanations. Accepted scientific ideas are reliable because they have been subjected to rigorous testing. If new evidence is acquired or new perspectives emerge, these ideas can be revised or replaced.
Complete the interactive. It is so important in our everyday lives to be able to evaluate if a claim is truly scientifically reliable or not. Often, advertisements will claim to have “proven results”. Can you evaluate if this advertisement is a reliable claim or not?
Page 5: Scientific Processes
Why are scientific investigations so important? the scientific method introduced as a series of steps in other science courses. These steps represent the format we follow for directed laboratory investigations in science classes and we use to write up the results of these studies.
Complete the interactive. Identify and describe each step of the scientific method.
Page 6: Scientific Theories and Laws
Why is it important to form a hypothesis at the beginning of an experiment? a hypothesis is repeatedly tested by the scientific community is a lengthy one. Most of the theories below were developed over decades. If you wrote a testable hypothesis that described a new way that trees function, you would be on your way to contributing to a theory.
What is a scientific theory? Scientific theories are broad explanations of the natural world that are based on strong scientific support. A theory is more accepted by the scientific community when it is strongly supported by many different lines of evidence, but theories may be modified or overturned if warranted by new evidence or discoveries. Theories are always changing. However, theories never become laws
What is a scientific law? Scientific laws are descriptions of what we expect to happen in the natural world, based on many observations and data collected over time. Laws differ from theories and hypotheses in that they only describe what happens in the natural world and do not attempt to explain why it happens.
Remember that a theory does not become a law by definition; a theory can always be altered, whereas a law is fact and does not change.
Give an example of a theory in science. an explanation of a phenomenon based on a scientific investigation with repeated testing and observation. describes why phenomena happen
Give an example of a scientific law. observations of a natural phenomenon that describes what happens
Page 7: Interpreting and Analyzing Data
Why is collecting and analyzing data in a scientific investigation so important? Data is an important part of scientific investigation. Collecting data gives scientists the evidence needed to draw conclusions during a scientific investigation.
What is measured on the x-axis of a graph? the x-axis is the location for the independent variable
What is measured on the y-axis of a graph? the y-axis is located on the dependent variable
Complete the practice interactive.
What is the independent variable on the graph? (tested variable)
What is the dependent variable on the graph? (measured variable)
Remember: Do not submit the guided notes as your assignment.
Practice questions:
A scientist was studying the stars and their influence on the personalities of 100 people over a four-year period of time. Through his investigation, he determined that people that were born during August were stronger willed and more driven than individuals born in October. People born in October were more relaxed and could better handle stress. Is the scientist’s research considered science?
A. Yes, because the scientist conducted his research for an extended period. B. Yes, because the scientist followed the scientific method. C. No, because the scientist conducted his research with 100 people. D. No, because the scientist followed personalities which is pseudoscience.
Joe is conducting an experiment to determine which liquid will cause bean plants to grow faster. He watered the plants with equal amounts of liquid and measured their height every other day. The plants are in the same pots with different soils and placed in the same location. Will Joe be able to obtain reliable data to write a supported conclusion?
A. Yes, because he is only observing the height of the plant. B. Yes, because he consistent with watering the plants. C. No, because he used different soils. D. No, because he used only one type of plant.
Tina is getting ready to plan her science fair project. She is interested in doing something with tomato plants. Which of the following could be tested through scientific experimentation? A. Which variety of tomato plant produces the tomatoes that taste the best? B. Which variety of tomato plant will look the most attractive in her garden? C. Which variety of tomato plant will produce the greatest yield in her garden? D. Which type of fertilizer will produce the tastiest tomatoes?
Which statement is true about scientific theories and laws?
A. A theory can never become a law. B. If enough evidence is found for theory, it will become a law. C. Theories have more proof than laws. D. Only laws are widely accepted by the scientific community.
01 01 exploring life - Life Explored is an informal Christian evangelistic teaching course developed
Course: Basic Biology (BIOL 111)
University: Campbell University
