Unit 1
Introduction to Biology
Warm Up: Vocabulary
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Work in groups at your table to
come up with basic scientific
method vocabulary. Discuss and
define these words in your groups.
Defining Key Terms
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Science- an organized way of using
evidence to learn about the natural
world.
Biology- the study of life.
Observation- the process of
gathering information
Defining Key Terms
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Data- the information gathered
from observation.
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Quantitative- expressed as numbers
Qualitative- descriptive, involves
characteristics or qualities (no
numbers)
Defining Key Terms (continued)
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Inference- a logical interpretation
based on prior knowledge or
experiences.
Hypothesis- a proposed scientific
explanation for a set of observations.
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Hypotheses must be testable!!
Typically written in an If….then
format.
(If… independent variable,
then…dependent variable)
Think About It
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You see a plant that is starting to
wilt. It does not appear dead, but
clearly needs some love. Is this an
observation or an inference?
In your table groups, come up with
as many inferences as you can.
Scientific Process
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Asking a Question
Forming a Hypothesis
Setting Up a Controlled Experiment
Collecting Data
Analyzing Results
Drawing Conclusions
Science As A Way Of Understanding
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Truths About Science
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It is an ongoing process
Scientific understanding is always
changing.
Science explores the universe
and way many systems and
processes interact.
Qualities of a Good Scientist
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Skeptical
Open-Minded
Come up with one on your own!
Exit Slip

In KY, all individuals are required to
wear seatbelts in moving vehicles.
How could scientific research have
had an impact on this decision?
Warm-Up Exercise

Is a scientific hypothesis acceptable
if there is no way to demonstrate
that the hypothesis is wrong?
Explain.
Designing an Experiment

Independent Variable- the variable
that is changed.

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When graphing, the independent
variable is placed on the X axis.
Dependent Variable (responding)the variable that is measured.
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When graphing, the dependent variable
is placed on the Y axis.
Designing an Experiment
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Controlled Variables (Constants)factors that remain the same
between experimental groups.
Control Group- used to compare
with the experimental groups.
Theories
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Theory- a well tested explanation that
unifies a broad range of observations.

To be valid a theory must pass several
tests:
 It must explain observations clearly and consistently.
 Experiments that illustrate the theory must be
repeatable.
 You must be able to
predict results from
the theory.
Modeling
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Models- a representation of an object or
event that can be studied to understand the
real object or event.
Types of Models
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Drawings on paper
Real objects used to help us picture things we
cannot see
A mental picture
A set of rules or mathematical relationships that
describe how something works
Warm Up
Calvin is conducting a study on the effects of
exercise on personal happiness. He plans on
having one group run/walk 6 miles per week
and lift weights 3 times a week. He plans to
have the other group maintain their normal
daily routines, which does not include any
exercise whatsoever.
 Come up with a hypothesis, independent and
dependent variables, identify the
experimental group and the control group.
 Evaluate this study. What are some of the
problems, and how could it be better?
Where Do Living Things Come From?
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Spontaneous Generation- living
things can arise spontaneously from
non-living things.
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While this was the common belief for
many years, we now know that it is
not true and scientists all over the
world prescribe to the idea of
biogenesis.
Biogenesis- all living things come
from other living things.
Redi’s Experiment on
Spontaneous Generation
Repeating Investigations
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John Needham
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Claimed that spontaneous generation
could occur under the right conditions.
Heated sealed flask of gravy and found
microorganisms (thought heat would
kill any living things in gravy)
Found gravy swarming with activity.
Repeating Investigations
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Lazzaro Spallanzani
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Boiled 2 flasks of gravy, sealed 1
immediately and left the other open
(thought boiling would definitely kill
microorganisms).
Open jar was full of life. Sealed jar
was uncontaminated.
Spallanzani’s Test of Redi’s Findings
Pasteur’s Test of
Spontaneous Generation
Pasteur showed that all living things
come from other living things.
(biogenesis)
Exit Slip
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What does the term “spontaneous
generation” mean?
How does a scientific theory
compare with a scientific
hypothesis?
Warm-Up

There are several things that are
similar between my fish and the
second hand of a clock. Name
some of the similarities as well as
some of the differences and think
about what makes the fish living
but the clock not.
Characteristics of Living Things
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Living things are made up of units called cells.
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Living things reproduce.
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Sexual Reproduction- 2 parents are united to form a
genetically unique offspring.
Asexual Reproduction- a single parent produces offspring
that are identical to itself.
Living things are based on a universal genetic
code.
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A cell is the smallest unit of an organism that can be
considered alive.
This information is needed to live, grow, and reproduce.
Living things grow and develop.
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Cells undergo differentiation to perform different
functions.
Characteristics of Living Things
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Living things obtain and use materials and energy.
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Living things respond to their environment.
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Organisms detect and respond to stimuli from their
environment.
Living things maintain a stable environment.
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All organisms must take in materials and energy to grow,
develop, and reproduce.
Metabolism- the sum of all chemical reactions in the body.
Although conditions outside an organism may change
dramatically, most organisms need to keep conditions
inside their bodies constant. (Homeostasis)
Taken as a group, living things change over time.
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Individuals do not change, but groups of organisms tend
to evolve over time.
Branches of Biology
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Biosphere- all living things
Biome- group of similar ecosystems
Ecosystem- living things and their nonliving
surroundings
Community- populations that live together in a
defined area
Population- group of organisms of one type that live
in the same area
Organism- individual living thing
Groups of cells- tissues, organs, and organ systems
Cells- smallest functional unit of life
Molecules- groups of atoms; smallest unit of most
compounds
Microscopes
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Microscopes- produce magnified
images of structures that are too
small to see with the unaided eye.
Light Microscopes
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Produce magnified images by
focusing visible light rays.
Uses 2 lenses to form an image.
The only microscope that can be
used to study living things.
Electron Microscope
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Use beams of electrons to produce images.
Can produce images up to 1,000x more
detailed than light microscopes.
Cannot view living cells.
2 Types:
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Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEMs)Has the most magnification. Used to view the
fine structures inside a cell. (organelles)
Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs)- used to
view the detailed surface of a specimen.
Early Microbiologists
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Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
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Viewed “animalcules” or
microorganisms, in pond water, rain
water, and dust.
Credited for advances in the microscope.
Robert Hooke
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First to describe and coin the word
“cell.”
Exit Slip
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What is homeostasis? Give an
example of how it is maintained.
What biological processes includes
chemical reactions that break down
materials?
List some observations that could
be made to determine whether an
object that is not moving is living or
nonliving.
Warm Up
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List at least two differences
between sexual and asexual
reproduction.
What does it mean/why is is
necessary for cells to differentiate?
Making Measurements
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Length- a measure of the straight-line
distance between two points.
Mass- a measure of the amount of matter in
an object.
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Weight- a measure of the gravitational force
exerted on an object. (weight = mass x gravity)
Volume- a measure of the size of the body or
region in three-dimensional space.
Units of Measurement
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SI System- the standard units of
measurements used by scientists.
Quantity
Unit
Abbreviation
Length
Meter
m
Mass
Gram
g
Time
Second
s
Temperature
Celsius
C
Volume
Liter
L
SI Prefixes
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SI prefixes are used for very large and small
measurements.
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SI prefixes are all based in multiples of 10.
Ex: 5,000 kilometers = 500,000,000 centimeters
Kentucky Has Dark
base unit
K – kilo
H – hecta
Da – deca
Deep Coal Mines
De – deci
C – centi
M – milli
Class Practice
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Convert 486 milliliters to centiliters.
Convert 312 kilometers to meters.
Convert 0.32 hectagrams to decigrams.
You Try It!
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Convert 1.85 meters to centimeters.
Write 55 decimeters as meters.
Change 1.6 kilograms to grams.
Warm Up Exercise
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How many milliliters are on 0.45 liters?
How many grams are in 500,000
kilograms?
Scientific Notation
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Scientific Notation- a method of expressing a
quantity as a number multiplied by 10 to the
appropriate power. (10x)
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When you multiply in scientific notation, you
ADD the exponents.
When you divide in scientific notation, you
SUBTRACT the exponents.
Class Practice
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Write the following measurements in
scientific notation.
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800,000,000 meters
0.0015 kg
67,453 L
You Try It!
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Write the following measurements in
scientific notation.
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0.00046 mL
42,000,000,000 km
89,265 g
Class Practice
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Write these measurements in long form.
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4.5 x 103 g
1.99 x 10-8 cm
0.422 x 104 m
You Try It!
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Write these measurements in long form.
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9.53 x 105 dm
0.1223 x 103 cg
6.04 x 10-4 mL
Class Practice
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Perform the following calculations
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(5.5 x 104 cm) x (1.4 x 104 cm)
Perform the following calculations
•
5.2 x 108 cm3
9.5 x 102 cm3
You Try It!
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Perform the following calculations
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(4.34 g/mL) x (8.22 x 106 g/mL)
(3.8 x 10-2 cm) x (4.4 x 10-2 cm) x (7.5 x 10-2 cm)
Perform the following calculations
• 6.05 x 107 g
8.8 x 106 cm3
Graphing Scientific Data
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Line Graphs- show continuous changes
Bar Graphs- compare the values of items
Pie Graphs- show the parts of a whole