What is Science?
Note: not part of notes
What
are the
limits to
science?
Aliens????
Bigfoot body found????
What is Science?
 Science
is an organized way of using
evidence to learn about the natural
world.
 The
goal of science is to investigate
and understand nature. Once you
understand nature, you can make
predictions about nature.
What types of
things can you
predict?
Weather (Katrina), Agriculture,
environmental problems, etc
Acid Rain
 Biology:

is the study of living things
Ex: mammals, fish, bacteria,
insects, viruses???
Biology involves a search for
solutions to medical problems
 What
are some problems?
 Examples?
West Nile, AIDS,
Cancer, Clean water, endangered
species, wildlife management.
Arthritis
Allergies
Gangrene
When will you use biology to make
personal decisions?

Exercise, food/diet, drugs, alcohol,
problem solving skills
How
does a
theory develop?
 As
data from numerous experiments
builds up, a certain hypothesis may
become so well supported that
scientists consider it to be a theory.
 A theory
is supported by a ton of
evidence. But it is not considered to be
absolutely true.
 Ex:
theory of plate tectonics, theory of
evolution
Theory of Evolution
Characteristics of Living Things
8
characteristics must be met in order
for something to be “living”
 Try
to brainstorm a few
Characteristics of Living Things

1. All living
organisms are
made of cells.

-A cell is the
basic unit of life
Fill out the Pyramid
Organism
Organ Systems
Organs
Tissue
Cells
Prokaryotes vs eukaryotes
Reproduction

2. All living organisms must
reproduce

-All living organisms must reproduce
sexually or asexually.

a. Life would come to an end
without reproduction
Reproduction
DNA
 3. All
living organisms have a genetic
code (DNA)
 -There
is a reason why we look like
our parents. DNA is a molecule that
gets passed down to the next
generation.
Genetics
DNA
Life Cycle
 4. All
living organisms must grow
 -All
living organisms go through a life
cycle.
 Humans
start off as sperm/egg,
embryo, zygote, fetus, infant,
teenager, etc…
All living things must grow
Energy

5. All living organisms need energy

-Organisms need energy to grow,
develop, and reproduce. How do
you get energy?

Humans= eating, plants= sun,
fungus=decomposing
Obtain Energy
395 pound sumo wrestler
Respond to Environment
 6. All
living organisms must respond
to their environments
 -Not
a lot of organisms can survive a
winter. What do they do?

a. Hibernate, migrate
Respond to Environment
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Homeostasis




7. All living organisms must maintain an
internal balance
-Homeostasis: is the process in which
organisms maintain their internal
balance
If we eat, we have to excrete (removal
of waste)
Plants take in CO2 and give off O2
Homeostasis
Evolution
 8. All
living organisms change over
time
 -This
change is known as evolution
Change over time