Scientific Method, Characteristics and Basic Needs
Study Guide – Unit 1 Test
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The Scientific Method
Problem (ask a question) “What is the effect of ___IV___ on ____DV____?
Hypothesis – form a hypothesis in an “IF ….THEN….” format
Experiment – identify IV and DV, constants, control (if you have one), procedure
Observations – record the data (data table, charts, graphs)
Conclusion – did your data support or not support your hypothesis?
Communication – let people know about the results of your experiment
*The scientific method is a process through which scientists solve problems and investigate scientific phenomena. The 6
steps of the scientific method do not have to always be in the same order, and not all steps are used in every
experiment. Sometimes you may have to go back and revise your hypothesis or the design of your experiment,
depending on your results. Scientists usually repeat their experiments many times to ensure that the results are
reliable.
Additional vocabulary for the scientific method:
Experimental Group – the group that the “change” or what is being tested is used on. Example: in an experiment
where there is vitamin juice given to workers to see if the juice makes them produce more work, the group that would
get the juice is the experimental group.
Control Group – the group that the “change” or what is being tested is not used. Example: in an experiment where
there is vitamin juice given to workers to see if the juice makes them produce more work, the control group would not
be given the vitamin juice.
Constants - the parts of the experiment that stay the same example: amount of fluid they drink, other foods in the diet,
the tasks assigned to the workers
Independent Variable - the one thing I change example: the type of fluid
Dependent Variable - the result of the change, what is measured. Example: productivity of workers
Theory – a hypothesis that has been supported by a great deal of data
Qualitative Data – based on the 5 senses
Quantitative Data – based on measurements and numbers
Characteristics and Basic Needs
All living things have cells
All living things are unicellular or multicellular. Uni = one and multi = many
This is the organization on life
Cells tissue  organ  organ systems  organisms
Away to think about this is a cell is the smallest living thing. A group of cells working together is called tissue, a group of
tissues working together is called an organ, organs working together make up an organ system, and all of your organ
systems working together make up an organism.
All living things excrete
All living things need to eliminate waste from their bodies to stay healthy. Some wastes our body gets rid of are carbon
dioxide from our lungs, lactic acid and urea from our skin, and digestive waste from our intestines.
All living things reproduce
Students should know the difference between asexual and sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction is a type of
reproduction in which only one parent is needed, and sexual reproduction is a type in which two parents are needed.
All living things sense and respond to stimuli
A stimulus is anything in an environment that causes a reaction, and a response is the reaction to that stimulus. For
example in the winter, cold weather is a stimulus, shivering is the response to the cold temperature. Your body starts
to shiver to make your muscles work to generate heat to bring your body temperature up. This is because your body is
trying to maintain homeostasis, which means maintaining a constant internal environment.
All living things have DNA
All living things have Deoxyribonucleic Acid, or DNA. It is the blueprint of your body and holds all of your genetic
information in it. You get half of your DNA from mom, and half of your DNA from your dad, which is why you look a little
like both of them. The passing down of these traits from parents to offspring is called heredity.
All living things grow and develop
Although multicellular organisms are made up of more than one cell, they started off as only one. Over time, they
divided over and over to become the multicellular organisms they are. Most living things have a general development
from when they are first born to when they are a full adult.
Remember, the larger the organisms, the more cells it has, it is not that their cells are bigger!!!!!!!!!
All living things use energy
All organisms use energy. What is different between some organisms is how they get their energy. Some organisms are
producers and some are consumers.
Producers are organisms that can make their own food, they are also called autotrophs, like plants and some bacteria.
Consumers are organisms that need to eat food, they are also called heterotrophs, like animals.
If an organism has ALL seven of these characteristics, then we call it biotic.
If an organism does not have ALL seven characteristics, then we call it abiotic.
Abiotic= nonliving
Biotic= living or was once living
Basic Needs of Animals and Plants
Plants and animals need five things in order to survive. The needs directly tie in to some of the characteristics
they have. Below are the basic needs of plants and animals.
Plants need:
Carbon dioxide from the air
Space to grow and develop
Water
Minerals to help with processes and health
Sunlight to help with photosynthesis
Animals need:
Oxygen from the air
Space to grow and develop
Water
Food to convert into energy
Shelter to help maintain homeostasis
Abiotic
Nonliving factors in the environment
Biotic
Living factors in the environment
Unicellular
Made of a single cell
Stimulus
Anything that affects the activity of
an organism, organ or tissue
Response
Any reaction to a stimulus
Homeostasis
The maintenance of a constant
internal environment
Multicellular
Made of many cells
Sexual Reproduction
Reproduction in which two cells join
to form a zygote; offspring share
characteristics of two parents
Asexual Reproduction
Reproduction in which a single
Parent produces offspring that are
genetically identical to the parent.
DNA
Digestion
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Hereditary material that controls all
the activities of the cell. Provides
instructions for making proteins.
Breaking down of food so that it can
be used by the body
Metabolism
The rate of how fast your body turns
food into energy
Heredity
The passing of traits from parent to
offspring.
Ingestion
The taking in of food into the
body
Food for us