Introduction
to Biology
Science begins with…
– Observations- any fact using the 5 senses
– Data – information gathered during an
experiment.
• Two types of observations/data:
• Quantitative – Data that involves numbers.
• Qualitative – Data that has descriptions
and can’t be measured.
• Inference – prediction based on
prior knowledge.
– Ex: The balloon will fall to the ground.
Conducting an Experiment
• Hypothesis – An answer to a scientific
question (educated guess of outcome of
experiment).
• Controlled Experiment: procedure to
test a hypothesis.
– Has only ONE manipulated variable
Different Types of Variables
• Variable – factors that can be changed
• Controlled Variable (control group) –
the variables that are kept the same.
• Manipulated Variable/INDEPENDENT–
the variable that is changed.
• Responding Variable/DEPENDENTvariable that changes as a result of
manipulated variable.
Mrs. Moon wants to conduct an experiment to test
the effect of plant growth based on the amount
of water received. She does the following:
• Obtains 3 seeds- tomato, sunflower, violet
• Places each in same amount and type of soil.
• Places each in same type of pot.
• Gives tomato 1 cup water, sunflower 2 cups
water and violet 3 cups water.
IS THIS A CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT?
Steps to a Controlled Experiment
1. State Problem
2. Gather Information
3. Hypothesis
4. Conduct Experiment
5. Record Data
6. Analyze Data
7. Conclude
8. Publish or repeat
Measurement
in Science
Why the Metric System?
• Metric Measurement : International
system of Units or “SI”
– Universal – used all over the world
– Based on multiples of 10
– Easy to convert
What is
Measured?
Unit of
Measurement
Abbrevia- Tool for
tion
Measuring
Length
Meter
m
Meter Stick
or ruler
Volume
Liter
l
Graduated
cylinder
Mass
Gram
g
Balance
°C
Thermometer
Temperature Celcius
Common Prefixes:
Kids Have Dropped Over Dead Converting Metrics
1. Kilo (k)
2. Hecto (h)
3. Deka (dk)
4. Unit (meter, liter or gram)
5. Deci (d)
6. Centi (c)
7. Milli (m)
Microscopes
• Leeuvenhoek – invented the first
microscope
• Compound Light Microscope: produces
a magnified image by focusing visible light
rays using 2 lenses.
• can observe dead or alive specimen
• Specimen must be thin enough for light to pass
through.
• Can be stained to show more detail
Microscopes continued
• Stereo Microscope
– used when viewing large specimen (wing
or leg of insect)
– Light does not pass through object.
Electron Microscope – focus beams of
electrons to get image magnified
• Magnifies 1000x more than the light
microscope.
The Theory of Spontaneous
Generation
• The idea that life arises from non-living matter.
• Theory was discredited by Redi’s experiment
with meat in jars:
– Put meat in 2 jars. Covered one jar and left one
open. Flies were able to get to the meat of the open
jar and maggots appeared.
– No flies and no maggots on jar that was covered.
– Concluded that maggots came from flies not meat.
Characteristics
of Living
Things
What makes something living????
• No one single characteristic makes
an organism living.
• Instead, living things share several
characteristics.
• These characteristics include the
following:
Made of cells.
• Cell- basic unit of all life
• Unicellular- made up of only 1 cell
• Multicellular- made up of more than
1 cell.
Reproduce.
Two types:
•Sexual- egg and sperm from 2
different parents unite to produce
offspring.
•Asexual- offspring forms from one
parent. (ex: bacteria)
Contain DNA
• Determines the inherited traits
of every organism.
Grow and Develop.
•Each organism has a
life cycle
Obtain and Use Materials and
Energy.
• Autotroph- makes their own food.
• Heterotroph- does not make their own
food.
Respond to their environment.
• Organisms live in constantly changing
environments. Many variables change
from day to day and season to season.
Each organism responds to these changes
in its own way.
Maintain a Stable Internal
Environment.
• Homeostasis- The process by which
organisms keep their internal
conditions stable.
Change over time- Evolve.
• Although individual organisms experience
many changes during their lives, the basic
traits they inherited from their parents
usually do not change.
• As a group, however, any given kind of
organism can evolve, or change over time.
Levels of
Organization
From the bottom to the top!!
Molecule
• Atoms and molecules of which
an organism is made.
Cells
• Basic unit of life.
Tissue
• A group of cells that perform
the same function.
Organ
• A group of tissues that
perform the same function.
Organ System
• Several organs working
together to perform a
specific function.
Organism
• All the organ systems of the
body functioning with one
another.
Population
• A group of organisms of the
SAME SPECIES living
together.
Community
• All the biotic factors
(populations) living together.
Ecosystem
• All the biotic (living) AND
the abiotic (nonliving)
factors of the environment.
Biosphere
• All of the ecosystems
combined together.
Backdrops:
www.animationfactory.com
- These are full sized
backdrops, just scale them up!
- Can be Copy-Pasted out of
Templates for use anywhere!