BIO 1GENERAL BIOLOGY
Prof. Verna Marie Monsanto- Hearne
PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY WITH EMPHASIS ON THE MOLECULAR, CELLULAR, TISSUE-ORGAN, AND ORGANISMIC LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION OF LIFE
BIO/LOGY
LIFE SCIENCE
concept map of the course
SCIENCE
from latin “Scientia” meaning knowledge
search for what is true
study of the world around us
SCIENCE
answers the how, what, where, and why of our surroundings
organized body of knowledge
a system of acquiring knowledge using the scientific method
scientific method“organized common sense”
- Claude Villee
scientific method
a frame of mind that involves
1. curiosity
2. refusal to accept an explanation without evidence
keen observation:
**most basic skill of a scientist
**makes use of our 5 senses
know the facts which are already available
hypothesis: possible explanation
design the experiment
**assign a control set-up and an experimental set-up (or a set-up with an experimental variable)
accurate description: another required skill in a scientist : writing or telling about observations
data: careful records of observations and information
use of quantitative measurements
length, volume, weight, temperature, etc
hypothesis: possible explanation
Analysis Understand and interpret data
hypothesis: possible explanation
Analysis Understand and interpret data
conclusion:
** either one accepts or rejects the hypothesis
Share publish results
hypothesis: possible explanation
Analysis Understand and interpret data
share by means of publication, seminars, etc to make experiment relevant
Share publish results
note:
•one cannot prove or disprove a hypothesis based on just a single experiment
•result must be reproducible
Theory
•when a hypothesis is confirmed often enough and is unlikely to be disproved
THEORY: powerful, time tested concepts that make useful and dependable predictions about the natural world
Scientific knowledge
•constantly changing body of observations
•ex: flat earth, sun revolving around the earth
•not a collection of eternal truths
Analysis
Share publish results
Understand and interpret data
some bacteria grow in Nabok river, a mercury
contaminated site
there are some bacteria which are mercury
resistant
the bacteria growing in Nabok river are mercury
resistantculture bacteria
isolated from Nabok river, grow in medium containing mercury
(experimental) and grow bacteria in medium without mercury
check for bacterial growth in both media
there is bacterial growth in both media
the bacteria are mercury resistant
The Scientific Method
in Everyday Experienc
e
BIO/LOGY
LIFE SCIENCE