INTRO TO BIOLOGYINTRO TO BIOLOGY

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS REGENTS LIVING ENVIRONMENTREGENTS LIVING ENVIRONMENT

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD:THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

The goal of science is to The goal of science is to INVESTIGATEINVESTIGATE and understand nature, to explain events and understand nature, to explain events in nature, and to use those explanations in nature, and to use those explanations to make useful hypothesis.to make useful hypothesis.

We investigate by making We investigate by making OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONS using our 5 senses to using our 5 senses to collect collect DATADATA..

A A HYPOTHESISHYPOTHESIS is an educated guess is an educated guess based on observed characteristics of an based on observed characteristics of an object and our previous knowledge.object and our previous knowledge.

IF…THENIF…THEN……

Example: If I study my vocabulary words, Example: If I study my vocabulary words, then I will do well on the quiz.then I will do well on the quiz.

Example: If I make a mess in lab, then I will Example: If I make a mess in lab, then I will clean it up without being asked to. clean it up without being asked to.

Design a Controlled Experiment:Design a Controlled Experiment:

1.1. State the problemState the problem

2.2. Form a hypothesisForm a hypothesis

3.3. Set up a controlled experimentSet up a controlled experiment

4.4. Record & analyze dataRecord & analyze data

5.5. Draw a conclusionDraw a conclusion

6.6. Retest!Retest!

VARIABLES:VARIABLES:

Experimental group Experimental group – the group that is – the group that is being tested – getting the actual being tested – getting the actual “experiment”.“experiment”.

Control group Control group – the group that is NOT – the group that is NOT being tested, but rather being used to being tested, but rather being used to check the VALIDITY of the experiment – check the VALIDITY of the experiment – getting a PLACEBO. getting a PLACEBO.

Variables…Variables…

Independent Variable Independent Variable – the researcher – the researcher can “control” this – can “control” this – x axis of graphx axis of graph

Dependent Variable Dependent Variable – the outcome the – the outcome the researcher is testing – researcher is testing – y axis of graphy axis of graph

THEORIES:THEORIES:

A theory is a HYPOTHESIS that covers a A theory is a HYPOTHESIS that covers a broad rangebroad range

Example: the THEORY of EvolutionExample: the THEORY of Evolution Example: the Big Bang THEORYExample: the Big Bang THEORY

How do you Improve an How do you Improve an Experiment?Experiment?

1.1. Reduce experimental BIASReduce experimental BIAS

2.2. Redo the ExperimentRedo the Experiment

3.3. Increase the sample sizeIncrease the sample size

4.4. Control other variablesControl other variables

so... what IS so... what IS Biology????Biology????

BIO = LIVINGBIO = LIVING OLOGY = STUDY OFOLOGY = STUDY OF

BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING & NON-LIVING?BETWEEN LIVING & NON-LIVING? SCIENTISTS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SCIENTISTS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO

AGREE ON A SINGLE DEFINITION THAT AGREE ON A SINGLE DEFINITION THAT CHARACTERIZES LIFE!!!CHARACTERIZES LIFE!!!

LIVING VS. NON-LIVING:LIVING VS. NON-LIVING:(ORGANIC VS. INORGANIC)(ORGANIC VS. INORGANIC)

Living things carry out almost all of the Living things carry out almost all of the LIFE FUNCTIONSLIFE FUNCTIONS Nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, Nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion,

regulation, synthesis, growth, reproduction, regulation, synthesis, growth, reproduction, metabolism, immunity, locomotion. metabolism, immunity, locomotion.

Non-living things cannot carry out at least Non-living things cannot carry out at least one or more of these functions.one or more of these functions.

NUTRITION:NUTRITION:

Process by which an organism converts Process by which an organism converts inorganic and organic “foods” into a more inorganic and organic “foods” into a more usable form of energy usable form of energy

AutotrophicAutotrophic organisms MAKE their own organisms MAKE their own food – example: PLANTSfood – example: PLANTS

HeterotrophsHeterotrophs cannot make their own food cannot make their own food – people– people Nutrition involves both Nutrition involves both ingestion & digestioningestion & digestion

TRANSPORT:TRANSPORT:

Movement of materials (nutrients, Movement of materials (nutrients, essential gases, wastes, hormones, etc.) essential gases, wastes, hormones, etc.) throughout the organism throughout the organism

WITHIN A BODY THIS IS KNOWN AS WITHIN A BODY THIS IS KNOWN AS CIRCULATION.CIRCULATION. Transport gets the nutrients to where they Transport gets the nutrients to where they

need to be!need to be!

MOVEMENT:MOVEMENT:

ACTUAL PHYSICAL MOTIONACTUAL PHYSICAL MOTION Also called Also called LOCOMOTIONLOCOMOTION

Usually associated with some sort of Usually associated with some sort of survival need and quite often dependent survival need and quite often dependent on the physical size of the organismon the physical size of the organism (a blue whale will move much farther in its’ (a blue whale will move much farther in its’

lifetime than an ant will, for example)lifetime than an ant will, for example)

RESPIRATION:RESPIRATION: THIS IS NOT BREATHING!!!!!!!!THIS IS NOT BREATHING!!!!!!!! THE PROCESS THAT CONVERTS THE THE PROCESS THAT CONVERTS THE

ENERGY FROM FOOD INTO ENERGY FROM FOOD INTO ATPATP (THE FORM (THE FORM OF ENERGY THAT CAN BE USED BY CELLS)OF ENERGY THAT CAN BE USED BY CELLS)

IT IS A RELEASE OF ENERGY by an IT IS A RELEASE OF ENERGY by an EXCHANGE of gases!EXCHANGE of gases! Organism that need OXYGEN for respiration are called Organism that need OXYGEN for respiration are called

AEROBICAEROBIC Organisms that do not need Oxygen are called Organisms that do not need Oxygen are called

ANAEROBICANAEROBIC

EXCRETION:EXCRETION:

Not what you think…. THIS IS NOT simply Not what you think…. THIS IS NOT simply urination and defecation urination and defecation

It’s the release of cellular waste products into It’s the release of cellular waste products into the transport system for removal from the the transport system for removal from the organism (COorganism (CO₂₂, water, urea, urine, sweat…), water, urea, urine, sweat…)

EGESTIONEGESTION – removal of UNDIGESTED material – removal of UNDIGESTED material EXCRETIONEXCRETION – removal of waste/byproducts – removal of waste/byproducts

REGULATION:REGULATION:

MAINTAINS A STATE OF MAINTAINS A STATE OF HOMEOSTASISHOMEOSTASIS IN THE IN THE BODYBODY

Any activity an organism carries out to maintain its’ Any activity an organism carries out to maintain its’ internal environment. This includes: brain activity, internal environment. This includes: brain activity, nervous function, release of hormones, etc… nervous function, release of hormones, etc…

A change in the environment is called a A change in the environment is called a STIMULUSSTIMULUS which causes a physical response from an organismwhich causes a physical response from an organism

EX: You will shiver when you’re cold to raise your temp.EX: You will shiver when you’re cold to raise your temp.

HOMEOSTASIS is…HOMEOSTASIS is…

… … the ability of living organisms to the ability of living organisms to maintain a maintain a DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUMDYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM with with its surroundings by carrying out the LIFE its surroundings by carrying out the LIFE FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS

… … a state of a state of BALANCEBALANCE between a living between a living thing and its environmentthing and its environment

… … constantly threatened!constantly threatened!

HOMEOSTASIS…HOMEOSTASIS…

Ex: environmental temp increases ----> more Ex: environmental temp increases ----> more sweating ---> more evaporation --< cools down bodysweating ---> more evaporation --< cools down body

Ex: Blood sugar regulation Ex: Blood sugar regulation insulininsulin -- a hormone (chemical messenger) -- a hormone (chemical messenger)

produced by the pancreas and carried through the produced by the pancreas and carried through the blood blood

-- lowers blood sugar 2 major ways: -- lowers blood sugar 2 major ways: a.) Takes glucose into our cells to be used a.) Takes glucose into our cells to be used as fuel in cell respiration from our blood as fuel in cell respiration from our blood b.) Converts excess glucose to the glycogen b.) Converts excess glucose to the glycogen (animal starch) and stores it in our liver and muscles (animal starch) and stores it in our liver and muscles

METABOLISM:METABOLISM:

The energy level that an individual The energy level that an individual organism must maintain to stay aliveorganism must maintain to stay alive

Every organism, even those within a Every organism, even those within a species, has its’ own personal metabolic species, has its’ own personal metabolic raterate EX: Some people eat TONS of food but EX: Some people eat TONS of food but

never seem to gain weight – they have very never seem to gain weight – they have very fast metabolisms that utilize the energy from fast metabolisms that utilize the energy from food fasterfood faster

SYNTHESIS:SYNTHESIS: THE PRODUCTION OF MORE THE PRODUCTION OF MORE

COMPLEX SUBSTANCES BY COMPLEX SUBSTANCES BY COMBINING 2 OR MORE SIMPLE COMBINING 2 OR MORE SIMPLE SUBSTANCESSUBSTANCES EX: 2 Hydrogen + 1 Oxygen = waterEX: 2 Hydrogen + 1 Oxygen = water EX: amino acid + amino acid = proteinEX: amino acid + amino acid = protein

GROWTH:GROWTH:

Simply the increase in the size of cells (at Simply the increase in the size of cells (at an embryonic stage) or an increase in the an embryonic stage) or an increase in the number of cells (throughout life)number of cells (throughout life)

Growth stops when an organism Growth stops when an organism experiences death experiences death

REPRODUCTION:REPRODUCTION:

The making of more organisms of one's The making of more organisms of one's own kind -- not needed by an individual own kind -- not needed by an individual living thing but is needed by its living thing but is needed by its species.species.

This is not always a SEXUAL eventThis is not always a SEXUAL event More often, it is ASEXUAL .More often, it is ASEXUAL .

IMMUNITY:IMMUNITY:

The ability to defend yourself against The ability to defend yourself against disease or allergiesdisease or allergies

Organisms have a complex system of Organisms have a complex system of defending against both pathogens defending against both pathogens (disease causing organisms) and (disease causing organisms) and allergens (chemicals that cause allergic allergens (chemicals that cause allergic reaction)reaction)