Chapter 1

Themes in the Study of Life

What is Biology?
What is Biology?
◦ Scientific study of Life
◦ Filled with QUESTIONS
 Good Questions
 Questions that can be investigated
What is Life?
 What is Life?
 7 Properties of Life
 What is Life?
 7 Properties of Life
◦ Order
◦ Evolutionary adaptation
◦ Responding to the environment
◦ Growth and development
◦ Reproduction
◦ Energy processing
◦ Regulation
What are the Major Themes of
Biology
 Major Themes of Biology
◦ New properties emerge at each level in the
biological hierarchy
◦ Organisms interact with their environments,
exchanging matter and energy
◦ Structure and function are correlated at all levels
of biological organization
◦ Cells are an organism’s basic units of structure and
functions
◦ The continuity of life is based on heritable
information in the form of DNA
◦ Feedback mechanisms regulate biological systems
 Evolution
“Nothing makes sense except in the light of evolution”
- Who Said This?
 Evolution
“Nothing makes sense except in the light of evolution”
Dobzhansky
 Evolution
“Nothing makes sense except in the light of evolution”
Dobzhansky

 Core Theme
◦ Evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of
life
◦ Its importance will demonstrate a large role in this
course
 Can always refer to Section 1.2 throughout the semester
How do scientists pose and answer
questions about the natural world?
How is Biology examined?
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Holistic approach
 Systems biology
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Reduce complex systems to simple components
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Reduce complex systems to simple components
 Holistic approach
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Reduce complex systems to simple components
 Holistic approach
 Larger-scale, with the objective of understanding
how the emergent properties work together
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Reduce complex systems to simple components
 Holistic approach
 Larger-scale, with the objective of understanding
how the emergent properties work together
 Systems biology
 How is Biology examined?

 Reductionist approach
 Reduce complex systems to simple components
 Holistic approach
 Larger-scale, with the objective of understanding
how the emergent properties work together
 Systems biology
 Goal is to construct models for the behavior of a
whole systems
What is inquiry?
What is inquiry?
 Inquiry is the search for information and explanation
that often focuses on specific questions
 Scientists use two main forms of
scientific inquiry
 Discovery Science
 Hypothesis-Based Science
 Scientists use two main forms of
scientific inquiry
 Discovery Science
 Scientists use two main forms of
scientific inquiry
 Discovery Science
 Describing nature
 More qualitative in nature
 Can have quantitative aspects
 Describes natural processes
 Uses observation to gather information (directly or
indirectly) with tools
 Recorded observations are called data
 Scientists use two main forms of
scientific inquiry
 Hypothesis-Based Science
 Scientists use two main forms of
scientific inquiry
 Hypothesis-Based Science
 Describing nature
 More qualitative in nature
 Can have quantitative aspects
 Describes natural processes
 Uses observation to gather information (directly or
indirectly) with tools
 Recorded observations are called data
What is a hypothesis?
What is a hypothesis?
 Tentative answer to a well-framed
question
◦ Explanation on trial
 Educated Guess that is based on
experience and the data available from
Observation
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 Falsifiable
 Cannot be PROVEN
 Gains credibility by surviving attempts to
falsify it
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
 Falsifiable
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
 Falsifiable
 There must be some observation or experiment
that could reveal if such an idea is NOT true
 Generally, scientists frame two or more alternative
hypotheses and design experiments to falsify
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
 Falsifiable
 There must be some observation or experiment
that could reveal if such an idea is NOT true
 Generally, scientists frame two or more alternative
hypotheses and design experiments to falsify
 Cannot be PROVEN
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
 Falsifiable
 There must be some observation or experiment
that could reveal if such an idea is NOT true
 Generally, scientists frame two or more alternative
hypotheses and design experiments to falsify
 Cannot be PROVEN
 Testing supports a hypothesis not by Proving it, but
instead by not eliminating it through the falsification
 It’s impossible to test ALL alternative hypothesis
What makes a Good Hypothesis?
 Testable
 A way to check the validity
 Falsifiable
 There must be some observation or experiment
that could reveal if such an idea is NOT true
 Generally, scientists frame two or more alternative
hypotheses and design experiments to falsify
 Cannot be PROVEN
 Testing supports a hypothesis not by Proving it, but
instead by not eliminating it through the falsification
 It’s impossible to test ALL alternative hypothesis
 Gains credibility by surviving attempts to
falsify it
What are the Types of Data?
Types of Data
 Qualitative
 Quantitative
Types of Data
 Qualitative
Types of Data
 Qualitative
 Recorded descriptions rather than numerical
 General observations
 Colors
Types of Data
 Qualitative
 Recorded descriptions rather than numerical
 General observations
 Colors

 Quantitative
Types of Data
 Qualitative
 Recorded descriptions rather than numerical
 General observations
 Colors

 Quantitative
 Recorded measurements
 Numerical in nature
What are theTypes of Reasoning
 Types of Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 Deductive Reasoning
 Types of Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 Types of Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 From induction
 Derive generalizations from a large number of specific
observations
 Ex:
 If every organisms that you have studied is made of cells, then
it would be acceptable to induce that all organisms are made
of cells.
 Types of Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 From induction
 Derive generalizations from a large number of specific
observations
 Ex:
 If every organisms that you have studied is made of cells, then
it would be acceptable to induce that all organisms are made
of cells.

 Deductive Reasoning
 Types of Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 From induction
 Derive generalizations from a large number of specific observations
 Ex:
 If every organisms that you have studied is made of cells, then it
would be acceptable to induce that all organisms are made of
cells.
 Deductive Reasoning
 Logic flows from general to specific
 Usually take the form of prediction of experimental or observational
results
 Ex:
 If all organisms are made of cells, and humans are organisms,
then humans are composed of cells
Scientific Method
◦ Ask a Question
◦ Do Background Research
◦ Construct a Hypothesis
◦ Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
◦ Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
◦ Communicate Your Results
What is Experimental Design?
 INTEGRATING
EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN INTO SCIENCE
Experimental Design: The Process
 Paper airplane - everybody builds one
 Observe the plane’s flight
◦ Ready, set, hold it …
◦ How do we determine which is best?
 5 minutes to modify, make one change
 Write your hypothesis on your plane
 Leading Questions
 How did you act on your plane?
 What did you purposefully change
about your plane?
 How did you determine your plane’s
response?
 What remained the same about about
your plane?
Action Purposeful Response Remained
Change To Change The Same
Experimental Design Diagram
Title : The effect of ...IV... on ...DV...

Hypothesis : If the ...IV... is modified in this way,

then this will happen to the ...DV...

Independent variable:
these boxes
show how the
IV is modified

_____trials _____trials _____trials _____trials _____trials

Dependent Variable:

Constants:

Control:
Experimental Design Problems
 Compost & Bean Plants
After studying about recycling, members of John's biology class
investigated the effect of various recycled products on plant growth.
John's lab group compared the effect of different aged grass
compost on bean plants. Because decomposition is necessary for
release of nutrients, the group hypothesized that older grass
compost would produce taller bean plants Three flats of bean plants
(25 plantslflat) were grown for 5 days. The plants were then
fertilized as follows: (a) Flat A: 450 g of three-month-old compost,
(b) Flat B: 450 g of six-month-old compost, and (c) Flat C: 0 g
compost. The plants received the same amount of sunlight and
water each day At the end of 30 days the group recorded the height
of the plants (cm).
Experimental Design Diagram
Title : The effect of different aged compost on bean
plant growth.

Hypothesis : If older compost is applied, then plant

growth will be increased.
Independent variable: Age of Compost
these boxes 3 month old 6 month old
No compost
show how the compost compost
IV is modified
# trials 25 trials 25 trials 25 trials

Dependent Variable: Height of plants (cm)

Constants: amount of light, water, compost

Control: no compost
Scenario 2 Metals & Rusting Iron
 In chemistry class, Allen determined the effectiveness of various
metals in releasing hydrogen gas from hydrochloric acid. Several
weeks later, Allen read that a utilities company was burying lead
next to iron pipes to prevent rusting Allen hypothesized that less
rusting would occur with the more active metals. He placed the
following into separate beakers of water: (a) 1 iron nail, (b) 1 iron
nail wrapped with an aluminum strip, (c) 1 iron nail wrapped with a
magnesium strip, (d) 1 iron nail wrapped with a lead strip. He used
the same amount of water, equal amounts (mass) of the metals and
the same type of iron nails. At the end of 5 days, he rated the
amount of rusting as small, moderate, or large. He also recorded the
color of the water.
Experimental Design Diagram
Title: The effectiveness of various metals in
preventing the rusting of iron.
Hypothesis: If the chemical activity of the metallic
wrapper is increased, then less rusting of iron will
occur.
Independent variable: Type of metal wrapping
strip
these boxes Iron nail Iron nail Iron nail Iron nail
show how the with with with with
IV is no metal magnesium aluminum lead
modified
# trials 1 trial 1 trial 1 trial 1 trial

Dependent Variable: amount of rusting ,

color of water
Constants: amount of water, mass of metal,
type of nail
Control: nail with no metal
Perfumes & Bee's Behavior
 JoAnna read that certain perfume esters would agitate bees. Because
perfume formulas are secret, she decided to determine if the
unknown Ester X was present in four different perfumes by
observing the bees' behavior. She placed a saucer containing 10 ml
of the first perfume 3 m from the hive. She recorded the time
required for the bees to emerge and made observations on their
behavior. After a 30-minute recovery period, she tested the second,
third, and fourth perfumes. All experiments were conducted on the
same day when the weather conditions were similar, e.g., air,
temperature and wind.
Experimental Design Diagram
Title: The effect of various perfumes on the behavior of
bees.
Hypothesis: If the perfume contains Ester X, then the
bees will display agitated behavior.
Independent variable: Type of perfume
these boxes
show how the Perfume 1 Perfume 2 Perfume 3 Perfume 4
IV is
modified
# trials 1 trial 1 trial 1 trial 1 trial

Dependent Variable: time to emerge ,

behavior of bees
Constants: amount of perfume, weather,
distance from hive
Control:
Fossils and Cliff Depth
 Susan observed that different kinds and amounts of
fossils were preset in a cliff behind her house. She
wondered why changes in fossils content occurred from
the top to the bank. She marked the bank at five
positions: 5,10,15, 20, and 25m from the surface. She
removed 1 bucket of soil from each of the positions and
determined the kind and number of fossils in each
sample.
Experimental Design Diagram
Title: The effect of depth on the different types and
amounts of fossils.
Hypothesis: If depth increases in a fossil bank, then
different fossils will occur.
Independent Variable: Depth of soil
Modifications 5 10 15 20 25
# of Trials 1 1 1 1 1
Dependent Variable: Amount and type of fossils.
Constant: 1 bucket
Control ?
Aloe vera and Planaria
 Jackie read that Aloe vera promoted healing of burned tissue. She
decided to investigate the effect of varying amounts of aloe vera
and regeneration of planaria. She bisected the planaria to obtain 10
parts (5 heads and 5 tails) for each experimental group. She
applied concentrations of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% Aloe vera to the
groups. Fifteen ml of Aloe vera solutions were applied. All planaria
were maintained in a growth chamber with identical food,
temperature, and humidity. On day 15, Jackie observed the
regeneration of the planaria parts and categorized deeloped as full,
partial, or none.
 Experimental Design Diagram
Title: The effect of aloe vera on regeneration of planaria.
Hypothesis: If more aloe vera is used then there will be an increased
amount of aloe vera.
 Independent Variable: Percentage of Aloe Vera
Modifications 10% 20% 30%
# of Trials 10 10 10

Dependent Variable: amount of regeneration

Constant: food, temperature, humidity
Control : 0% aloe vera