1.1 The Science of Biology Flashcards
What is biology?
Biology is the study of life.
Science
Knowledge that covers general truths or the operation of general laws, especially when acquired and tested by the scientific method.
Scientific method
method of research with defined steps that include observation, formulation of a hypothesis, testing, and confirming or falsifying the hypothesis.
Hypothesis
suggested explanation for an observation, which one can test.
Theory
tested and confirmed explanation for observations or phenomena.
Natural Sciences
field of science that is related to the physical world and its phenomena and processes.
Life Sciences
field of science, such as biology, that studies living things.
Physical Sciences
field of science, such as geology, astronomy, physics, and chemistry, that studies nonliving matter.
Inductive reasoning
form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion.
Deductive reasoning
form of logical thinking that uses a general inclusive statement to forecast specific results.
Descriptive (or discovery) science
form of science that aims to observe, explore, and investigate.
Hypothesis-based science
form of science that begins with a specific question and potential testable answers.
Falsifiable
able to be disproven by experimental results.
Variable
part of an experiment that the experimenter can vary or change.
Control group
part of an experiment that does not change during the experiment.
Basic science
science that seeks to expand knowledge and understanding regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge.
Applied science
form of science that aims to solve real-world problems.
Serendipity
fortunate accident or a lucky surprise.
