Chapter 1 Flashcards
what’s the scientific method?
Investigation
- formulate hypotheses or models
- make predictions
- do experiments or make observation
- gather and interpret data
- establish a theory
Communication
- discuss experiments, share results, publish papers, participate in conferences, inform policy, address problems
Exploration
- make observations
- ask questions
- approach the world with curiosity
- read the scientific literature
example of observation
Iridium a common component of meteorites, was found in rock layers corresponding to the time of dinosaur extinction
example of hypothesis
a large meteorite disrupted communities on land and in the sea, causing the extinction of dinosaurs
What can we conclude from these observations?
A giant meteor struck Earth 65 million years ago, causing the extinction of dinosaurs
what are the characteristics of life?
- complex
- able to change in response to the environment
- able to reproduce
- has the capacity to evolve
what’s the difference between living and non-living environments?
The abundance of chemical elements differ
Compare and contrast earth’s crust and human body
share same chemical foundations and same physical laws
relative abundance of elements differs greatly
earth’s crust abiotic consist of mainly O, Si and Al, Fe,Ca
Organism biotic consist mainly of O,C, H
Name the first law of Thermodynamics
Energy can be neither created nor destroyed
All organisms obtain energy from the sun/ from chemical compounds and is converted to do work
Name the second law of thermodynamics
Degree of disorder in the universe tends to increase
The amount of disorder in a system is the entropy of the system
What two experiments concluded that living organisms arise from another living organism?
Francesco Redi Experiment - open jar, maggots
Louis Pasteur experiment - broth, microbes
what are all organisms made of?
cells, single or an ensemble of cells
what is known as the molecular blueprint in cells?
DNA
what is DNA?
The sequence of molecules that encodes a cell’s information. It cam be replicated and passed from cell to cell or from organism to its progeny
What’s the central dogma?
the basic flow of information in a cell
DNA transcription -→ RNA Translation-→ Protein
purpose of plasma membrane
- separate living material within the cell from the non-living environment
- controls the exchange of material between the cell and the environment
