Chapter 1 notes

Question 1

What is deductive reasoning?

Answer 1

It applies to general principles to predict specific results

Question 2

What is inductive reasoning?

Answer 2

specific observations to construct general scientific principles

Question 3

How do you test a hypothesis?

Answer 3

Through experimentation

Question 4

What are variables in an experiment?

Answer 4

A factor that influences a process, outcome, or observation

Question 5

What is a control group in the experiment?

Answer 5

The variable of interest

Question 6

What is reductionism?

Answer 6

Understanding a complex system by reducing it to its working parts
(ex. models)

Question 7

What is a theory?

Answer 7

A body of interconnected concepts, supported by scientific and experimental evidence that explains the facts in some area of study

Question 8

What is basic research?

Answer 8

It extends boundaries of what we know

Question 9

What is applied research?

Answer 9

It involves manufacturing based on basic research

Question 10

What is biology?

Answer 10

The study of living things

Question 11

What are the categories for something to be considered living?

Answer 11

1. cellular organization
2. ordered complexities
3. sensitivity
   4.growth, development, reproduction
4. metabolism
5. homeostasis
6. evolutionary adaptation

Question 12

What are the levels of the ecosystem from smallest to largest?

Answer 12

1. cellular level
2. organismal level
   3.population level
3. ecosystem level
4. Biosphere

Question 13

What is evolution?

Answer 13

genetic change in a population of organisms

Question 14

In general, evolution causes organisms to go from ____ to _____

Answer 14

simple to complex

Question 15

What was Darwin’s five year voyage called?

Answer 15

The Beagle

Question 16

What did Darwin discover on the Beagle about species?

Answer 16

That lineages gradually change as species migrate

Question 17

What did Malthus argue

Answer 17

Animals and plants increase geometrically while resources increase arithmetically.

Question 18

Based on Malthus’s argument what can be inferred about the number of organisms that survive?

Answer 18

There are only a limited number of organisms that can survive

Question 19

If a species survives what do they pass on heritably?

Answer 19

They pass on desirable traits

Question 20

What is artificial selection?

Answer 20

Change in genetic structure of populations due to selective breeding by humans

Question 21

What is natural selection?

Answer 21

the differential reproduction of genotypes, caused by factors in the environment, leading to evolutionary change

Question 22

What are homologous structures?

Answer 22

Structures that originated from the same common ancestor

Question 23

What are analogous structures?

Answer 23

Structures that are similar function but do not come from the same common ancestor.

Question 24

What helps form phylogenic trees?

Answer 24

molecular evidence that specify degree of similarity

Question 25

What are some core concepts of biology?

Answer 25

1. Life is subject to chemical and physical laws
2. Structure determines shape
   3.Living systems transform energy and matter
   4.Living systems depend on information transactions
3. evolution explains the unity and diversity of life