chapter 2 Flashcards
what is a deduction?
wA conclusion that follows logically from a set of observations.
what is an observation?
The gathering of scientific information by watching a phenomenon.
what is a hypothesis?
A preliminary explanation of a phenomenon. Hypothesis formation is the first step of the scientific method.
what is the definition of experimentation?
The testing of a hypothesis.
what is the definition of data?
The scientific evidence pro- duced by an experiment or by observation, from which scientific conclusions are made.
scientific method
Standard scientific research procedure in which a hypothesis is stated, data are collected to
test it, and the hypothesis is either supported or refuted.
what is paradigm?
A conceptual framework useful for understanding a body of evidence.
what was Charles Darwins first publication called?
On the Origin of Species
what does immutability of species mean?
stasis or lack of change
which naturalist was the first to use the terms genus and species to classify types of animals and plants?
John Ray
what is taxonomy?
The science of biological classification.
what is binomial nomenclature?
Linnean naming system for all organisms, consisting of a genus and species label.
what is a taxon?
A group of organisms assigned to a particular category
identify the four eminent French natural historians who helped Darwin come up with his evolutionary ideas.
Buffon, Cuvier, Geoffrey saInt-HIlaIrE, Lamarck
what was Lamarcks flawed but helpful theory called lamarckianism?
his theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics. It argued that all organisms make adjustments to their environ- ment during their lifetime that could be passed on to their offspring, making those offspring better adapted to their environment.
