Chapter 2

Question 1

What is science?

Answer 1

A process for producing knowledge methodically and logically. It depends on making precise observations of natural phenomena.

Question 2

What is Parsimony?

Answer 2

When two plausible explanations are reasonable, the simpler (more parsimonious) one is preferable. This rule is also known as Ocam’s razor, after the English philosopher who proposed it.

Question 3

What is a Hypothesis?

Answer 3

A testable explanation.

Question 4

What is Deductive Reasoning?

Answer 4

Logical reasoning from general to specific.

Question 5

What is Inductive Reasoning?

Answer 5

Reasoning from many specific observations to produce a general rule.

Question 6

A) What’s a Natural experiment?

B) What’s a Manipulative experiment?

Answer 6

A) A natural Experiment involves observations of events that have already happened

B) A Manipulative Experiment is an experiment where some conditions are deliberately altered and all other variables are held constant.

Question 7

What is is a…

A) Controlled Study

B) Blind Experiment

C) Double Blind Experiment

Answer 7

A) Controlled Study: Comparing a treatment group to a control group which has not received the treatment.

B) Blind Experiment: Researcher does not know which group has been treated until after the data has been analyzed

C) Double Blind Experiment: Neither the subject nor the researcher knows who is in the treatment group

Question 8

What is a System? What’s the difference between an Open System and a Closed System?

Answer 8

Systems are networks of interdependent components and processes, with materials and energy flowing from one component of the system to another. Ecosystems, Economic Systems, etc..

Open System: Exchanges matter and energy with surroundings. Receives inputs and produces outputs

Closed System: Self contained, exchanges no matter or energy with the outside.

Question 9

What are Positive and Negative Feedback Loops?

Answer 9

Positive Feedback: Self perpetuating process, as an increase in a state variable leads to further increases in it.

Negative Feedback: Supresses change within a system, helps to maintain stability in systems.

Question 10

In a system, please describe:

1. Equilibrium (Homeostasis)
2. Disturbance
3. Resilience
4. State Shift
5. Emergent Properties

Answer 10

1. Dynamic state in which a system is stable over time
2. Periodic destructive events such as fire or flood that destabilize or change the system
3. Ability of system to recover from disturbance
4. A severe disturbance in which the system does not return to normal but instead results in significant changes in some of its state variables
5. Are characteristics of a whole, functioning system that are quantitatively or qualitatively greater than the sum of the system’s parts

Question 11

What’s a Scientific Consensus and a Paradigm Shift?

Answer 11

1. Scientific Consensus: (General agreement among informed scholars) stems from a community of scientists who collaborate in a cumulative, self-correcting process.
2. Paradigm Shift: (Great changes in explanatory frameworks) occur when a majority of scientists agree that an old explanation no longer works very well.

Question 12

Arrange these steps in the scientific method from first to last.

\_\_\_ collect data to test hypothesis
\_\_\_ publish findings
\_\_\_ interpret results
\_\_\_ identify question
\_\_\_ report for peer review                                                 
\_\_\_ form testable hypothesis

Answer 12

1. Identify question
2. Form testable hypothesis.
3. Collect data to test hypothesis.
4. Interpret results.
5. Report for peer review.
6. Publish findings

Question 13

What is Throughput?

Answer 13

A term we can use to describe the energy and matter that flow into, through, and out of a system.