Environmental Biology Chapter 2 Flashcards
Science is both the accumulated body of knowledge produced by many scientists and __.
a process for understanding the natural world
Which two of the following are considered valid by modern scientists?
The world is knowable.
We can learn about the world through careful observation.
______ in science means that observations focus on real, observable phenomena, and ______ describes the scientific understanding that basic patterns and processes are similar across time and space.
Empiricism; uniformitarianism
The work of a scientist goes through a(n)
___review process in order to check for errors and biases
peer
Reproducibility and replication are ______.
demanded by scientists; they won’t accept just a single test result
____ is a process through which we understand the natural world by making precise observations, and conduct methodical research to test hypotheses. It is also a cumulative body of knowledge. (
science
accuracy
How close you are to the real measurement
precision
How close your measurements are to each other
Modern science is based on the assumptions that the world is both knowable and we can learn about it through careful
observation
Reporting a numeric measurement to a certain number of significant figures is important in science because ______.
it reveals the level of accuracy of your measurement
Empiricism
It is important to learn about the world through careful observation of real, observable phenomena.
Uniformitarianism
It is important to know that basic patterns and processes are similar across time and space and that the forces at work today are the same as those that shaped the world in the past.
Parsimony
When two plausible explanations are reasonable, the simpler one is preferred. This rule is also known as Ockham’s razor.
Uncertainty
When new evidence appears, knowledge changes and existing theories are tested.
______ reasoning logically follows a general principle and applies it to a specific instance, whereas ______ reasoning uses specific observations to create a general rule.
Deductive; inductive
Why does scientific work get peer-reviewed?
To check for errors and biases, and to maintain high standards in a particular field of study
A scientist observes that birds appear and disappear each year on a seasonal basis. She reasons that birds migrate seasonally. This is an example of ______ reasoning.
inductive
Scientists will not accept a test or experimental result just once; they demand replication and___
reproductability
Put the steps of the scientific method in the correct order with the first step at the top and the last step at the bottom.
- Make observations
- propose a hypothesis
3.develop a test for your hypothesis - gather test data
- interpret test results
- accept or alter the hypothesis
You have a group of 5 students who all measure the length of a salamander that is 17 cm long. The measurements are: 16.1 cm, 16. 2 cm, 16.1 cm, 16.2 cm, and 16.2 cm. These measurements are ______.
precise but not accurate
A(n) ___
is a possible explanation of scientific phenomena that is testable.
hypothesis
A researcher reports the total amount of rain for the month of January by measuring daily values for rain. The researcher used a ruler measuring centimeters that could not provide values of anything less than a half centimeter. Which of the following shows the correct number of significant figures that could be presented accurately?
6
A study of events that have already happened is a(n)
____
experiment.
natural
One of the primary benefits of using a numeric model to represent an environmental system is that ______.
variables can be altered without actually destroying anything
In statistics, a sample is defined as ______.
a subset but representative portion of a population, often used to estimate the characteristics of the entire class
What is the most apparent weakness of simulation models, such as those that determine how much sea level will rise with a distinct amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere?
They are only as good as the data used to create them.
A(n) ___
is a network of processes and interdependent components through which matter and energy flow.
(eco)system
___are used to represent environmental systems. Although some are physical, most are numeric, and they vary from the simple to the very complex. At the present time, these are often used to predict climate change.
Models
Homeostasis
Tendency for a system to remain stable
Disturbance
An event that changes a system
Resilience
The ability for a system to recover from a change
State shift
A large-scale change to a system due to multiple disturbances
Which of the following correctly describe a river’s emergent properties?
It carries sediment and nutrients to river floodplains, increasing the land’s fertility.
It provides a habitat for numerous aquatic organisms.
The goal of studying a group of related natural phenomena as a(n)
is to help us organize and understand the numerous and complex relationships between them.
system
Scientific ______ involves the work of many people exchanging, debating, testing, and retesting problems and hypotheses to improve our understanding of natural processes because 100 percent proof in science is not common.
consensus
A(n) ___
system receives inputs from its surroundings and produces outputs that leave the system. A(n) ___
system, which is extremely rare, exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings. (Use only one word per blank.)
open
closed
Major changes in scientific thought are ______ that occur when old explanations no longer are adequate for explaining new observations.
paradigm shifts
Which of the following is not an example of an emergent property of a forest tree?
It is a mass of stored carbon.
Which of the following would be the least appropriate step in evaluating the validity of scientific claims?
Conducting internet research on your own and examining the top links found on major search engines
