Lab Quiz: Scientific Method & Human Evolution Flashcards
Lab
What is the Scientific Method?
- The process used to acquire knowledge and for testing ideas
What are the steps for the Scientific Method?
- Observation
- Hypothesis
- Experiment
- Conclusion
What is a Hypothesis?
- A tentative statement about the natural world
- an educated guess
A Hypothesis must:
- Based on observations/prior knowledge
- Clear and precise
- Testable (able to be evaluated using known scientific methods)
- Falsifiable (can imagine situations that can prove hyp. false)
What is an experiment?
an experiment or study designed to test hypothesis. Data from experiment are presented in a graph (bar/line)
What is an Independent Variable?
The treatment or condition you choose to VARY among the groups
ex. compound x
What is a Dependent Variable?
The MEASUREMENTs or outcomes recorded at the end of the experiment
ex. height of plants
What are Standardized Variables?
all OTHER factors or conditions in the experiment that must be kept the same
ex. type of soil, amount of water, amount of sunlight
What are Experimental Groups/Treatment?
The subjects that receive the different treatments
What is the Control Group/Treatment?
The subjects that receive NO treatment. Independent variable is eliminated, or default level
Why is repetition important in testing?
Important to make experimental results convincing.
On which axis is the dependent and independent variable?
Dependent = Y-axis (vertical)
Independent = X-axis (horizontal)
When to use a line graph
- when independent variable is continuos (infinite # of values)
- ex. when independent variable is time, temperature, distance, weight, or volume
When to use a bar graph
- when the independent variable is discrete (limited or finite values for independent variable)
- ex. only 9 possible values
Can a Hypothesis be proven true?
No. Data/Conclusions can support a hypothesis, but not prove it.
What are some characteristics of human skulls
- bigger cranium
- smaller teeth and duller canines
- maxilla and mandible sit closely on top of each other
- less pronounced supraorbital bone
What are some characteristics of Chimp skulls
- smaller cranium
- sharp and bigger canines
- mandible protrudes outward
- pronounced supraorbital bone
- sagittal crest
Overtime have brain sizes increased or decreased?
increased
- helps cognitive thinking, smarter to create tools, hunt, and language
Over time, a shift in locomotion occurred toward quadrupedalism or bipedalism?
bipedalism
- walk longer distance, better eyesight, better for traveling in less dense forest (when swinging from trees isn’t a viable option)
Overtime, did the diet became increasingly herbivorous, omnivores or carnivorous?
Omnivorous
- get more nutrients from plants and meat
- well balanced diet can lead to brain growth
- can eat different types of food while traveling
What is the name of the chimpanzee on display?
Gene
A skull with large cranium and high forehead is balanced on top of an S-shaped vertebral column. The spinal cord enters from directly underneath, allowing the neck to be extended vertically.
Human
The ribcage, made up of the sternum and ribs, is funnel shaped and tapered towards the neck because the arms are used for locomotion like knuckle-walking or swinging in trees. Consequently, the scapula is large and has an extensive area for the attachment of large arm muscles
Chimp
The hand bones, including the carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges, are robust because they bear weight during terrestrial locomotion. The forearms, composed of the radius and ulna, are exceptionally long and strong, since much of the upper body is supported by the upper limbs during knuckle-walking or swinging in trees.
Chimps
The pelvic girdle provides a lower and broader platform necessary for support of the upper body and internal organs when the body is aligned vertically during walking. Additionally, muscles necessary for bipedalism and endurance running attach to the pelvic bones.
Human
The femur is not angled inward down to the knee and results in an awkward, widely spaced walking stance which is difficult to balance when walking upright. The legs are noticeably shorter than the arms. The patella is relatively small.
Chimp
The big toe is aligned with the other toes (phalanges) and is not opposable.
Human
