Semester Exam Flashcards
Homeostasis
Stable internal conditions
The work of scientists begins with….
Careful observations
Controlled experiment
Only one variable should be changed at a time
How does science differ from other disciplines
Science relies strictly on facts
When is a hypothesis useful?
When it can be tested
Where may a hypothesis come from?
Observations, prior knowledge, logical inference
Spontaneous generation
The idea that life could arise from nonliving matter
What is not a goal of science or how it works?
Something that cannot be proven
Inference
A logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience
Why do scientists need to publish the details of important work?
So that other scientists can replicate their work
A tissue is composed of what?
Simple, individual cells
Theory
A well tested hypothesis
Osmosis
The diffusion of water through a selectively permeable substance.
Biology
Science that seeks to understand the living work
Ribosomes
Where proteins are assembled
Chromosomes
Threadlike structures that contain the genetic info that is passed down from generation to generation
Cell wall
Strong supporting layer that provides protection for the cell.
Cell membrane
Regulates what enters and leaves the cell. A thin flexible barrier around the cell
Characteristics of living things
Made up of units called cells, reproduce, based on a universal genetic code, grow and develop, obtain and use materials and energy, respond to their environment, maintain a stable internal environment.
Nucleus
Center of the cell, brain of the cell
Metabolism
Builds up or breaks down materials
Microscope
Tool that magnifies
Goal of Science
To investigate and understand the natural world, to explain events in the natural world, and to use those explanations to make useful predictions.
Compound light microscope
Where the light passes through the specimen and uses two lenses to form an image
