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The Science of Life
Biology unifies much of the natural science
Living systems are the most complex systems on Earth
Life is constrained by the properties of chemistry and physics
Science is becoming more interdisciplinary
-combing multiple fields
What are the properties of life?
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-Atoms, molecules, macromolecules, organelle, cells
-Cell is the basic unit of life
Organismal level
-Tissues, organs, organ systems, organism
Which hierarchical level, when combined, makes up organelles?
Macromolecules
Population level
Population->species->community (all species in area)-> ecosystem (community+ inorganics)-> biosphere
Earth is an ecosystem we call the biosphere
Each level has emergent properties
Result from interaction of component
Cannot be deduced by looking at parts themselves
“Life” is an emergent property
Which hierarchical level includes all the species in one area?
Community
The Nature of Science
Science aims to understand the natural world through observation and reasoning
Science begins with observations
-Therefore, much of science is purely descriptive
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o
Classification of all life on Earth
Human genome sequencing
Science uses both deductive and inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning uses general principles to make specific predictions (can then be tested with
experiment)
Inductive reasoning uses specific observations to come to a common conclusion
Deductive logic
Deductive (top-down) (Think hypothesis of scientific method)
-Uses generalized information to make specific predictions
All squares are rectangles
All rectangles have 4 sides
Therefore, all squares have 4 sides
-Only true if premises are true
Inductive logic
Inductive (bottom-up) (think conclusion of scientific method)
-Uses specific observations to make general conclusions
All swans I’ve seen are white
Therefore all swans are white
Is it true?
No
What is wrong here?
Observations were not broad enough not big enough sample size
Can come to a conclusion and still be wrong, retest and large sample sizes are very important
Scientists use a systematic approach to gain understanding of the natural world
Observation
Hypothesis formation
Prediction
Experimentation
Conclusion
A hypothesis is a possible explanation for an observation
A hypothesis
-Must be tested to determine its validity
-Is often tested in many different ways
-Allows for predictions to be made
Iterative
-Hypotheses can be changed and reined with new data
Experiment
Tests the hypothesis
Must be carefully designed to test only one variable at a time
Consists of a test experiment and a control experiment
Predictions
Hypotheses should make predictions
Predictions provide a way to test the validity of hypotheses
Hypothesis must be rejected if the experiment produces results inconsistent with the predictions
The more experimentally supported predictions a hypothesis makes, the more valid the hypothesis
Never say prove
Philosophical approaches to science
-Reductionism
*To break a complex process down to its simpler parts
-Systems biology
*Focus on emergent properties that can’t be understood by looking at simpler parts
Models in science
-Way to organize thought
-Parts provided by reductionist approach
-Model shows how they fit together
-Suggest experiments to test the mode
Scientific theory
-Is a body of interconnected concepts
-Is supported by much experimental evidence and scientific reasoning
-Expresses ideas of which we are most certain
Compare to general meaning of theory
-Implies a lack of knowledge of a guess