I Biology I Lecture Notes Introduction
Referen ces (Textbook - pages I - 17, 310, 342-345, 928-929: Lab Manual - pages 85
87)
Important Definitions
Science
1. According to Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (r d ed),
science is an organized body of knowledge derived from observation and
study.
2. Science is a method used to search for truth about the physical world and
the natural laws that control the physical world.
3. It is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking .
4. Science can be divided into two categories, depending on what is the
subject of study. These include:
• Social Sciences such as psychology, sociology, and history
• Natural Sciences that can be further divided into
Physical Sciences - deal with the pbysical world
and include cbemistry, physics, geology,
astronomy, etc.
Biological Sciences - deal with living organisms
and include zoology, botany, forestry, etc.
Life
1. According to Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (2ed.) , life is
defined as the fact or act of living. The property of organisms (ending at
death) that makes it possible for them to take in food, grow, and
reproduce.
2. Our text book calls living things - organisms
,3. Our textbook does not provide a formal definition of life. However, it
does list the following 5 major characteristics o f life.
• Living things - are organized
a. atoms combine and organize to form molecules
b. molecules combine and organize to form elements
c. cells combine and organize to form tissues
d. tissues combine to and organ ize to form organs
e. organs combine and organize to form organ systems
f individual bees come together and organize a colony
g. there are a host of other examples
• Living things - acquire materials and energy
a. includes the ability to take in food to make body pa rts
and products and to produce en-ergy
• Living things - respond
a. includes interactions with the environm ent and
interactions with other living things.
b. some living things are repulsed by light while others
are drawn to light.
c. fem a le frogs respond to the mating ca ll of male frogs
of the same species.
• Living things - reproduce and develop
a. life comes from life
b. to survive - living things must make another living
thing like itself
~ Living things - have adapta tions
a. most birds have wings that allow flight
b. penguins have flipper-like wings that allow them to
swim in the water
c. A mammal like the beaver have layers of fat and hair
that allow them to stay warm and live in frigid wa ters
, Biology
1. Our textbook definition of biology is the scientific study of life.
2. We can also call it the science of living or the science of life.
Three Basic Assumptions Scientists Take For Granted
t. Science dea ls with observable phenomena in a material Ulliverse
• Phenomena (events) can be apprehended, measured, or are
approachable by human senses (sight, soood, touch, smell; etc) or by
instruments (like the microscope) capable oftransmitting objective data
to the human mind.
• These phenome na (events) can also be verified by the senses of other
humans
2. Science assumes that in general there is uniformity in the material universe
• Phenomena (events) are reproducible because the fu ndamental
characteristics of the universe as we know it are constant
• Every time there is a fire - there is heat
• Ice always produces cold temperatures
3. Science, especially biological science does not deal with certainties, but with
probabilities
• In a sense, this assumption contradicts assumption number 2
• Drugs do not always produce the same beneficial results in every
patient
• Drugs mayor may not produce side effects depending on the individual
patient physiology
Referen ces (Textbook - pages I - 17, 310, 342-345, 928-929: Lab Manual - pages 85
87)
Important Definitions
Science
1. According to Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (r d ed),
science is an organized body of knowledge derived from observation and
study.
2. Science is a method used to search for truth about the physical world and
the natural laws that control the physical world.
3. It is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking .
4. Science can be divided into two categories, depending on what is the
subject of study. These include:
• Social Sciences such as psychology, sociology, and history
• Natural Sciences that can be further divided into
Physical Sciences - deal with the pbysical world
and include cbemistry, physics, geology,
astronomy, etc.
Biological Sciences - deal with living organisms
and include zoology, botany, forestry, etc.
Life
1. According to Webster's New World Dictionary and Thesaurus (2ed.) , life is
defined as the fact or act of living. The property of organisms (ending at
death) that makes it possible for them to take in food, grow, and
reproduce.
2. Our text book calls living things - organisms
,3. Our textbook does not provide a formal definition of life. However, it
does list the following 5 major characteristics o f life.
• Living things - are organized
a. atoms combine and organize to form molecules
b. molecules combine and organize to form elements
c. cells combine and organize to form tissues
d. tissues combine to and organ ize to form organs
e. organs combine and organize to form organ systems
f individual bees come together and organize a colony
g. there are a host of other examples
• Living things - acquire materials and energy
a. includes the ability to take in food to make body pa rts
and products and to produce en-ergy
• Living things - respond
a. includes interactions with the environm ent and
interactions with other living things.
b. some living things are repulsed by light while others
are drawn to light.
c. fem a le frogs respond to the mating ca ll of male frogs
of the same species.
• Living things - reproduce and develop
a. life comes from life
b. to survive - living things must make another living
thing like itself
~ Living things - have adapta tions
a. most birds have wings that allow flight
b. penguins have flipper-like wings that allow them to
swim in the water
c. A mammal like the beaver have layers of fat and hair
that allow them to stay warm and live in frigid wa ters
, Biology
1. Our textbook definition of biology is the scientific study of life.
2. We can also call it the science of living or the science of life.
Three Basic Assumptions Scientists Take For Granted
t. Science dea ls with observable phenomena in a material Ulliverse
• Phenomena (events) can be apprehended, measured, or are
approachable by human senses (sight, soood, touch, smell; etc) or by
instruments (like the microscope) capable oftransmitting objective data
to the human mind.
• These phenome na (events) can also be verified by the senses of other
humans
2. Science assumes that in general there is uniformity in the material universe
• Phenomena (events) are reproducible because the fu ndamental
characteristics of the universe as we know it are constant
• Every time there is a fire - there is heat
• Ice always produces cold temperatures
3. Science, especially biological science does not deal with certainties, but with
probabilities
• In a sense, this assumption contradicts assumption number 2
• Drugs do not always produce the same beneficial results in every
patient
• Drugs mayor may not produce side effects depending on the individual
patient physiology
