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What is Biology?

What is Biology?. The study of life. Biology is Relevant. Global problems are often Biological Problems Medicine Bioengineering Environment. Biology can be Controversial. If I choose to limit my family size, what methods of birth control do I use?

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What is Biology?

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  1. What is Biology? The study of life

  2. Biology is Relevant • Global problems are often Biological Problems • Medicine • Bioengineering • Environment

  3. Biology can be Controversial If I choose to limit my family size, what methods of birth control do I use? Is it right to protect an endangered species at the expense of jobs? Is it ethical to use fetal tissue in biomedical research? Are there dangers in cloning humans? Are irradiated foods safe to eat?

  4. What is Life? Give your own definition

  5. Living Organisms: • Are highly organized, complex entities • are composed of one or more cells • contain a blueprint of their characteristics • acquire and use energy • carry out and control numerous chemical reactions • produce offspring similar to themselves • respond to changes in the environment • may evolve into new types of organisms

  6. Inanimate objects may possess some of these characteristics, but not all of them.

  7. Biology is a Branch of Science • Biology, physics, chemistry, geology, etc. are branches of science • All branches: • pursuit of information • bodies of knowledge • have unique features/attributes

  8. Study of Life Has Unique Questions Question #1: “What happens when you push a stationary ball?” Question #2: “What happens when you push a sleeping dog?”

  9. Physical sciences are deterministic Action A leads to Response B Biology is probabilistic Action A leads to Response B, C, D or E with each having W, X, Y and Z probabilities of occurring

  10. Disciplines of Biology The disciplines of biology are all interrelated and should not be viewed as separate, independent entities.

  11. Key Course Concept The living world is a hierarchy, with each level of biological structure building on the level below it.

  12. Hierarchy of Life

  13. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection

  14. T. Dobzhansky (geneticist) “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”

  15. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Gregor Mendel’s experiments leading to the discovery of hereditary “factors” (genes)

  16. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Cell Theory

  17. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Cell Theory • Biological Classification • Carolus Linnaeus’ system of nomenclture • Scientific names unique to a species • Hierarchical system based on relatedness

  18. Italicized Scientific Name

  19. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Cell Theory • Biological Classification • Bioenergetics • energy that powers life • operates under same rules that govern energy in the inanimate universe

  20. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Cell Theory • Biological Classification • Bioenergetics • Homeostasis • organisms function best under narrow range of conditions • maintain stable internal conditions • allows organism to live in a wider range of conditions

  21. Major Theories of Biology • Evolution by Natural Selection • Inheritance • Biological Classification • Bioenergetics • Homeostasis • Ecosystem • organisms interact with each other and their environment • “Entangled Bank”

  22. How is Biology/Science Studied? • Observation • Questioning • Hypothesis • Testing • Explanation • These topics comprise the Scientific Method

  23. Observation “Seeing” and recognizing something that is of interest, concern, or a curiosity

  24. Questioning • Asking “why does this happen”, “how does this work”, etc. • Is it a testable question? • If yes, then it is a question that fits the scientific method

  25. Testing • Develop a study or experiment that will test the hypothesis • Should have sound experimental design • Should be repeatable

  26. Explanation • Interpretation of findings • Was the hypothesis rejected? • How do findings relate to those of others? • What is the significance of the findings?

  27. Hypothesis • A preliminary answer • previous experience • published information • best guess • A hypothesis does not have to be correct • Scientific investigation attempts to falsify a hypothesis

  28. Report Your Findings!!!! • Graphically • Numerically • Written • Orally

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