Characteristics of Life
These are the building blocks that all living things are made of.
What are cells?
A flame can grow and move but lacks this characteristic that would make it alive.
What are cells (or What is reproduction/DNA)?
You should always do this to your hands after handling biology materials.
What is wash them (or What is handwashing)?
A scientific question must be this, meaning you can design an experiment to answer it.
What is testable?
A hypothesis is written in this three-part format.
What is if–then–because?
This process allows living things to make more of their own kind.
What is reproduction?
A seed in this state is not moving or growing right now but is still considered alive.
What is dormant (or What is dormancy)?
This piece of safety equipment protects your eyes during lab activities.
What are goggles (or What is eye protection)?
This is the factor that the scientist deliberately changes in an experiment.
What is the independent variable?
The "if" part of a hypothesis states this variable.
What is the independent variable (or What is the factor being changed)?
Living things use this to fuel their growth, movement, and other life processes.
What is energy?
This item was once alive but no longer exhibits any life characteristics.
What is once living (or What is dead)?
You should never do this with lab materials, even if they look or smell appealing.
What is eat or taste them?
This is what you measure or observe as the outcome in an experiment.
What is the dependent variable?
The "then" part of a hypothesis predicts this.
What is the outcome (or What is the dependent variable/result)?
This molecule carries genetic information and is passed from parent to offspring.
What is DNA?
This controversial example has DNA and can reproduce but needs a host cell to do so.
What is a virus?
If you break glassware or spill a chemical, you should immediately do this.
What is report it (to the teacher)?
An example of a testable question: "How do hours of this affect bean-plant height after 10 days?"
What is light (or What is sunlight)?
The "because" part of a hypothesis provides this kind of reasoning.
What is a scientific reason (or What is scientific explanation)?
This is the ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions despite changes in the environment.
What is homeostasis?
This object can grow in beautiful patterns and respond to its environment but is not alive because it lacks cells and cannot reproduce.
What is a crystal?
When carrying materials across the lab, you should always use this many hands.
What is two?
Terms like "better" or "faster" should be replaced with these kinds of descriptions in a scientific question.
What are measurable descriptions (or What are specific/quantifiable terms)?
An example hypothesis: "If a bean plant receives more hours of light, then it will grow taller because plants use light energy for this process."
What is photosynthesis?