Characteristics of Life
What is Biology the Study of?
Life
What is a hypothesis, and the format including variable placement?
Hypothesis is a testable prediction based on observations (more than a guess) that often describes a cause and effect relationship between variables.
If (IV), then (DV).
What are the two axes on a graph? Name the axes and what direction they go.
X axes is horizontal
Y axes is vertical
What is the first portion of a lab report?
Introduction/Purpose
What is a stimulus?
Signal to which an organism responds
What is the independent variable?
What the experimenter will deliberately change or manipulate in the investigation (MIX)
What variable is graphed on the x-axis?
(MIX- manipulated, independent, x-axis)
What is the difference between an observation and an inference?
Observation is a description of something you can see, smell, hear, touch, taste, not an opinion
Inference is a guess about an object based on your observations.
What is evolution?
Changes that occur over time throughout generations to organisms
What is the dependent variable?
What changes in response to the independent variable (DRY)
What variable is graphed on the y-axis?
Dependent variable
(DRY- dependent, response variable, y-axis)
What is a Qualitative Observation?
Observation that describes qualities, words
Green liquid, large hole, sour taste, sweet smell
What is homeostasis?
The ability to maintain a stable environment
What is a constant?
Aspects of an experiment that are held constant/consistent
What section of your lab report should your graph be in?
Results Section
What is a Quantitative Observation?
Observation that uses numbers to measure something.
4 feet long, 6 legs, 7.2 grams, 100mL
What are the 8 characteristics of life?
1. Respond to their environment
2. Grow and Develop
3. Reproduce
4. Evolve
5. Maintain a stable internal environment
6. Obtain and use material and energy
7. Made of a cell or cells
8. Based on a universal Genetic code
What is a control group?
group used for comparison with your experimental group, it is the normal group
What are the 4 requirements for a graph to be complete?
1. Title
2. Axes have an appropriate scale
3. Axes are labeled (with units)
4. Graph itself (bar or line)
What is the difference between precision and accuracy?
Precision is how close your measurements are to each other (think consistent or specific)
Accuracy is how close your measurement is to the correct/accepted value (think correct)