Class notes
BIOL 101 Study Guide
- Course
- BIOL 101
- Institution
- Virginia Commonwealth University
Study Guide 1 - Lecture notes 1-10 for Biol 101.
[Show more]
Content preview
Study Guide for Biology 101 (Exam #1)Defining science: Both as a body of knowledge, and a process.
- Science is a way of knowing things; it is a process that uses to the Scientific Method to
gain new knowledge.
- Science is a body of knowledge; a collection of insights about nature that have been
obtained by using the scientific method.
How is the term “theory” different in science than casual conversation?
- A scientific theory is a unified explanation of some aspect of the natural world, that
explains the results of many experiments.
The Scientific Method: Steps and Cyclic Nature
1) Make observations, and read previous literature
2) Make a hypothesis about what you see and read
3) Test your hypothesis by performing experiments
4) Analyze your data; Does it support or refute your hypothesis?
5) Do more experiments and analysis
6) Communicate your findings
- Observe
- Sample
- Population
- IV
- DV
- Hypothesize
- Alternative Hypothesis (relationship between x and y/IV and DV)
- Null Hypothesis (no correlation between x and y/IV and DV)
- Collect & Analyze
- Mean (average)
- Standard Deviation (how much variation/distribution of #’s)
- Communicate
- Primary Source
- Peer reviewed journals
- Objective
Scientific communications: What does “peer-reviewed journal article” mean?
- Scientists communicate their findings in peer reviewed journal articles.
- The most prestigious journals to have your biology research published in are Science and
Nature. More distinguished journals have higher impact factors.
- Scientific journal articles have a general structure: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and
Methods, Results, Discussion/Conclusions, and References.
- Scientific journal articles are only published after critical and rigorous peer review.
Know the difference between subjective and objective observations
Objective: one that is not influenced by emotions, opinions, or personal feelings - it is a
, perspective based in fact, in things quantifiable and measurable.
- Subjective: a perspective in which one is open to greater interpretation based on personal
feeling, emotion, aesthetics, etc.
Know the difference between precision and accuracy
- Accuracy describes the difference between the measurement and the part's actual value.
- Precision describes the variation you see when you measure the same part repeatedly
with the same device.
What is biology? (Study of life)
- Bio (root) logy (suffix) - the study of life
Two major theories underlying biology: Cell theory, Evolution
The Cell Theory
i) The cell is the fundamental unit of life
ii) All cells come from previous, pre-existing cells
b) The Theory of Evolution
i) Evolution is the source of biodiversity
ii) Species chance and diverge through time (i.e: a branching tree)
- By looking at these two common theories, one can come to the conclusion that all
organisms have an ancient common ancestor
Characteristics of living things
A high degree of organization
- Containing materials found only in living organisms
- Acquiring and using energy
- Maintaining homeostasis (a constant internal environment)
- Sensing the environment
- Responding to external stimuli
- Adapting to the environment and altering the environment
- Altering the environment
- Reproducing
- **The eight properties of life include: order, sensitivity or response to stimuli,
reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, and energy
processing
Hierarchy of organization of life (atoms -->molecules-->cells, etc.)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anyiamgeorge19. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $9.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75632 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now