Biology 1010 1st Edition Lecture 2Outline of Last Lecture I. Biology Is the ScientificII. Life Can Be Studied At Many LevelsOutline of Current Lecture I.Scientific MethodII.Theory vs. TheoryIII.Hypothesis vs. TheoryCurrent LectureI. Scientific MethodWhat is Science? A process of acquiring knowledge about the natural world.• All events can be traced to natural causes• Based on laws of chemistry & physics: govern both living & non-living matter What is Scientific Theory? A general explanatory idea.• Broad-ranging: pulls together diverse observations• Always testable• Allows predictions about future observations• Always open to revision Scientists investigate the world in ways outside of the scientific method.• Not all science is hypothesis driven• Discovery science provides data used to describe the natural world{Biologists take measurements &record data to help us better…}II. Theory vs. TheoryScientists use theory with a specific meaning.- Common language• Conjecture• Speculation• Opinion- Ex: {all three provide explanations for observed phenomena}• Theory of gravitation• Theory of evolution• Theory of plate tectonicsWhat are Scientific Facts? Discrete bits of information based consistently replicated observations.These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.What are Scientific Laws? Describes how nature acts under certain conditions, without explaining why.{Whereas theories are explanations, laws are description [Theories do not become laws as evidence accumulates; they are different things!]}III. Hypothesis vs. TheoryWhat is a hypothesis? A proposed explanation for an observation.• A valid hypothesis must be testableWhat is a theory? A much broader scope & explains a great…1. Ask a question2. Formulate a hypothesis3. Make predictions: ‘if-then’ statements4. Perform experiments to test the predictions5. Determine whether the results support or refute the hypothesisScience is a process: Experimentation • Controlled experiments use experimental groups & control groups to test a hypothesis.• The experimental group is the group n an experiment that experiences the variable.• The control group receives a placebo- a fake treatment given to control groups tomimic the experience of the experimental groups.• The dependent variable is the measured result of an experiment. It is analyzed in both the experimental & control groups.• Increased sample size, increases the confidence in the result of the study.• X-axis: independent variable; Y-axis: dependent variableInterpreting results from the media• Pay attention to the sample size• Think about confounding variables• Go directly to the source (find original study)• Look for articles that bring lots of evidence together Some fields of science rely on observations rather than experiments1. Field studies2. Meteorology3. Astronomy 4.