1. What is the goal of science?
   1. The goal of Science is to understand the world around us.
   2. Pure Science is researching to understand the principles that control nature. This research is done for the sake of gaining more knowledge.
   3. Applied Science or Technology is using scientific knowledge to solve real life problems.
      1. Some examples are products, processes, and procedures (cars, medical procedures, and industrial automation).
      2. Technology is not the answer to all of our problems. Technology can create new problems. Example: The overpopulation of the world is thought to be caused by better medical and farming technology, which decreases death rates.

2. Why study Biology-the study of life?
   1. Scientists studying human population are trying to find answers to how we are effecting our environment and ultimately how we could be harming ourselves.

   Writing Assignment

3. The process of Science.
   1. Science is ultimately based on observations. While experimentation is important, not all scientists use it. For example, an entomologist is a person who relies on keen observations to study insects. Using observations this scientist can classify insects. Classification is the grouping of organisms based on similarities.
   2. The Scientific Method
      How to write a formal lab report using the scientific method as a model.
      1. State the problem or objective – This is a statement of the problem or what you would like to know about something.
      2. Observations – gathering information either by observation and/or research.
      3. Hypothesis – A hypothesis is a statement that predicts what you think will happen when you perform an experiment based on the information that you have gathered.

      4. Controlled Experiment – isolates one variable and tests its effects on another.
         Why test only one variable at a time?
         Avariable is any factor or condition present in the experiment.
         1. Experimental group – the group in which the variable is tested.
            1. Independent variable – the variable being tested (cause) It the variable that is isolated and changed in a control way monitoring to see if it causes an effect on a second variable- the dependent variable.
            2. Dependent variable – the variable being observed for change (effect)
            3. Constants - all other variables present in the experiment that remain the same throughout the experiment.
         2. Control group – group with the independent variable absent. This group is usually the "normal" conditions group used as a baseline to calculate the actual effect of the independent variable.
            See how controlled experiments work in a real lab!
            The Mud Test - A Controlled Experiment

      5. Collect Data – The observations gathered are recorded.(tables and drawings)
      6. Analysis of Data and Results – Connections between data are made.(graphs)Trends are identified and discussed.
      7. Conclusion – The conclusion is a statement,based on the data, stating if the hypothesis was proven correct or not and why?
      8. Follow-up or Verification – Experiments are usually repeated several times to make sure that results are the same. This is called having reproducible results.

4. Recording and Analyzing Data
   Numerical data should first be recorded in a table. Then the table can be used to construct a graph.
   1. Bar graphs compare different kinds of data that are not dependent on one another.
   2. Pie graphs compare parts of a whole.
   3. Line graphs show change. They show relationships between data, which can be used to predict trends.
      1. The independent variable will be represented on the bottom of the graph. Time will always be graphed on the bottom of the graph.
      2. The dependent variable will be represented on the side of the graph.
   4. When making graphs make sure to include the following:
      1. Title the graph. For a line graph the title should state how the variables are being related. Example: The effects of Acid Rain on Plant Growth
      2. Put labels on the bottom and side of a bar or line graph. Pieces of the pie chart should be labeled.
      3. Make sure to include units in your labels when necessary. Example: Time in days / growth in cm
      4. The spacing and quantity of the increments should be the same. Example: Each interval could be 5 days, so that the bottom of the graph would be labeled: 5,10,15,20,25,30...(Time in days)

5. Theories and Laws
   1. A theory is an explanation of why something happens. It is formed from a hypothesis that has been tested many times and has not been proven wrong. Example: The Theory of Evolution. There is an abundance of evidence for evolution, but there is always the question, Have we tested all the possibilities?. There is still a chance there is that one case out there that will prove the theory wrong.
   2. A Law states that a certain events always occur in nature. A law does not provide an explanation of why it happens. Example: Law of gravity uses math to state that gravity will pull objects together with a defined amount of force. The law states that this happens, but why does it happen?

6. What Science can not do.
   1. There are no absolutes in science. There is always room for change as we learn more.
   2. Sometimes hypotheses can not be tested because there is no way to test its meaning and/or there is no technology that could help us test our hypotheses. Example: The Theory of Relativity was proven with math, but there has been few opportunities to test it because of a lack of technology. We also have no technology to test whether or not there is life in other galaxies.
   3. Issues that can not be tested right or wrong with science include:
      1. Morality and human behavior
      2. Opinions
      3. Economics and politics
   4. Some issues deal with the question is "We have these technologies, but does that mean we have to use them?"
      • Chemical and germ weapons
      • Nuclear power and nuclear weapons
      • Stem cell research
      • Genetic testing
      • Cloning

      Most scientific research today dedicates much time to the ethics surrounding these scientific possibilities. Ethics or ethical discussions center around the moral issues of right and wrong and what is acceptable to society and what is not.

Writing Assignment

The following list are issues that scientists are studying and trying to find solutions for. Write at least 200 words on one or more of the following issues that you have some knowledge or opinion on. If you run out of ideas on a issue, continue by writing about another issue listed.

1. How do we control water pollution? Will there be enough fresh water that is not contaminated? The ocean has always been a dumping ground for waste. How will this affect the fish we eat? Fish have been found to contain pesticides and mercury.

2. How do we control air pollution? Will we be able to breath clean air in the future? Are we breathing clean air now? What about acid rain? It can hurt our lungs and kill many organisms in the environment. What about the hole in the ozone layer? If it grows too big the ultraviolet light could fry us.

3. How do we deal with increasing demands on agricultural? How do you feed 6.5 billion people? Fertilizers and pesticides can help but at what cost? These chemicals contaminate drinking water and fish. More than 90% of these chemicals end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans.

4. What should we do about garbage? We are running out of places to put it. Can we find easier and cheaper ways to recycle?

5. More and more species are becoming extinct especially in the rain forests of the world. How will this affect us? Is it affecting us now and we don’t know it?

6. How and when will we find a cure for cancer? Did you know there are 200 different kinds of cancer and it can affect anyone. There is research on the causes of cancer, but how do we educate and convince people to change their lifestyles to live healthier?

7. What do we do about AIDS? 40 million people in this world have HIV ,the virus the causes AIDS. Many of these people live in third world countries that can not afford drugs that treat AIDS. Should we help them?

8. How do we prevent the spread of other diseases whether it is genetic, bacterial, viral, or disease caused by parasites?

9. How can you play a role in improving the standard of living for you and future generations? Learning about biology is no longer a choice. If we are going to play a constructive role in improving the world we live in for others and ourselves, we must have knowledge of biology.

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