The Nature of Science

ObservationQuestionHypothesis Test HypothesisResult (new hypothesis)Conclusion

Leads too…..Scientific Theories (widely tested and accepted hypothesis) and Laws (what happens over and over again) Paradigm Shift-new information or ideas

disproved, overthrow a well-accepted scientific theory

Since 1973-129 people were found innocent from death row, additionally 10 were already put to death

How Valid Are The Results?

Science cannot always yield “absolute truth” to the theories or laws provided. But they can:

1) Disprove ideas, theories, or laws

2) Establish that ideas, theories, or laws have a high validity or probability of being true

Consensus Science

Frontier Science

Consist of theories and laws that are widely

accepted in the scientific community

“Breakthroughs” – a tentative hypothesis

and controversial data & models

Junk SCIENCE

Scientific Reasoning and Creativity

Inductive reasoning Involves using specific observations and

measurements to arrive at a general conclusion or hypothesis.

Bottom-up reasoning going from specific to general.

Deductive reasoning Uses logic to arrive at a specific conclusion. Top-down approach that goes from general to

specific.

A system is a set of components that function and interact in some regular and theoretically understandable manner.

SYSTEMS:

Key components

flows (throughputs)

inputs &

outputs

Feedback loops are when outputs of energy fed back into a system cause the system to do more of what it was doing (positive) or (negative)

Homeostasis!

Accelerates Change

1 + 1 = 5???

Synergy = when processes & feedbacks in a system interact to amplify the results

Time Delays: very complex systems can show dramatic time delays between the input of a stimulus and the response.

Time delays can cause a problem to build up slowly until the system reaches a threshold level and there is a fundamental breakdown in the system.

Feedback Loops:

Negative feedback can take so long that a system reaches a threshold and changes. Prolonged delays may prevent a negative

feedback loop from occurring. Processes and feedbacks in a system can

(synergistically) interact to amplify the results. E.g. smoking exacerbates the effect of

asbestos exposure on lung cancer.

TIME TRAVEL BACK TO CHEMISTRYTypes of structure and matter

Elements/CompoundsAtoms/molecules

Ions/pHChemical Formulas/organics

Outer electrons are known as valence electrons.

Valence electrons are available in bonding with other atoms.

ATOMS REVIEW - You are responsible for knowing all structure &

function of atoms!!

Many of the things you are familiar with are carbon compound (sugar, plastics, vitamins, most compounds in your body)

Almost all of them (except CH4) have between 2 - 1,000’s of carbons attached by covalent bonded to each other and one or more of the following atoms: hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and fluorine.

Synthetic or Natural

Hydrocarbons: methane (CH4), propane(C3H8), butane(C3H10)

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons: DDT, many insecticides, PCB’s, solvents such as chloroform

Carbohydrates: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen covalently bonded (sugars) Cellulose, Glucose, Starches

Chlorofluorocarbons – CFC’s ; Freon (CCl2F)

MONOMERS

POLYMERS

make

AMINO ACIDS

NUCLEOTIDES

PROTEINS

NUCLEIC ACIDS

SO…What inorganic compounds are important in the ecosystem?

WATER!! Carbon Monoxide (CO)

NaCl, Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Nitric Oxide (NO) Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Ammonia (NH3)

TIME TRAVEL BACK TO BIOLOGY

Cells/Eukaryotic/ProkaryoticMacromolecules/DNAGenes/Chromosomes

MATTERStates of Matter

Physical/Chemical ChangesLaw of Conservation