Chapter 1 http://www.mhhe.com/raven6ehttp://www.biocourse.com Questions Media resource 1.1 Biology is the science of life Living things are highly organized, whether as single 1. What are the characteristics Art Activity: Biological cells or as multicellular organisms, with several hie archical levels 1.2 Scientists form generalizations from observations Science is the determination of general principles 2. What is the difference be- Scientists on science from observation and tween deductive and inductive Why Paleontology Scientists select the best hypotheses by using easoning? What is a hypothesis? controlled experiments to eliminate alternative 3. What are variables? How are Probability and Hypothesis Testing in hypotheses that are inconsistent with observations control experiments used in test ing hypotheses a group of related hypotheses supported by a large body of evidence is called a theory. In science, a 4. How does a hypothesis theory represents what we are most sure about become a theory? At what point does a theory become accepted However, there are no absolute truths in science, and as an absolute truth, no longer even theories are accepted only conditionally subject to any uncertainty? Scientists conduct basic research, designed to gair 5. What is the difference nformation about natural phenomena in order to tween basic and a contribute to our overall body of knowledge, and research applied research, devoted Solv g specific problem th cations 1.3 Darwins theory of evolution illustrates how science works. One of the central theories of biology is Darwins 6. Describe the evidence that le theory that evolution occurs by natural selection. It Darwin to propose that evolu- ution states that certain individuals have heritable traits that tion occurs by means of natural Before dar allow them to produce more offspring in a given kind selection. What evidence Voyage of the Beagle of environment than other individuals lacking those gathered since the publication of The Process of Natural traits. Consequently, those traits will increase in Darwins theory has lent further Selection frequency through time support to the theory? Evidence for evolution 7. What is the difference be- Because environments differ in their requirements tween homologous and analo- it Research: The and opportunities, the traits favored by natural gous structures:Give an for medicinal election will vary in different environments. example of each This theory is supported by a wealth of evidence ac- 140 Years Without quired over more than a century of testing and Bird-Killing ca Making Better Bids 1. 4 This book is organized to help you learn biolog Biological diversity is the result of a long history of 8. Can you think of any alterna- evolutionary change. For this reason evolution is the tives to levels-of-organization as core of the science of bole ways of organizing the mass of Considered in terms of levels-of-organization, the information in biology cience of biology can be said to consist of subdisci- lines focusing on particular levels. Thus one speaks of molecular biology, cell biology, organismal biolo- gy, population biology, and community biology 18 Part I The Origin of Living ThingsChapter 1 Summary Questions Media Resources 1.1 Biology is the science of life. 18 Part I The Origin of Living Things • Living things are highly organized, whether as single cells or as multicellular organisms, with several hier￾archical levels. 1. What are the characteristics of living things? 1.2 Scientists form generalizations from observations. • Science is the determination of general principles from observation and experimentation. • Scientists select the best hypotheses by using controlled experiments to eliminate alternative hypotheses that are inconsistent with observations. • A group of related hypotheses supported by a large body of evidence is called a theory. In science, a theory represents what we are most sure about. However, there are no absolute truths in science, and even theories are accepted only conditionally. • Scientists conduct basic research, designed to gain information about natural phenomena in order to contribute to our overall body of knowledge, and applied research, devoted to solving specific problems with practical applications. 2. What is the difference be￾tween deductive and inductive reasoning? What is a hypothesis? 3. What are variables? How are control experiments used in test￾ing hypotheses? 4. How does a hypothesis become a theory? At what point does a theory become accepted as an absolute truth, no longer subject to any uncertainty? 5. What is the difference between basic and applied research? 6. Describe the evidence that led Darwin to propose that evolu￾tion occurs by means of natural selection. What evidence gathered since the publication of Darwin’s theory has lent further support to the theory? 7. What is the difference be￾tween homologous and analo￾gous structures? Give an example of each. 8. Can you think of any alterna￾tives to levels-of-organization as ways of organizing the mass of information in biology? • One of the central theories of biology is Darwin’s theory that evolution occurs by natural selection. It states that certain individuals have heritable traits that allow them to produce more offspring in a given kind of environment than other individuals lacking those traits. Consequently, those traits will increase in frequency through time. • Because environments differ in their requirements and opportunities, the traits favored by natural selection will vary in different environments. • This theory is supported by a wealth of evidence ac￾quired over more than a century of testing and questioning. • Biological diversity is the result of a long history of evolutionary change. For this reason evolution is the core of the science of biology. • Considered in terms of levels-of-organization, the science of biology can be said to consist of subdisci￾plines focusing on particular levels. Thus one speaks of molecular biology, cell biology, organismal biolo￾gy, population biology, and community biology. 1.3 Darwin’s theory of evolution illustrates how science works. 1.4 This book is organized to help you learn biology. • Art Activity: Biological organization • Scientists on Science: Why Paleonthology? • Experiments: Probability and Hypothesis Testing in Biology • Introduction to Evolution • Before Darwin • Voyage of the Beagle • Natural Selection • The Process of Natural Selection • Evidence for Evolution • Student Research: The Search for Medicinal Plants on Science Articles • 140 Years Without Darwin Are Enough • Bird-Killing Cats: Nature’s Way of Making Better Bids http://www.mhhe.com/raven6e http://www.biocourse.com