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Biolgy Chapter 1
terms for chapter 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| science | organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world |
| observation | process of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way |
| inference | a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience |
| hypothesis | possible explanation for a set of observations or possible answer to a scientific question |
| controlled experiment | experiment in which only one variable is changed |
| independent variable | factor in a controlled experiment that is deliberately changed; also called manipulated variable |
| dependent variable | variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable; also called the responding variable |
| control group | group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable |
| data | evidence; information gathered from the observations |
| theory | well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations and hypotheses, and enables scientist to make accurate predictions about new situations |
| bias | particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific |
| biology | scientific study of life |
| DNA | a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes |
| stimulus | signal to which an organism responds |
| sexual reproduction | type of reproduction in which cells from two parents unite to form the first cell of a new organism |
| asexual reproduction | process of reproduction involving a single parent that results in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent |
| homeostasis | relatively constant internal physical and chemical conditions that organisms maintain |
| metabolism | the combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials |
| biosphere | part of earth in which life exists including land, water, and are or atmosphere |