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Lecture 1 - Introduction to Biology

The document is an introduction to a General Biology I course, outlining the definition of biology, characteristics of living organisms, and various branches of biology. It emphasizes the scientific method, including hypothesis formation, data collection, and analysis, as well as the importance of peer review in scientific research. Students are expected to understand these concepts and the significance of studying biology by the end of the course.

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2 views

Lecture 1 - Introduction to Biology

The document is an introduction to a General Biology I course, outlining the definition of biology, characteristics of living organisms, and various branches of biology. It emphasizes the scientific method, including hypothesis formation, data collection, and analysis, as well as the importance of peer review in scientific research. Students are expected to understand these concepts and the significance of studying biology by the end of the course.

Uploaded by

mars.onthebeat46
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Biology

Course code: Bio 101


Course title: General Biology I

INSTRUCTOR:
Ms. Zainab Nasir Ja’afar
Lesson outcome
By the end of this lecture, students are expected to:

• Know the definition of Biology.


• Understand the basic characteristics of living things.
• Understand the various levels of organisation of living things.
• Know the different branches of Biology.
• Know the importance of studying Biology.
• Understand the basic process of scientific study and report writing.
Definition
Biology: is the scientific study of life, living things and once living things.
- Their structure
- Interactions within and between each other
- Their function

• The word ‘biology’ comes from two Greek words: bio – which means ‘life’ and
‘logy’ – ‘the study of’.

• There is a wide diversity (biodiversity) of living organisms on this planet: some


biologists estimate that there are between 10-30 million types of organisms, made
up of plants, animals, bacteria, viruses etc. Most of these organisms are still
undiscovered and unnamed.
• A person who studies Biology is called –
a Biologist

What Biologists do:

• Study the diversity of life


• Research diseases
• Develop technologies
• Improve Agriculture
• Preserve environment
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING ORGANISMS
There are Eight Characteristics of Life, every living thing:

• Is made up of one or more cells


• Displays organization
• Grows and develops
• Reproduces
• Responds to stimuli
• Requires energy
• Maintains homeostasis
• Adapts to evolve over time
LEVELS OF ORGANISATION OF LIVING ORGANISMS
CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING ORGANISMS: Animals
CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING ORGANISMS: Plants

Plants without seeds Plants with seeds


Branches of Biology
• Anatomy : The scientific study of identification and descriptions of body structures
• Physiology : … normal functions of living organisms and their part
• Zoology : … animals and animal kingdom
• Microbiology : … microorganisms
• Botany : …Plants
• Genetics : … Genes, genetic variation and heredity in organisms
• Taxonomy : … branch of science concerned with the classification of organisms
• Parasitology : …biological parasites and parasitic diseases
• Entomology : …Insects
• Hydro Biology : … life processes in water
• Mycology : …Fungi
• Cytology : …Cells
• Biotechnology : …integration of natural sciences and engineering to replicate nature
• Biomedical Science : …diagnostics, treatment and prevention of diseases
• Bio engineering : …application of engineering principles to improve nature
Nature of Scientific study
What is science?

• Science is a body of knowledge based on the study of nature.


• The nature, or essential characteristics, of science is scientific inquiry.
• Scientific inquiry is both a creative process and a process rooted in unbiased
observations and experimentation.
Uses Scientific Theory:
• A theory is an explanation of a natural phenomenon supported by many
observations and experiments over time
• The results are always the same

Expands Scientific Knowledge


• Most scientific fields are guided by research that results in a constant reevaluation
of what is known.
• This reevaluation often leads to new knowledge that scientists then evaluate.

Challenges Accepted Theories


• Scientists welcome debate about one another’s ideas.
• Sciences advance by accommodating new information as it is discovered
Questions Results
• Observations or data that are not consistent with current scientific understanding
are of interest to scientists.
• These inconsistencies often lead to further investigations.

Tests Claims
• Science-based information makes claims based on a large amount of data and
observations obtained from unbiased investigations and carefully controlled
experimentation.
• Conclusions are reached from the evidence

Undergoes Peer Review


• Before it is made public, science-based information is reviewed by scientists’
peers
• Peer review is a process by which the procedures used during an experiment and
the results are evaluated by other scientists who are in the same field or who are
conducting similar research.

Uses Metric System


Scientists can repeat the work of others as part of a new experiment.
The metric system uses units with divisions that are powers of ten.

Science in Everyday Life


A person who is scientifically literate combines a basic understanding of science
and its processes with reasoning and thinking skills.
Ethical issues must be addressed by society based on the values it holds important
Methods of Scientific research
Ask a Question
• Scientific inquiry begins with observation.
• Science inquiry involves asking questions and processing information from a
variety of reliable sources.

Form a Hypothesis
• A hypothesis is a testable explanation of a situation.
• When a hypothesis is supported by data from additional investigations, usually it
is considered valid and is accepted by the scientific community.
Collect the Data
• When a biologist conducts an experiment, he or she investigates a phenomenon in
a controlled setting to test a hypothesis.

Controlled Experiments
A control group in an experiment is a group used for comparison.
The experimental group is the group exposed to the factor being tested.

Experimental Design
Independent variable - only one factor in a controlled experiment can change at a
time.
Dependent variable - results from or depends on changes to the independent
variable.
Data Gathering
• Data—information gained from observations.
• Quantitative data can be measurements of time, temperature, length, mass, area,
volume, density, or other factors.
• Qualitative data are descriptions of what our senses detect.

Analyse the Data


• A graph of the data makes the pattern easier
to grasp.
• Even when a hypothesis has not been supported,
it is valuable.
Report Conclusions
• If the reviewers agree on the merit of the paper, then the paper is published for
review by the public and use by other scientists.

Report guideline:
• Introduction
• Aim
• Objectives
• Materials & methods
• Result and discussion
• Conclusion
SCIENCE
IS A WAY OF
THINKING
MUCH MORE
THAN IT IS A
BODY OF
KNOWLEDGE

CARL SAGAN

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