Biology Questions Essay

Q: Summarize the steps of the scientific method. Describe an experiment of your choice, which demonstrates the basic considerations that must be taken in the design of a good, manipulative experiment. Now that you know some details of how scientists solve problems, how might you apply that knowledge to your daily life? A: The scientific method is one of the most if not the most important method that scientists use to learn about the earth. The goal is to apply the scientific method to determine a cause and effect relationship. The scientific method is made up of five detailed steps, these steps are: I. Make an observation A scientist sees something that he cannot explain, but is very interested and would like to explain the phenomenon. II. Ask Questions After the observation is seen, the scientist comes up with a group of questions such as who, what, where, why, and how. These questions significantly help the scientist narrow down the effects of the phenomenon. III. Develop a Hypothesis A hypothesis is a proposition set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena, either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide investigation or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts. This hypothesis must have the ability to be either true, or false. IV. Make Predictions If the hypothesis is correct, scientists will make a prediction on how they think the experiment will end. This helps them have a starting point if the hypothesis is correct. V. Test the Predictions Experimental tests may lead to the confirmation of the prediction, or to the corruption of a prediction. If the hypothesis is not correct, the scientific method requires that the hypothesis must be modified. The prediction must agree with the experiment to believe that it is a valid description of nature. A great experiment that demonstrates the basic considerations that must be taken in the design of a good, manipulative experiment is Galileo’s leaning tower of Pisa experiment. Galileo had two balls of different masses, one heavy, and one light, and dropped them at the same time off of the leaning tower of Pisa. Galileo used the scientific method to make and prediction that their time of descent was independent of their mass. He found out that the objects fell at the same acceleration, proving hid hypothesis to be true, and also proving Aristotle’s theory of gravity to be false. I will apply the scientific method to my daily life in many ways. When I see an interesting observation that I do not know of, I will now create a mini hypothesis that applies to the observation. I will then ask some questions as in what is it? Or how does it do that? Etc. I will then either research the task at hand, or create my own demonstration on the phenomenon. If my hypothesis does not agree with the conclusion, I will re apply a new hypothesis and begin again. I enjoy learning new information and think this will be very amusing. Q: Describe the difference between anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism. Tell which of these positions your views of the environment most closely approximate. Why? A: Anthropocentrism is the tendency that human beings regarding themselves as the most significant entities in the universe. While Biocentrism is an ethical point of view that extends value to non-human species. Ecocentrism is used to regard a nature-centered system of values, as opposed to human and non-human centered. The position that I deem approximate to my view would be the Ecocentrism system of values. The reason I chose Ecocentrism is because in my opinion, a nature-centered sustem of values is very safe and rewarding. Too many people are human-centered and only care about themselves in this world. The Anthropocentrism people are destroying our environment on this planet by not caring about preserving this earth. If we are all nature-centered and do our best everyday to help preserve this earth, we can all change the world together and keep the air clean, the ground picked up, and the streets worry free for our future generation.