BIOL 190 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Cell Theory, Molecular Orbital Theory, Kinetic Theory Of Gases
Document Summary
Science - a way of knowing/understanding the world. Data - recorded observations: qualitative - descriptive, quantitative - numerical, e. g. measurements conceptual models. Model - representations of a system: mathematical models, simplify complex situations, test hypotheses - statistics, simulations. Inductive reasoning - deriving generalizations from a large number of speci c observations. Deductive reasoning - making a speci c prediction based on general premise/model. Scienti c questions need data and/or are based on observable phenomenon. Hypothesis - an initial scienti c interpretation: reject or fail to reject (technically never accepted, null hypothesis - alternative hypothesis, usually the hypothesis that sample observations result purely from chance. Law - relationship or regularity between naturally occurring phenomenon (how it happens) Theory - explains why a phenomenon or a set of phenomenons occur: everyday use of theory is actually a speculation or conjecture, scienti c theory - self-consistent model about how nature works, frequently tested, subject to revision.