Name: LindaTineo
BIO 110/Spring 2015/Worksheet 1
Part I: Definition of Life
1) For each of the characteristics of life in the table, list at least two topics from the syllabus that address each characteristic
Characteristic
Capacity for reproduction
Acquire and process energy
Cellular basis
DNA based
Course topics

Mitosis/Meiosis
Genetics
Photosynthesis
Energy Release

DNA
Cells and Membranes

2) Write a one sentence definition of life.
Life is the process of having a certain set of characteristics such as a cell structure, an acquisition and process for energy, DNA, and a reproductive system.
Part II: Scientific Method
An experiment was designed to test the effect of temperature on growth of bean plants. The experimental set up was as follows:
5 beans grown at each of 8 temperatures: 5oC, 10oC, 15oC, 20oC, 25oC, 30oC, 35oC, 40oC
The plants used were pole beans. They were watered every day and kept under grow lights that were on for 14 hours and off for 10 hours each day for a span of 28 days. Growth was measured in terms of stem length once a week.
3) Identify the following variables in this experiment.
Controlled variables:

Independent variable:

Dependent variable:
Stem Length

The following data, representing total average growth in cm, were obtained. Sketch a graph to represent the data.
Temp
Total growth
Temp
Total growth
Temp
Total growth
Temp
Total growth
5oC
2 cm
15oC
9 cm
25oC
15 cm
35oC
10 cm
10oC
5 cm
20oC
12 cm
30oC
20 cm
40oC
5 cm

4) At a court hearing on the scientific basis for subliminal messaging, the attorney arguing for the validity of subliminal messaging said “science is pretty much what you can get away with at any point in time”. How would you argue for or against this statement?
I