Yeast Lab!

What makes something living?Consider the following questions…How big/complex must something be?What must it be able to do?Where must it come from?What are the essential components?How is it different from something nonliving?Is seeing believing??????http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxLuo-

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Is Yeast living?

So, what makes something living?

1. Living things are based on a universal genetic code.All organisms store the complex information they

need to live, grow, and reproduce in a genetic code

written in a molecule called DNA!The information is copied and passed on from

parent to offspring.With a few minor variations, life’s genetic code is

almost identical in every organism on Earth.

2. Living things grow and develop.Every organism has a particular pattern of

growth and development.During development, a single fertilized egg

divides and divides again. As these cells divide, they differentiate,

which means they begin to look different from one another and perform different functions.

3. Living things respond to their environment.Organisms detect and respond to stimuli from

their environment. A stimulus is a signal to which an

organism responds.

4. Living things reproduce.All organisms reproduce, which means that they

produce new similar organisms. Most plants and animals engage in sexual reproduction.

In sexual reproduction, cells from two parents unite to form the first cell of a new organism.

Other organisms reproduce through asexual reproduction, in which a single organism produces offspring identical to itself.

5. Living things maintain a stable internal environment. Most organisms need to keep conditions inside

their bodies as constant as possible, even when external conditions change dramatically.

All living organisms expend energy to keep conditions inside their cells within certain

limits. This process is called homeostasis.

6. Living things obtain and use materials and energy.All organisms must take in materials and

energy to grow, develop, and reproduce. The combination of chemical reactions through

which an organism builds up or breaks down materials is called metabolism.

7. Taken as a group, living things evolve.Over generations, groups of organisms evolve, or change over time.

Evolutionary change links all forms of life to a common origin more than 3.5 billion years ago.

Evidence of this shared history is found in all aspects of living and fossil organisms, from physical features to structures of proteins to sequences of information in DNA.

8. Living things are made up of cells.Organisms are composed of one or more cells-

the smallest units considered fully alive. Cells can grow, respond to their surroundings,

and reproduce.Despite their small size, cells are complex and

highly organized.

Characteristics of life summaryhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM_CgOgJGG

01. Living things are based on a universal genetic

code.2. Living things grow and develop.3. Living things respond to their environment.4. Living things reproduce.5. Living things maintain a stable internal

environment (homeostasis).6. Living things obtain and use materials and

energy (metabolism).7. Taken as a group, living things evolve.8. Living things are made up of cells.

Scientific Method Summary:Make Observations and Ask QuestionsForm a HypothesisDesign an InvestigationTest the PredictionsAnalyze the ResultsConclusion

Make Observations and Ask Questions Describe what you can see, taste, smell, feel,

etc! What is yeast? What would it need to be

considered living?What will we be looking at in this experiment

Form a HypothesisHypothesis:

is a possible explanation for an observation or a scientific problem that is given to you.

Must include only one independent variableExample: If you increase the light intensity,

then the plant growth rate will increase.

Design an InvestigationIdentify the variables:

Independent variable Set by the person carrying out the investigation (ex.

time , temperature, light intensity, pH)Dependent variable

Measured during the investigation (ex. plant growth, heart rate etc)

Controlled variable Factors that are kept the same or controlled. (ex.

Amount of water, fertilizer, temperature)

Design an InvestigationAn experiment typically contains a:Control group

Exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable.

Serves as a standard for comparison to the…Experimental group

The group that the independent variable is applied to.

Test the PredictionsUse step by step procedure to perform your

experiment

Analyze the ResultsDiscuss trends in the data you collected in

your experimentYou may have to perform calculations

depending on the data you collect

ConclusionDoes your data all0w you to support or reject

your hypothesis?What did you learn from this experiment, and

how does this connect to the knowledge you had going into the experiment?

How would you do the experiment if you were to perform it again?

Scientific Method Summary:Make Observations and Ask QuestionsForm a HypothesisMake PredictionsDesign an InvestigationTest the PredictionsAnalyze the ResultsConclusion