Lab midterm

• Independent Variable


  A variable that stands alone and isn't changed by the other variables you are trying to measure; influence dependent variables
• Dependent Variable


  The variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment
• Control Treatment


  Receives either no treatment, a standard treatment whose effect is already known, or a placebo
• Replication


  The process of repeating a study or experiment under the same or similar conditions to support the original claim, which is crucial to confirm the accuracy of results as well as for identifying and correcting the flaws in the original experiment
• Theory vs. Scientific Theory

  "Theory" often means an untested hunch, or a guess without supporting evidence. "Scientific theory" is a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts
• Arm


  • Joins the base to the head and the eyepiece tube to the base
• Base


  • Serves as a support for microscopes
• Coarse focus adjustment


  • Moves the stage up and down to bring the specimen into focus
• Condenser


  • Gather light from the microscope's light source and concentrate it into a cone of light that illuminates the specimen
• Condenser height


  • Allows the condenser focus to be adjusted for proper illumination of the specimen
• Fine focus adjustment


  • Used to bring the specimen into sharp focus under low power and is used for all focusing when using high power lenses
• Light intensity control


  • Turned clockwise in order to increase the light intensity
• Light source


  • Responsible for shining light on the object on the slide
• Light switch


  • Used to on and off the illuminator
• Eyepiece/ nosepiece


  • Magnifies the primary image produced by the objective
• Objective lenses


  • Relays a real image of the object to the eyepiece
• Ocular focus adjustment


  • An adjustment for differences in the focusing abilities of your eyes
• Iris diaphragm lever


  • Adjusts the amount of light illuminating the slide
• Slide adjustment knobs


  • To fine-tune the focus of the microscope to achieve optimal clarity and detail
• Slide holder


  • Holding your slides secure and steady during observation
• Ocular lens


  • Magnifies the image produced by the objective so that the microscope user can see it
• Stage


  • The specimen (usually mounted onto a glass slide) is placed for observation
• Cell


  The smallest unit that can live on its own and that makes up all living organisms and the tissues of the body
• Implications of Cell Theory

  Cells are the basic unit of life, all living things are made up of cells, and all cells come from other cells
• Five Major Lineages


  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Fungi
  • Microbial eukaryotes
  • Bacteria
• Taxonomic classification below Domain

  • Genus
  • Order
• Genus, specific epithet


  The two taxonomic "names" used for species identification
• The closer they are down on the taxonomic rankings, the closer they are related. Ex: family is closer related than order.
• Autotrophic


  An organism that is able to create complex nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances (makers). e.g., most plants.
• Heterotrophic


  Does not form its own nutritional substances, but rather uses external complex organic substances (eaters) e.g., humans.
• Mixotrophic


  Obtains nutritional substances from both heterotrophic and autotrophic mechanisms e.g., Venus flytrap
• Organization Methods


  • Unicellular organisms
  • Multicellular organisms
  • Colonial organisms
• Specialized Cell Features


  • Plants: chloroplasts, cellulose cell walls
  • Bacteria: flagella, peptidoglycan cells walls, cilia
  • Microbial eukaryotes: many right answers
  • Fungi: chitin cell walls
  • Animals: no cell wall
• Bacteria are the most diverse because of their ability to live in many conditions. Eukarya is the most morphologically diverse because of the vast amount of plants and animals.
• Endothermic


  Dependent on or capable of the internal generation of heat
• Ectothermic


  One who cannot regulate its own body temperature, so its body temperature fluctuates according to its surroundings
• Homoethermic


  It is able to keep its body temperature at the same level despite any change in the temperature around it
• Body Temperature


  The maintenance of physiologic core body temperature by balancing heat generation with heat loss
• Respiration Rate


  The number of breaths per minute
• Metabolic Rate


  The amount of energy expended by an animal over a specific period of time