Janice VanCleave’s Crazy, Kooky, and Quirky Biology Experiments
Biology is the study of the way living organisms behave and interact The people who decide to work in the field of biology have a variety of career choices Some biologists work outdoors in remote ecosystems Other scientists work in laboratories to study topics as varied as cures for diseases new marine species or human DNA Zoologists study animals and botanists study plants Most biologists study life on Earth but astrobiologists search for life outside our planet All these people have something in common they are constantly asking questions to learn even more about living things Earth has been supporting the tiniest of single-celled living things for as many as 3 5 billion years Arthropods fish plants and mammals came later Humans evolved about two hundred thousand years ago The mysterious ever-changing nature of living organisms makes biology a fascinating branch of science This book is a collection of science experiments about biology How does gravity affect blood flow in the body Why are penguins wings good for flying How does temperature affect odor You will find the answers to these and many other questions by doing the experiments in this book How to Use This Book You will be rewarded with successful experiments if you read each experiment carefully follow the steps in order and do not substitute materials The following sections are included for all the experiments 4 Janice VanCleave’s Crazy Kooky and Quirky Biology Experiments IntroduCtIon
Purpose The basic goals for the experiment Materials A list of supplies you will need You will experience less frustration and more fun if you gather all the necessary materials for the experiments before you begin You lose your train of thought when you have to stop and search for supplies Procedure Step-by-step instructions on how to perform the experiment Follow each step very carefully never skip steps and do not add your own Safety is of the utmost importance and by reading the experiment before starting then following the instructions exactly you can feel confident that no unexpected results will occur Ask an adult to help you when you are working with anything sharp or hot If adult supervision is required it will be noted in the experiment Results An explanation stating exactly what is expected to happen This is an immediate learning tool If the expected results are achieved you will know that you did the experiment correctly If your results are not the same as described in the experiment carefully read the instructions and start over from the first step Why An explanation of why the results were achieved 5 Introduction
The Scientific Method Scientists identify a problem or observe an event Then they look for solutions or explanations through research and experimentation By doing the experiments in this book you will learn to follow experimental steps and make observations You will also learn many scientific principles that have to do with biology In the process the things you see or learn may lead you to new questions For example suppose you have completed the experiment that models an insect’s compound eye Now you wonder whether the distance from an object affects how well a compound eye works That’s great All scientists are curious and ask new questions about what they learn When you design a new experiment it is a good idea to follow the scientific method 6 Janice VanCleave’s Crazy Kooky and Quirky Biology Experiments IntroduCtIon
1 Ask a question 2 Do some research about your question What do you already know 3 Come up with a hypothesis or a possible answer to your question 4 Design an experiment to test your hypothesis Make sure the experiment is repeatable 5 Collect the data and make observations 6 Analyze your results 7 Reach a conclusion Did your results support your hypothesis Many times the experiment leads to more questions and a new experiment Always remember that when devising your own science experiment have a knowledgeable adult review it with you before trying it out Ask him or her to supervise it as well 7 Introduction
