Rhondene Wint

24100032

Foundation of Biology

Lab # 2

Lab instructor: Dian Griffiths

TITLE: Applying hypothetical - deductive reasoning to a problem

AIM: To observe and draw three specimens

To apply inductive reason to form and test a hypothesis

ABBBREVIATIONS:

1. Hypothesis- an educated guess that is testable and falsifiable.

2. Specimen- an object that is under observation

3. Inductive reasoning- a type of logic in which generalizations are based on large number

of individual observations.

4. Deductive reasoning- a type of logic in which specific results are predicted from a

general premise

5. Data- a collection of recorded observations.

6. Scientific method – a series of steps often used by scientists to reach a solution.

7. Observation – the use of senses to gather information either directly or with aid of

enhancement tools

8. Scientific inquiry – the search for information and their explanation, often with the focus

of specific questions

9. Theory- a proposed explanation for particular phenomena based on well- established

observations, but has yet to be proven as fact.

10. Fact- something known to be true, actually exists or did exist. Truth.
Abstract: This lab was done in order to show how inductive reasoning is used by scientists to

INTRODUCTION: The scientific method describes the route scientists often take in finding the

solution for a problem. This involves a series of steps which done to investigate the cause and

solution to a problem or need. The steps are 1) observation 2) question 3) hypothesis 4)

experimentation or test and 5) draw a conclusion. The first step of the method is foundation for

the scientific method, and it can be qualitative – uses worded descriptions- , or quantative – has

numeric measurements. Observations stimulate scientific inquiry- a search for information.

Through observations conclusions can be made; often inductive reasoning is employed.

Inductive reasoning is a type of logic which formulates a generality from a large number of

specific observations. In order to seek to explain certain observation, hypotheses are formulated.

A hypothesis is an educated guess or tentative answer to a question or explanation to an

observation. Along with hypotheses, predictions can be made, that is, what is expected to occur.

Step four (experimentation) cannot be done unless the hypothesis is testable. Experimentation

checks the validity or truthfulness of the hypothesis; therefore a hypothesis should be able to be

falsified since it is only an assumption. The last step involves making a conclusion – was

hypothesis correct or was incorrect. Well framed hypotheses are often devised from deductive

reasoning, which is a type of logic which uses general premises or principles to obtain or account

for specific observations. However, the scientific method does not terminate at step 5, it can start

all over again once a hypothesis is false or there is a need to substantiate the hypothesis even

more if it is found to be correct.

MATERIAL/ APPPARATUS:

• Leaf

• Flower

• Twig

• Insect

• Plain leaf

• Pencil

METHOD: A leaf, flower, twig, and a dragonfly were collected and drawn on separate sheets of

paper. Particular features of each specimen were recorded in a table. Upon observing each

specimen questions were made and recorded. Hypothesis, as well as its experimentation, was

formulated for the leaf and recorded.

RESULTS:

Specimen Shape Colour Texture Size/cm Other features

Leaf Curled in Green Rough lamina 15 Serrated

lamina, broad margins

Hibiscus Broad curvy Bright red Smooth 15.5 Multiple

flower petals petals and stigmas

style
Dragonfly Slender body 6.5 Not available 6.5 Net like

Long tail patterns on

wings
Twig Slender stem 25.4 Brown and Smooth Thick tap root

black

TABLE SHOWING OBSERVERED FEATURES OF FOUR SPECIMENS

QUESTIONS:

Leaf:

1. What accounts for the green colour of the leaf?

2. How does the shape of the leaf aid in photosynthesis?

3. Is the leaf’s serrated margins unique to the leaf ?

Hibiscus flower:

1. Why is it so brightly coloured?

2. In what ways do the characteristics of the petals aid in pollination?

3. Does having five stigma makes the flower more effective for pollination than a flower

with less?

Dragonfly:

1. What is the purpose of the tail as an insect?

2. Why is does the wings have net like patterns?

3. How does the slenderness of its body aid in its daily activities?

Twig:
 1. Would the twig grow again if it is placed in soil?

2. Do the roots of the twig contain starch?

Hypothesis: ‘All leaves that I observed are green because they contain green chlorophyll which

is needed to make starch’

ANALYSIS:

1. They are similar because both scientists and I use our senses, like sight and touch, to

make our observations. Also we classify our observations into groups and record them

using drawings, tables, et cetera, and our observations are quantative and qualitative.

2. Simply, after doing the observations I started inquired about the significance of the

feature to the leaf hence I came with questions to express my inquiry.

3. Inductive reasoning progresses from observations of individual cases to generalisations,

whereas deductive reasoning starts out from general to specific in order to obtain a

conclusion. Inductive reasoning involves arguments or conclusions based on observations

and experiences, while deductive reasoning draws arguments based on laws, rule or

widely accepted principles to achieve certainty, which is not necessarily the aim of

inductive reasoning.

4. Two well known statements based on inductive reasoning are : the cell theory – ‘all

organisms consists of cells’, and ‘the sun always rise in the east and sets in the west’.

5. Inductive reasoning allows scientists to develop theories although they may not be one

hundred percent correct. It also helps scientists to reach conclusions on things which were

not directly observed based on what has been observed. In other words, through inductive
 reasoning scientists are able to use many smaller observations to generate a larger theory

without actually proving it.

6. Procedure:

• Collect two green leaves from the same plant.

• Destarch leaves by covering them with black cartridge paper and placing

them in dark cupboard for 24 hours.

• Place one of the leaves in a beaker of ethanol.

• Place the beaker in boiling water until the leaf is depigmented.

• Then both leaves in sunlight for about a day.

• After, test both leaves for the presence of starch using iodine solution.

CONCLUSION: Inductive reasoning can lead to the formation of hypotheses.

REFERENCES:

1. Campbell, N and Jane Reece. Biology, Seventh edition. Pearson- Benjamin Cummings.

San Francisco, 2004.