Art of writing a scientific paper

The scientific method is a detailed, empirical problem-solving process used by biologists and other scientists. This iterative approach involves formulating a question based on observation, developing a testable potential explanation for the observation (called a hypothesis), making and testing predictions based on the hypothesis, and using the findings to create new hypotheses and predictions.Generally, predictions are tested using carefully-designed experiments. Based on the outcome of these...

Molecules have characteristic shapes that are crucial for their function. The arrangement of various electron groups around the central atom dictates their molecular geometry. Electron pairs in the valence shell of a central atom will adopt an arrangement that minimizes repulsions between the electron pairs by maximizing the distance between them. The valence electrons form either bonding pairs, located primarily between bonded atoms, or lone pairs.Two regions of electron density in a diatomic...

All matter is composed of atoms, the smallest individual units of elements. Each atom is made up of three subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Together, these three particles account for the mass and the charge of an atom.The History of Atomic TheoryThe first person to propose that everything on Earth is made up of tiny particles was the Greek philosopher Democritus, around 450 B.C. He used the term atomos, Greek for “indivisible,” from which the modern term “atom” is derived.

The potential of hydrogen (pH) is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a water-based solution determined by the concentration of hydronium ions (H3O+). In one liter of pure water at neutral pH, there are 1×10−7 moles of hydronium ions. However, the extensive range of hydronium ion concentrations present in water-based solutions makes measuring pH in moles cumbersome. Therefore, a pH scale was developed to convert moles of hydronium ions into the negative logarithm of the hydronium ion...

Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.

Synthesis of new DNA molecules starts when DNA polymerase links nucleotides together in a sequence that is complementary to the template DNA strand. DNA polymerase has a higher affinity for the correct base to ensure fidelity in DNA replication. The DNA polymerase furthermore proofreads during replication, using an exonuclease domain that cuts off incorrect nucleotides from the nascent DNA strand.Errors during Replication Are Corrected by the DNA Polymerase EnzymeGenomic DNA is synthesized in...