According to Lieto (2014), scientific concepts have three components:
1. Referent: The object or phenomenon that the concept represents. In the case of birds, the referent is the group of animals that have feathers, lay eggs, and have a backbone.
2. Attributes: The characteristics that define the concept. For birds, these attributes include having feathers, laying eggs, and having a backbone.
3. Relations: The connections between the concept and other concepts. For birds, these relations include their relationship to other animals (e.g., mammals, reptiles, fish) and their relationship to the environment (e.g., their role in seed dispersal).
For example, the scientific concept of "bird" refers to a group of animals that have feathers, lay eggs, and have a backbone. This concept has three components:
1. Referent: The referent of the concept of "bird" is a group of animals that have feathers, lay eggs, and have a backbone. This group of animals includes animals such as eagles, sparrows, and penguins.
2. Attributes: The attributes of the concept of "bird" are the characteristics that define the concept. These attributes include having feathers, laying eggs, and having a backbone. These attributes help to distinguish birds from other animals, such as mammals and reptiles.
3. Relations: The relations of the concept of "bird" are the connections between the concept and other concepts. These relations include the relationship between birds and other animals (e.g., mammals, reptiles, fish) and the relationship between birds and the environment (e.g., their role in seed dispersal). These relations help to explain how birds interact with the world around them.