 Method for studying the natural world.  Nature works on rules –simple ones and complex ones.  If we study patterns, science can be applied to everything.

 The scientific method is the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavor to construct an accurate representation of the world.  It minimizes prejudice (called bias) in the scientist when testing a hypothesis or a theory.

 State the problem  Do research  Form a hypothesis  Experiment  Analyze  Form a conclusion and express it to others

 These are quantities that can have more than a single value: Independent Variable: is the factor that you will change on purpose in your experiment. Dependant Variable: is the factor that you predict will change as a result of your independent variable. Constant: are the factors that don’t change when other variables do. Control: is the standard by which the test results can be compared to.

 Independent Variable: is the factor that you are testing to create an outcome.  It is what you are testing and what you hope to cause change  Example: Will water help a plant grow taller?  If you give one plant water and don’t give any to another plant, you are testing if water will make that plant grow taller.  Your Independent Variable is water. It is what you hope will change the plant’s growth.

 Dependant Variable: is the factor that you predict will change as a result of your independent variable It is what you think is going to change because of your test.  Example: If your water was supposed to make a plant grow taller, then you hope your plant grows taller.  Your plant growing taller is your dependent variable.

 Constant: are the factors that don’t change when other variables do.  To make sure your test works, eliminate other factors by keeping them the same in all your tests.  Example: If you are testing if water makes a plant grow taller, you will use the same type of plant. A sunflower naturally grows taller than a daisy, so for your test you should use only daisies so you know it is the water only that is making it grow taller.  Your constant would be plant type, because you use the same one for your test.

 Control: is the standard by which the test results can be compared to.  This shows you if your test worked, it is what you compare your test to, to see if there were changes  Example: You may have two daisy plants. You add water to one daisy but give none to the second daisy. You are testing if water makes daisies grow taller. The second plant is your normal daisy that you must compare the first to. If they are the same height at the end, then your watering did not make the plant taller, but, if the watered daisy IS taller, then you know your test worked.  An experiment is meaningless without a control, because you do not know if it worked or not.

 Hypothesis-I predict that the amount of water I give to plants will affect their growth. Independent Variable: Amount of Water Dependent Variable: Growth of the Plant Constant: Sunlight, Soil, Container Control: No Water Plant

 Hypothesis-I predict the hotter the air temperature, the larger the balloon size will be. Independent variable: Temperature Constant: Amount of Air in the Balloon Dependant Variable: Size of Balloon Control: Room Temperature Balloon Hot Room Temp. Cold

 Theories: Explanation of things or events based on knowledge gained from repeated observations all over the world. Theories are changeable based on evidence gathered by new technology.  Law: Statement about what happens in nature and that it seems to be true all the time. Laws don’t change.

 The greatest advantage of the scientific method is that it is unprejudiced (unbiased).  The results obtained using the scientific method are repeatable.  A Scientific Theory or a Hypothesis differentiates from an act of faith: it is not something to believe in, but to be disproven. If it cannot be disproven, then it becomes an accepted theory. You also cannot say anything is “proven” because new evidence or technology could come out.

 Develop a problem  Create a hypothesis (what is your prediction?)  Design a way to test your prediction What are the variables? What is your control?  How will you collect and display your data?