Scientific Inquiry Biotechnology I

Essential Question What scientific processes do scientists use to investigate the natural world?

Definition of Science Way of investigating and learning about the natural world Accomplished through inquiry

Scientific Inquiry involves Making Observations gather information about natural world using our senses and scientific tools Developing scientific questions Forming logical hypotheses Tentative answer to the formulated question Testing Hypotheses Through experimentation Drawing Conclusions

Identify which of the following questions are scientific? How is bug blood different from human blood? Is rock music better than hip-hop music? Is vegetarianism better than eating meat? Does God exist? Why does bright light cause some people to sneeze?

Think-Pair-Share What criteria did you use to determine whether the questions are scientific? 3. Think-pair-share teacher presents a question teacher gives wait time for student to form answer teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

Scientific Questions Focuses on natural phenomena Related to scientific concepts Investigated through experimentation Leads to gathering of data about how the natural world works

Scientific Questions DO NOT ASK ABOUT Why? Supernatural phenomena Personal Preference Moral Values Religious Beliefs Why?

Testable Questions Include Independent Variable – the variable manipulated Dependent Variable- the variable measured

Think-Pair-Share Take one of the questions identified as scientific and come up with two testable questions that relate to the problem described in chosen question. 3. Think-pair-share teacher presents a question teacher gives wait time for student to form answer teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

Scientific Inquiry Often involves controlled experiments Characteristics of controlled experiment Manipulate one variable keeping the other variables fixed Consists of Experimental group –exposed to condition tested Controlled group – not exposed to tested condition Fixed variable – variables kept constant other than variable tested

Example A clinical trial was conducted to address the question “Does the drug “Colonix” reduce the number of tumors associated with colon cancer?” Two groups of 50 people were given either the drug “Colonix” or a “sugar pill”, the placebo. Is the question asked testable? Why or Why not? What is the Experimental group Control group Fixed variables

Hypothesis Tentative answer to the scientific question Hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable A well-written hypothesis includes Experimental group Predicted result Measurement

Example of a Well-Written Hypothesis If the amount of fertilizer given to seeds is increased then the seeds will grow faster because nutrients in fertilizer is required for growth. What is the condition tested? What is the predicted result? How was the condition measured?

Practice Problem A exercise-science researcher asked the question “Does consuming carbohydrates within 45 minutes after a workout increase insulin levels in the blood? He forms two age-matched groups and feeds one group some carbohydrate plus 8 oz.. of water after their workout, while giving the other group only 8 oz. of water. Develop a hypothesis for the described experiment using If… then….as measured by 3. Think-pair-share teacher presents a question teacher gives wait time for student to form answer teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

Conclusion Key component of scientific inquiry Conclusion should contain four components State Claims. Use numerical evidence to justify the claims Reject or accept hypothesis based on the numerical evidence Make Inferences using prior knowledge (explains what the data means)

Observation versus Inference Observation-description of natural structures and processes Can involve five senses-seen, tasted, heard, touched, or smelled Measurements taken with scientific tools (Ex. spectrophotometer, pH meter) Inferences- conclusions based on observations Goes beyond what directly sensed or measured Provides meaning to the observation based on prior knowledge

Identify as observation or inference Examine the far-side picture provided in your notetaker Beside each of the statements – identify as either observation or inference Summarize what characteristic allowed you to make the distinction 3. Think-pair-share teacher presents a question teacher gives wait time for student to form answer teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

Answer the following questions in your IAN Scientific Inquiry Questions What should be included in a Testable Question Hypothesis Conclusion Explain the difference between observation and inference and give an example of each Complete Scientific Method problems