Scientific Method

What is Science? Science solves problems by Making observations Conducting experiments eliminating wrong answers Scientific explanations change based on evidence If evidence supports it, scientists should believe it

What is the scientific Method? The process that scientists use is called the scientific method It provides a basic framework to answer questions using science Many different versions of the scientific method exist because the exact steps depend on the problem In this class, there are six steps to the scientific method that you must know

Steps of scientific method Define the problem you are trying to solve Make observations and formulate a hypothesis Gather information (research) Make observations Based on gathered information and your observations, you would make a Hypothesis Observations: Using one or more of the five senses to gather information Hypothesis: possible explanations for the problem or your best guess

Steps of scientific method Experiment Design an experiment that will test your hypothesis Experiment must be repeatable i.e. other scientists must be able to repeat your experiment Observe and collect data Take detailed notes so other scientists will know what happened in the experiment.

Steps of scientific method Repeat the experiment Repeat steps #3 and #4 several times. Experiment must be done exactly the same. This ensures that the results are reproducible, there are no other external factors affecting the results and your theory has a solid basis. You have to do the experiment exactly the same as before Formulate a theory/make conclusions Analyze the data Compare the results of the experiments by making a graph Did the results match your expectations? Decide if your hypothesis is correct.

Question In your own words, describe why scientists use the scientific method.

Scientific Method Questions Which of the following can you test with experiments? A table is much more beautiful than a chair Cannot be tested because beauty is in the eye of the beholder A box full of cotton is lighter than the same box full of stones Yes, because you can design a repeatable experiment Nights are better than days No, because this is a personal choice

Jack’s problem Jack wakes up one morning to find that his favorite cheese that was on the kitchen counter from the previous night is missing. The next morning, the same thing happens. He asks his family if anyone ate the cheese only to find out that no one else in the house likes cheese. He suspects there might be a mouse on the loose since his parents caught one the previous week. Use the scientific method to help Jack solve this mystery. Be sure to use all six steps in your answer.

Scientific Method Questions 1. Define problem: The cheese disappeared from the counter 2. Make observation & formulate hypothesis: No one in the family ate the cheese and there was a mouse found in the house the previous week. The hypothesis is that a mouse ate the cheese. 3. Set up experiments to test hypothesis: Set up a camera that attaches to the mousetrap with the cheese, so that if there is a mouse it will be caught and the camera will take a snap shot of the thief. 4. Make observations & collect data: Look at the snapshots and check the mousetrap and see if there are any mice in the picture or the trap. 5. Repeat experiments & data collection: Repeat this experiment for three nights. 6. Formulate a theory: If the camera shots or the mousetrap shows a mouse eating the cheese, than our hypothesis is true.