SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The Nature of Science Class Definition: Write what you think the nature of science is in one to two sentences. Class Definition:

Observation or Inference?

Observation or Inference?

Observation or Inference?

Observations vs. Inferences

Scientific Method A friend tells you that a candle stops burning after all of the oxygen is gone. You think he/she is incorrect. How would you go about disproving your friend’s statement?

Defining the Problem Step 1: Define the problem.

Hypothesis What do you think will be the result? Sometimes known as an educated guess. Formatted as an “if…then…” statement.

Observe/Collect Data/Experiment “Data, Data, Data. I cannot work without Data, Watson”-Sherlock Holmes. Experiment, model, and collect data. What kind of experiment could you do to see if all of the oxygen is really gone from a burnt out flame?

Analyze Data Analyze the data using Excel or Google spreadsheets, graphs, charts, computer models. Try to get the “Big Picture” What data could you analyze in candle experiment?

Conclusions Did the data support your hypothesis or must you reject your hypothesis? Would further investigation be needed to answer your problem question (s)? What can you conclude about a candle and oxygen?