Prologue: Scientific Method CH107 College Chemistry Prologue: Scientific Method

Prologue: Scientific Method First Steps: Formation of a hypothesis Starts with observations, discoveries or accumulation of data Hypothesis – a tentative explanation of observations or data

Prologue: Scientific Method Next steps: evolution of a theory Further data or observations from experiments in support of hypothesis lead to a theory Theory – a well-established hypothesis

Prologue: Scientific Method Later steps: testing the theory If no exceptions to the theory are found (it predicts the results of all future experiments), it is converted to a law Law – a concise statement of fact If exceptions occur, the theory must be modified or replaced

Ptolemy – Geocentric hypothesis Copernicus – Heliocentric hypothesis Brahe – Useful data Kepler – Planetary motion theory Galileo – More data and ideas Newton – Laws of gravitation