A Process Used by Scientists (and everyone else) to solve a problem Scientific Method A Process Used by Scientists (and everyone else) to solve a problem

Steps of the Scientific Method State a problem in the form of a question Research or gather information about the question Answer the question (make a hypothesis) Conduct an experiment Collect and record data Analyze the data Form a conclusion

Hypothesis The problem is a question that has been asked The hypothesis is a proposed solution to that problem, based on prior experience or research; it is an answer that might be true It must be testable A prediction is an expected outcome of the test May or may not be an “if-then” statement

Experiment A controlled experiment can be used to test a hypothesis All conditions must be kept the same (constants) except for the condition you are testing (tested variable) The tested variable is compared to a control—the group that receives no experimental treatment

Dependent vs independent variable The independent variable is the one the researcher has control over—he can manipulate that variable (the researcher changes it) The dependent variable the researcher has no control over—it responds to the independent variable (the researcher measures it)

Data The observations the researcher collects Usually this is numbers, values (quantitative) or observations (color, behavior, etc—qualitative)

Analysis The data is reviewed and processed It may mean using mathematical formulas, or making a graph Graph-independent variable goes on x axis and dependent on the y (dry-mix)

Conclusion Answers the original question May support or not support the hypothesis Makes a claim (c ), supports it with evidence (e) and tells why that evidence supports the claim (r)

Theory If a hypothesis has been repeatedly tested by many scientists and all of their results support the hypothesis, the hypothesis can be considered a theory Future evidence may change scientists’ understanding and the theory may have to be rejected or revised

Scientific laws For a theory to become accepted as a scientific law, it must always have the same results and no one has been able to prove that it is wrong