SCIENTIFIC METHOD The Scientific Method is: A way of asking and solving questions Testing and collecting information. Based on evidence rather than ideas.

The scientific method begins with two parts: OBSERVATIONS & INFERENCES -information about our world that is gathered using our 5 senses: -a reasonable explanation of why an event has occurred -how our brains make sense of everyday events sight (seeing) smell touch hearing taste

Make reasonable inferences about what is occurring in each of the following pictures: How did the dog get wet?

What happened to the tree?

What has happened here?

Would you swim in this water?

What could have caused this?

Listen? Can you figure out what is going on here?

To do this, we alter variables. Once we have an inference, then we need to test it to make sure that it is correct! To do this, we alter variables. -things that can be changed or controlled in a lab (variable means “changing”) to see what happens.

3 Types of Variables: 1. Manipulated Variable (CAUSE) -what we do in our experiment to cause a change Ex. Press the gas pedal on a car. Ex. Flick the light switch. 2. Responding Variable (EFFECT) -how the experiment responds or changes to what we manipulated Ex. The car_____________________. Ex. The light ____________________. 3. Controlled Variables -variable in a test that we DO NOT want to change -we want to control certain variable so they don’t confuse our results

Using the gas pedal idea, what are some variables that we would NOT want to change so that it won’t affect our results? -we would probably do this test a number of times? -in each test, we would press the gas pedal down a little further to see what would happen. -so, what wouldn’t we want to change in each test? What would have to remain the same for each so that we are just testing the gas pedal?

Creating a Hypothesis: -a hypothesis is made up of two parts: A relationship between the manipulated variable and responding variable -the MV is referred to as the CAUSE and the RV as the EFFECT ii) An detailed reason about WHY this will occur -an imaginative way of explaining the relationship between the variables -may not always be true and may need to be adjusted

CAUSE EFFECT CAUSE EFFECT -they are written in this format: If manipulated variable then responding variable because explanation. EX. If you press the gas pedal then the car will move faster because you are increasing the amount of fuel to the engine. CAUSE EFFECT EX. If you turn on the light switch then the light will turn on because you creating a closed circuit which is allowing electricity to flow to the light bulb. CAUSE EFFECT