Scientific Inquiry

Scientific Inquiry: the strategy used for scientific investigations Observation: using all of your senses and scientific instruments to describe a thing or event Hypothesis: a prediction or proposed explanation that can be tested Conclusion: the findings of your scientific investigation

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Qualitative: information based on the qualities of something Quantitative: information or data based on countable measurements of something (Measurements have both a NUMBER and a UNIT. Don’t forget to include your units or you will lose points.)

Scientific Inquiry Steps Step 1: Ask a question. Step 2: Do background research. Step 3: Make a hypothesis. Step 4: Test your hypothesis with experiments and observations. Step 5: Analyze results. Step 6: Make a conclusion about your hypothesis Step 7: Share your results!

Scientific Laws vs. Theories Theory: a proposed explanation that has been extensively tested and is based on many observations Explains WHY something happens Law: like a theory, is based on many observations. Laws describe how something in nature behaves, but not necessarily why it behaves that way. Describes WHAT happens under certain conditions Example: Sir Isaac Newton and the law of universal gravitation