Scientific Method

Why Is the Scientific Method Important? Helps us to answer questions Gives logical steps Requires supporting evidence Others are able to repeat and critique your experiment

Steps of the Scientific Method Problem / Purpose Research / Gather Information / Observation Hypothesis Experiment Analyze Data/Results Conclusion

Problem / Purpose Reason for doing the experiment Why is the sky blue Why do solid ice cubes float in water To determine if plants grow better in artificial light or natural light To determine if studying will increase test scores

Research / Observations Gather information about the topic through your five senses and other sources The sky is blue but sometimes it’s gray Ice cubes are forms of solid water, they are cold and at times very light Artificial light can come in a variety of intensities 60w 75w 100w etc.

hYPOTHESIS An educated prediction of the outcome The sky is blue because it reflects the ocean The sky is blue because martians color it with blue crayons at night We will use the “If”, “Then” format If I study all week long, then my test grade will improve.

Experiment Steps developed to test your hypothesis Have two students of equal academic standing take the same test Allow one student to study without allowing the other student to study Compare the results

Analyze Data/Results Examine information collected during your experiment Restate data collected Student A received a 95% and a 90% Student B received a 72% and a 75% Tests Taken Student A Studying Student B w/o Studying Trial 1 95% 72% Trial 2 90% 75%

Conclusion Statement of whether your hypothesis was correct or incorrect based on your results My hypothesis was correct studying increases test scores.

Scientific Statements When discussing scientific information, there are three main types of statements: Law Theory Hypothesis

Scientific Law A rule that describes behavior in nature Examples: Hubble’s Law Newton’s Law of Gravity Newton’s Laws of Motion

Scientific Theory An explanation based on many investigations Examples: Big Bang Theory Theory of Evolution Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

Scientific Hypothesis An educated prediction based on many observations Example: If I give plant A more water, then it will grow taller.