T HE S CIENTIFIC M ETHOD

W HAT IS THE S CIENTIFIC METHOD ? Steps taken in a specific order to get an answer to a posed problem Steps include: Observation State the Problem Research Hypothesis Experiment Results Conclusion

W HY DO WE USE THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD ? To organize experiments so others can repeat it and validate it To communicate results effectively

O BSERVATION Process of gathering information about events or processes in a careful, orderly way Scientists collect data and use data to form inferences Inference – a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience

P ROBLEM Something you are trying to solve The question that is being asked Must be testable with measurable results Example: Are the boys or girls in this class taller?

HYPOTHESIS Prediction based on inference from observation Testable solution to a question or problem Can be written as an IF/THEN statement

If I get out of my seat and dance around the room, I will get in trouble with the teacher. The sky is Blue. Because there is a football next to the broken window, someone playing football must have broken my window.

It must have rained because there are many puddles outside. The car is moving at 45 mph. If I touch the hot handle on the pan, then I will likely burn my hand.

If the Heritage football team practices real hard all week, then they will win the next football game. Wow! It really smells funny in here today. Fall must be on its way because I am already back in school.

The bird likes to fly. The tree by the pond is dead. The drink is a Pepsi.

E XPERIMENT Way of testing your hypothesis Setup of lab should be clear enough that anyone would be able to follow the steps to do the experiment Often requires collaboration – Scientists working together or building upon each others work

E XPERIMENT TERMINOLOGY Independent Variable: the thing in the experiment that you change (manipulate) Dependent Variable: The thing that is observed and changes in response to the independent variable Controlled Variable: The things that you do NOT change (you are not testing the impact of these) Controlled Experiment: Experiments in which only one variable at a time is changed

Famous experiments discrediting theory of spontaneous generation late 1700s

R ESULTS Data collected during an experiment Can be in the form of a chart or graph Can be in the form of illustrations or observations Quantitative – measureable data Qualitative – observable data

C ONCLUSION Hypothesis is supported or refuted (we NEVER prove or disprove) Explains how the experiment can be applied to real life Future Experiments Identifies any sources of error – How can the experiment be improved if we did it again?

S CIENTIFIC THEORY A general statement of why things work based on hypotheses that have been tested many times Theories are used to explain and predict the outcome of other experiments Sometimes they are wrong and must be modified or discarded

S CIENTIFIC LAW A statement of what happens in a certain event based on verified observations and experiments A basic scientific theory that is no longer tested and is generally accepted as true (Newton’s Law of Gravity)