Scientific Inquiry Science used as a body of knowledge to understand how the world works Scientific explanations result from a combination of observations and what people already know about the world Ask questions! Leads to experiments, collecting data, drawing conclusions Scientific knowledge subject to change and modification

The Scientific Method* Making observations Asking questions Developing a hypothesis Designing an experiment Collecting data Making inferences Results (peer review)

Observation *def. - the process of obtaining information by using the senses Examples: A bottle of seltzer water is sitting in a ice bath. There is salt in the ice bath. The unopened seltzer water is in liquid form. The bottle is cold to the touch. (After opening the bottle, the seltzer water freezes.)

Question/Problem Based on what is known and observed, what question or problem do we want to solve in order to better understand the scientific world? Example: What will happen to the bottle of seltzer water when opened? (Why did the seltzer water in the bottle freeze after it was opened?)

Hypothesis *def – a theory or explanation that is based on observations and that can be tested *The “if-then” hypothesis “I think that if…, then…” Why is the hypothesis so important to scientific inquiry?

Hypothesis continued… Examples: “I think that if a bottle of seltzer water from an ice bath is opened, then the bottle will explode.” “I think that if a bottle of seltzer water from an ice bath is opened, then the water inside will freeze.”