THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Topic 1

WHAT IS SCIENCE? - a body of knowledge based on observation and experimentation

HOW DO WE ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SCIENCE? We use the SCIENTIFIC METHOD

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? - a series of steps to be followed when trying to reach a conclusion

WHAT ARE THE STEPS? 1.Ask a question 2.Do Research 3.Form a Hypothesis 4.Perform an Experiment 5.Collect and Analyze Data 6.Make a Conclusion

1. ASK A QUESTION - questions usually come from observations you make about your surroundings

WHAT’S AN OBSERVATION? - an observation is information gathered using one or many of your senses

THE SENSES How many do you have? 5

EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS/ PROBLEMS… Why do leaves change color in the fall? What is a rainbow? How did the Grand Canyon form?

2. DO RESEARCH You can use the Internet Research journals periodicals

3. FORM A HYPOTHESIS - an educated prediction about the outcome of an experiment

HYPOTHESIS… These statements must include… 1.If 2.then ex) If salt crystals are broken into smaller pieces then they will dissolve faster in water.

4. DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT Controlled experiment only one variable at a time is being changed Variable- factor that can change or be changed

2 TYPES OF VARIABLES Independent Dependent

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE variable that is changed by the experimenter “I” change the independent

DEPENDENT VARIABLE variable that changes because of the independent variable dependent depends on the independent

THE CONTROL the factor in an experiment that represents “normal” conditions and what you compare the experimental data to

CONSTANTS Constants are factors that remain the same throughout the experiment

5. COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA All data must be included, you cannot OMIT anything

TYPES OF OBSERVATIONS Objective- just the facts, no opinions are included Subjective- personal opinions are included

OBJECTIVE VS SUBJECTIVE YOU DECIDE… 1.It’s 78° outside. 2.This room is cold. 3.Erin is short. 4.His t-shirt is green. objective subjective objective

INFERENCE An inference is a conclusion that logically follows a set of observations

READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH AND UNDERLINE THE SENTENCE THAT IS AN INFERENCE IN YOUR NOTES THIS SUMMER HAS BEEN REALLY HOT. I ONLY WATERED MY GARDEN A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE LEAVES OF MY PLANTS ARE DRY AND THE EDGES ARE TURNING YELLOW AND BROWN. I DON’T THINK THEY ARE GOING TO PRODUCE ANY FLOWERS.

OBSERVATION VS INFERENCE YOU DECIDE… 1.That cloud is gray. 2.It looks like it’s going to rain. 3.It looks hot outside. observation inference

TYPES OF GRAPHS Bar Graph Line Graph

GRAPH SETUP Give the graph a title Label and scale the x- axis - Independent variable data Label and scale the y- axis - Dependent variable data

6. MAKE A CONCLUSION Compare hypothesis to experimental data Hypothesis accepted Hypothesis rejected

WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Accepted hypothesis Report results Peer review Rejected hypothesis Start over