Section 2.1: The Scientist’s Mind Key Vocabulary Evidence Hypothesis

Qualities of Scientific Thinking Scientists make observations. They ask questions about what they observe. They make predictions about the cause of the things that they observe. Their predictions are based on evidence that can be measured and tested. (Prediction=Hypothesis) They test their hypothesis. They communicate their results to their Peers.

What is Evidence? Evidence is defined as material or data that can be measured or tested to verify a prediction or hypothesis.

What is a Hypothesis? A Hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation or phenomenon (an “educated guess”).

How Scientists Think Scientists are skeptical. They question long-held ideas. They try to prove new ideas and disprove others. As a result, only correct interpretations of “reality” stand the “test of time”.

Section 2.2: Scientific Methods of Inquiry Key Vocabulary Scientific Inquiry Peer Review Theory Law Scientific Method

What is Scientific Inquiry? Scientific Inquiry is a two-component problem-solving process of generating and testing of the hypothesis. The organization of this problem-solving process is called the Scientific Method. (Process-Framework)

How Scientist Approach Questions The Scientific Method State a problem Research Form a Hypothesis Test the Hypothesis (conduct an experiment) Record and Analyze the data State a conclusion Repeat or redesign experiment Report Results

What is the Scientific Method? A Systematic Approach to Problem Solving A method that is applied in all scientific investigations

Steps of the Scientific Method State the Problem (Purpose) Research (Gather information on the problem) Form a hypothesis Perform experiment(s) to test the hypothesis. Record and analyze data State a conclusion Repeat and/or redesign Report Results

State the Problem This is the purpose of the investigation State what problem you want to solve or what question you want to answer

Research (Gather Information) Use various resources to inform yourself about the parts of your investigation You must educate yourself about your investigation so you can make an “educated guess” to test

Develop a Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess It proposes an answer to your question or a solution to your problem The hypothesis is what you are testing in an investigation Let’s choose an example and work through the first three steps of the scientific method together

Perform the Experiment Design and perform an experiment that will test your hypothesis for accuracy To do this you must be able to identify your variables

Variables Independent Variable The thing that is being changed by you-that you are manipulating There can only be ONE changed variable Dependent Variable The “thing” that responds to what you have changed or manipulated This is the thing you are measuring

One More Type of Variable Control Variable These are the things that stay the same throughout the investigation or experiment In the setup of your experiment, you can only have one changed variable; this means all other variables must be controlled.

Record and Analyze Data Data includes the measurements and/or observations you make about the responding variable But first, you must determine what type of data (called observations) you will collect

Types of Observations Quantitative Observations that measure such things as size, weight, distance, volume etc. This observation MUST use a number Qualitative Observations that describe using details such as size, color, shape This observation uses NO numbers

Examples Quantitative Qualitative Jane is taller than Jack Jane is 5 feet tall There are 65 cars on the train I wear a size 12 shoe The gas tank holds 18 gallons Qualitative Jane is taller than Jack The walls are yellow Oranges are round Jack is older than Jane

Quantitative or Qualitative? Which type of observation is most useful in a science investigation? QUANTITATIVE!! Why?

State the Conclusion Your conclusions should consist of your best explanations for given observations Your conclusion should answer the question: What happened? And Why did it happen?

Repeat and/or Redesign In order to confirm results, you should always repeat your experiments numerous times. If there are ways to improve your experiment, you should redesign it until it properly tests your hypothesis Remember! A single experiment never “proves” a hypothesis to be true, it only supports or does not support a hypothesis

Report Results The last step of the scientific method is reporting your results. Share results with others Provide experiment procedures for others to conduct and validate your results

Let’s Apply What You’ve Learned Are You ready? Start your Brains.

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . To test whether aspirin can keep flowers fresher for a longer period of time, take two large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal amounts of water. Place one red carnation in each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. Identify the following in regard to this particular experiment. Identify the Independent Variable Amount of Water Aspirin Carnations Time the flowers stay fresh

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . . To test whether aspirin can keep flowers fresher for a longer period of time, take two large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal amounts of water. Place one red carnation in each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. Identify the following in regard to this particular experiment. What is the Dependent Variable? Amount of water Size of Beakers Size of Carnations Time flowers stay fresh

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . “If the amount of sunlight available increases, the rate of photosynthesis in a plant will also increase.” This statement is an example of a(n): Conclusion Purpose Analysis Hypothesis

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . The effect of one minute of walking and one minute of running on the pulse and respiration rates of a human. Speed Time Pulse & Respiration Rates Walking & Running

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . If you were doing research on the deadly E-bola virus, which resource in the library would give the most current information? Internet Book World Book Encyclopedia Readers Guide

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . The effect of one minute of walking and one minute of running on the pulse and respiration rates of a human. In this experiment, what are the Controlled Variables? Speed Time Pulse & Respiration Rate Walking & Running

Apply what you’ve learned. . . . A student plants one marigold seed into each of three pots. One pot she uses soil from a flower bed outside her house, one pot she plants with soil from a garden store, and one she plants into rocks. She uses a pitcher and waters each seed. She puts a pot on the window sill of her kitchen, one under the grow lights on her porch and one in a bag. She waits three days and makes her first observation. This not a well prepared experiment, on a sheet of paper, write at least three reasons why this is not a scientifically sound experiment