Date Essential Question Learning Goal 8/25/’14 What is scientific Method? Explore the scientific process. Identify steps of scientific method Vocabulary Bell Work scientific method K-W-L chart hypothesis dependent variable independent variable control Home Work 1)What is science? Rubric 2)What are the steps of scientific method? 4 3)Differentiate between Scientific Theories and Laws 3 2 1

SCIENCE Bell Ringer: Make a chart and fill it out in your notebook. Write at least 3 sentences in each of the K and W columns.

The Wonders of Science How are billiards and bottles connected?

Billiards and Bottles  Billiards, a table game in the 1800s, used balls of ivory, which was becoming increasingly scarce.  In 1860, the shortage of ivory lead a company to offer a reward for inventing a substitute for ivory.  An inventor came up with a solution by mixing compounds and heating them. This led to the inventions of plastic.  Like that cause and effect relation is the major part in science.

What is science?  Is a study of nature & the natural world.  We study about nature in a systematic procedure, in a method, in an order.  Science comes from the Latin word “Scientia” which means “knowledge”.  Science is a process that uses observation and investigation to gain knowledge about events in nature. Nature follows some rules  Earth rotates once every 24 hours.  The human body does many activities like breathing, digestion, heart beat, blood flow, growth, following certain rules.  To learn how all these activities run in the world is “Science”

Branches of Science  It is divided into 3 categories.  1) Life Science: Dealing with living things.  2) Earth Science: Investigates Earth and space.  3) Physical Science: Deals with matter and energy.  All the branches overlap one another and are interconnected.

Science Explains Nature  Science explains about things which helps us understand the natural world.  As more is learned about natural world, some of earliest explanations might be found to be incomplete.  Or the explanations need to be modified.  Or new technology might provide more accurate answers.  For example in 18 th century “Heat” was thought to be an invisible fluid which flows from a warm body in all directions. But this idea could not explain the effect of temperature on heat, just like other fluids do. So scientists had to drop from the idea that says heat is a fluid.

Investigations  Scientists learn new information about nature by performing investigations.  Some investigations are simple observations that occur in day-to-day life.  Other investigations involve set up experiments that test effect of one thing with other.  Sometimes models are built for investigating item and see how it works.

Scientific Method.  Investigation has a general pattern, Although rigid steps are not followed always.  An organized set of investigation procedure is called scientific method.  Six common steps are found in scientific method. They are –  1)Stating a Problem.  2)Research and Gathering Information.  3)Forming Hypothesis.  4)Testing a Hypothesis.  5)Analyzing the Data And  6)Drawing Conclusions.

Stating a Problem  When we observe an event which was not seen before in nature and wonder how and why it occurs.  That how and why is the Problem.  Sometimes problem statement arises from an activity that is not working, and the Problem statement involves finding solution for that activity.

Research and Gathering Information  Once problem statement is made, the background information of the problem should be collected.  What is to be done to find solution for that problem and what tests are not to be done, are determined in this step.

Forming Hypothesis  A Hypothesis is possible explanation for a problem, based on what we know and what we observe.  It is an educated guess of the solution for the problem.

Testing a Hypothesis  Hypothesis are tested by  1)making observation,  2)building model of investigating object  3)performing an experiment.  An experiment tests the effect of one thing on another, using controlled conditions.  Experiment has different factors called variables, constants and controls.

Variables  A variable is a factor that can cause a change in the result of an experiment.  An experiment contains more than one variable.  For example, in an experiment to determine the amount of fertilizer that will help plant to grow the biggest, all the variables that might cause plants to grow include  a) plant type,  b) amount of sunlight,  c) amount of water  d) room temperature  e) type of soil and  f) type of fertilizer.

Types of Variables  There are 2 types of variables.  They are 1)independent variable 2) dependent variable. The variable that we change to see how it will effect other variables is independent variable.  The variables that changes according to changes in the independent variable is dependent variable.  In the amount of Fertilizer vs plant growth experiment, we change the amount of fertilizer. to see it’s effect on growth of plant. so, it is the independent variable.  The independent variable(amount of fertilizer) changes the amount of growth.  There fore amount of growth is dependent on independent variable.  That is why amount of growth is called dependent variable.

Constants and controls  To see the effect of fertilizer on growth, all other possible factors must be kept same.  The factor that does not change when other variables change is called “constant”.  In the experiment, when the amount of fertilizer given to plants is changed, many plants of same type are taken. each plant is given the same soil and same amount of sunlight and water and same temperature is kept.  That is why  1)the plant type  2)soil  3)sunlight  4)water  5)temperature are constants.

Control  In the plant growth and fertilizer experiment, three plants are given different amounts of fertilizer.  Fourth plant is not fertilized. This plant is a control.  A control is the standard by which test results can be compared.

Analyzing Data  When experiment is conducted, recording observation and organizing test data into easy-to read tables and graphs is important.  Some unexpected results may even occur, which might result in important discoveries.  Data should be organized in a logical manner to avoid wrong conclusions.  If the data is not organized, it might not be agreed by people.

Drawing Conclusions  Based on analysis of data, it is decided whether the hypothesis is supported or not.  For the hypothesis to be considered to be valid and accepted, experiment should result in exact same data every time it is repeated.  If experiment does not support hypothesis,then hypothesis must be reconsidered.  And experiment needs to be conducted differently.

Important facts  These are the six common steps in scientific method.  These steps need not be followed always rigidly in an order.  A scientist might add new steps,repeat some steps many times or skip steps as per requirements.  Bias -  It occurs when what the scientist expects changes the way results are viewed.  It occurs when scientist selects a result from one trial over those from other trials.  Bias also occurs if, advantages of product are used and drawbacks are not presented.

Models  Sometimes scientists can not see everything that they are testing.  They might be observing something too large, too small or takes too much time to see completely. In these cases they use models.  A model represents an idea, event or object to help people to understand it better.  Airplane simulators are also examples for models.

Scientific Theories and Laws  Scientific Theory—The hypothesis which is always supported by repeated investigation of scientists.  Data always supports scientific theory.  As new information becomes available, then theories are modified. Scientific Law---It is a statement about what happens in nature and it is true all the times. example: Gravitational law.  Scientific Law tells what will happen under certain conditions, but do not explain why or how.  Scientific Theory can be used to explain a Scientific law.

Limitations of Science  Science explains many things about the world, but it can not explain or solve everything.  Questions about emotion and values can not be proved scientifically. They can not be tested.  We can survey people’s opinion but can not prove them true for everyone.

Science-Technology  Science and technology are not same.  Technology is the application of science to help people.  When a new thing is discovered, it is science. But if it is applied to people, then it is technology.  Technology does not always follow science.  Sometimes the process of discovery is reversed.  Sometimes science follows technology.  People sometimes first use technology and then later try to discover things about it. Example is steam engine.  Science and technology do not always produce positive results. Benefits of technological advances such as nuclear technology and genetic engineering are subject of debate.