Methods of Science Section 1.1

Methods of Science 3 areas of science: Life, Earth, Physical –What is involved in each? Scientific Explanations- not always correct –Flat earth –Heat as a fluid Scientific Explanations change because: –New information is obtained though observation and experimentation –Is one conflicting experiment enough?

Scientific Method Guideline for research –Can add, repeat, or skip steps General Steps –Observation- gather information –Hypothesis- predict –Experiment- test –Record data –Analyze data- organize and examine –Conclusion- make sure it matches the data

Scientific Method Recording results- always record everything –Might discover something new Conclusion- focuses on whether hypothesis is right or wrong based on evidence –Can be entirely different from hypothesis- must match data –Don’t make unfounded assumptions- correlation is not the same as cause. Hours of Violent TV Number of times child hits someone else each week

Scientific Method Bias- when a person’s expectations influence how the experiment will turn out –Reduce by: many trials, accurate notes, repeatability of experiment, blind studies Variables- something with more than 1 value –Independent- what I change –Dependent- what changes BECAUSE of what I change

Scientific Method Constants- variables that do not change from one sample to another –Allows us to be sure that the independent variable is influencing the dependent variable Control- standard by which results are compared –Does not include the independent variable being tested. May include procedure of independent variable Example: We want to see if 24 hours of light causes plants to grow better. Maybe the light we use doesn’t let plants grow. To know this, we need to have a control with 12 hours of light to see if the tested variable- the 24 hours of light- has any result.

Methods of Science Models- help you understand something large, small, or complicated –Computers are useful- slow down, speed up, show change over time Theory- explanation- based on observations & experiments –Never proven 100% true Law- description- statement of fact –Doesn’t change

Science or Technology? Technology- Application of science Science- knowledge