WHAT IS SCIENCE? 1.1

What is Science?  an organized way of collecting and analyzing evidence about events in the natural world.  a process used to help explain these events look for patterns and connections provide evidence to explain events, not based on beliefs or opinions CANNOT explain religious beliefs or supernatural events

What is Science?  always changing because we collect new information about an event

What are the Goals of Science?  provide explanations for events in the natural world DOES NOT use opinions or beliefs DOES NOT concern religion or supernatural events  use explanations to understand patterns  use explanations to make useful predictions about future natural events

Are Change and Uncertainty a Problem in Science?  We have gathered TONS of scientific knowledge over the years  Notice problems  ask questions  obtain new knowledge  make new discoveries  Allows us to cure disease, send rovers to Mars, even send a snapchat

Are Change and Uncertainty a Problem in Science?  Changes in our information help us to better understand and explain the natural world  Don’t “prove” anything – we explain something as best as we can with the evidence we have  Will that info change? Possibly.  Is change bad in science? No, only shows we are advancing our knowledge and understanding.

The Scientific Method  We us the scientific method to investigate and solve problems we encounter.  The Scientific Method involves…  making observations  asking questions  making inferences  forming hypotheses  conducting experiments  collecting and analyzing data  drawing conclusions

Observing and Asking Questions  Scientific investigations begin with an observation - noticing and describing events in a careful and orderly way. The peppers I planted in my garden will not grow.  Observation often leads to asking questions about the situation. Why aren’t they growing?

Inferring and Forming a Hypothesis  After our question is asked, we use prior knowledge to make inferences - logical interpretations based on what we already know.  Why aren’t my peppers growing? What do we already know about plant growth that could explain this problem?  This can lead to a hypothesis - a reasonable and TESTABLE explanation for our problem.

Testing our Hypothesis  Involves designing a controlled experiment that keeps track of variables - factors that can change.  Temperature, light, or time.  A controlled experiment should be used to test a hypothesis.  Only one variable is changed. Changing many variables at one time makes it difficult to tell what is giving us our results.  All other variables should be kept unchanged, or controlled.

Controlling Variables  The variable that is deliberately changed is called the independent variable or the manipulated variable.  The variable that changes in response to the independent variable is called the dependent variable or the responding variable.  Usually this is what we measure in the end or the outcome of the experiment

Control Groups and Experimental Groups  Experiments are usually divided into two groups.  An experimental group The group that has the deliberate change or independent variable  A control group Remains unchanged, stays the same, used to measure the results against

During experiments…  Data is collected and recorded.  Quantitative data – numbers obtained by counting or measuring. 3 meters, 100°F  Qualitative data – is descriptions of what is observed, written words. The chemical was blue, bubbles were produced in the reaction

Research Tools  The right tools for collecting and analyzing data are used during experiments.  Meter sticks, thermometers, calculators.  Charts and graphs help organize data and show relationships.  Circle graphs, bar graphs, line graphs

Drawing Conclusions  Experimental data is the evidence used to support, refute, or revise the hypothesis being tested, and to draw a valid conclusion.  You will need to back up and support your conclusion with specific data from your experiment.  Hypothesis is supported, because...  Hypothesis is rejected, because…

Drawing Conclusions  Hypotheses may have to be revised and experiments redone several times before a final hypothesis is supported and conclusions can be drawn.