1-1 What is Science? Objectives: State the goals of science Describe the steps of the scientific method

What Science Is  Science is an organized way of using evidence to study the natural world  Goals of science: 1) Investigate, understand and explain nature 2) Make useful predictions  Science also refers to the body of knowledge that scientists have gathered 1-1

What Science Is Not  Anything beyond the natural world  Ex: supernatural or belief- based phenomena  A way of “proving” anything 1-1

Organized Evidence-based Ever-changing Systematic Certain Static Rigid Belief-based Biased Fair 1-1

The Scientific Method  Begins with observation  Information gathered with 5 senses  Prompts questions 1-1

Making Inferences  Observations lead to inferences  Inferences are logical interpretations based on prior knowledge  Ex:  observation- there is a chalk outline on the pavement  inference- someone was murdered in that location 1-1

Generating a Hypothesis  A hypothesis is a testable scientific explanation for a set of observations  Written in if/then format  If (condition) then (result)  Ex: If a plant receives fertilizer then it will grow taller than a plant without fertilizer. 1-1

Experimenting  Hypotheses are tested in a controlled experiment  Ex: Redi’s experiment on Spontaneous Generation (1668) 1-1

Experimenting  Single variable changed  Control group compares to experimental group(s) 1-1

When Experiments Are Not Possible  Studying natural phenomena  Ex: animal interactions  Ethical or safety limitations  Ex: studying a cancer-causing chemical or experimental drug 1-1

When Experiments Are Not Possible  Scientists look for c orrelations  Reliable associations between events 1-1

Data  Experimental observations yield data  Data can be quantitative or qualitative  Quantitative data can be measured numerically  Ex: length, time, volume  Qualitative data usually can’t be measured  Ex: color, smell, feel 1-1

Data  Data is then analyzed for trends 1-1

Drawing Conclusions  Data becomes evidence for a logical conclusion (inference)  Most experiments are repeated for verification  Scientists publish their results  Evidence must survive peer review  To share knowledge  To replicate 1-1

The Scientific Method Ask a question Observations prompt questions Form a hypothesis Must be testable Controlled experiment Only one variable changed at a time Record data Analyze results Draw a conclusion 1-1

The Scientific Method 1-1

Gathering Evidence (summary) 1. Begins with observation 2. Observations lead to inferences 3. Hypotheses are testable explanations based on inferences 4. Data is gathered during a controlled experiment  Data can be quantitative or qualitative  Quantitative data can be measured numerically  Qualitative data usually can’t be measured 5. Scientists use data as evidence for conclusions 1-1

1-2 Science in Context Objectives: Identify the scientific attitudes that generate new ideas Explain why peer review is important Compare/contrast theory and law Explain the relationship between science and society

Scientific Thinking CuriositySkepticismOpennessHonesty Imagination & Creativity 1-2

Development of a Theory  Theories are tested explanations supported by a large body of scientific evidence  Have never been disproven  Unify observations and predict new situations  Theories are the highest level of scientific fact  But still tentative, correctable, and dynamic  Allows for changes as new facts are discovered 1-2

Theories vs. Laws  Theories will never become laws &vice versa  Neither is superior; they have different purposes  Theories explain while laws describe 1-2