Mrs. Mahar Mrs. Mahar Unit 1 Unit 1

Because we all think differently, we need a way to organize the processes of scientific thinking. This is why scientists use the scientific method. If scientists cannot repeat each other’s experiments and come up with the same results, they will not be taken seriously.

1. Observe using qualitative and quantitative data/form a question 2. Form a hypothesis (educated guess) 3. Perform experiment 4. Accept or reject hypothesis based on results and make a conclusion. 5. Hypothesis can become a theory or a law.

 Theory: an explanation for something that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning. Must pass several tests.  Law: a summary of many experimental results and observations; a law tells how things work (ex. gravity)

 Qualitative Data: are observations made based on the senses (smell, touch, see etc.)  Quantitative Data: deal with measurements. Example: length/temperature  Quantitative data is math and is the language of science.

 The book is heavy  The formula for density is mass divided by volume.  The temperature outside is 20 degrees Celsius.  It is warm outside.

 Variable: a factor that changes in an experiment in order to test a hypothesis  Control Group: stays the same during the experiment (the experimental group will be compared to the control group)  Experimental group: the group that will be tested.  Constant: Factor that remains the same in each group.

 Independent Variable: the variable you change during the experiment (x-axis)  Dependent Variable: the variable that depends on the independent variable during the experiment (y-axis). May or may not change. This is the one that we are measuring and the one that responds to whatever changes are made with the independent variable.

 You wonder what effect soil type has on plant growth since your plant in clay is not growing too well.  You get another plant that is exactly the same type and size and use sand instead of clay.  Since you CHANGED the soil type, it is considered the independent variable.

 Since the whole purpose of the experiment is to figure out how soil type affects growth, growth is the dependent variable (it is what you are measuring).  Which plant is the control? Sand or clay?  What are some constants?

Add iv dv bar graph from notes

 Matter is ANYTHING that has mass and takes up space…it is “stuff made of atoms”.  Mass measures how much “stuff” or matter there is in something.  Is your desk made of matter?  Is air made of matter?  Think of 1 thing that is NOT made up of matter.

 Mass measures how much “atomic stuff” or matter there is and weight measures how much matter there is AND takes gravity into account.  For example, you weigh less as you get farther away from Earth (on the moon) because you are getting farther from Earth, so it has less of a “pull on you.”  Gravity is why we don’t just fall off Earth’s surface.

MATTER MASS WEIGHT Amount of “Stuff” AND Gravity