1. What is Science?

2. Science
Science: using evidence to learn about the natural world

3. The goals of science To deal only with the natural world
To collect and organize information
To propose explanations that can be tested

4. Observations
Observation: any information collected with the senses

5. Data
Data: the information gathered through observation

6. Types of Data Qualitative: data that is described The flower is red
It tastes bitter
It smells like rotten eggs
Feels soft

7. Types of Data Quantitative: data that is measured or counted 11 beans
16 inches
It took 39 seconds
It is 25 °C

8. Inference vs. Observation
Inference: A logical conclusion based on observations and prior knowledge
Example: when you walked in the room on the first day of the Semester… what interferences did you make about me?

9. Inference Practice What can you infer if you…
Hear an ambulance enter your neighborhood?
Walk outside and see lots of people gathered around
Smell smoke
See flames coming from a house

17. Experimental Design scientific theory
Hypothesis: a proposed explanation for a set of observations
MUST BE TESTABLE!
Theory: A well tested explanation for what is going on
Can be changed if new data is found
Law: A well confirmed statement that is always true

18. What is the scientific method?
The scientific method: A process that uses evidence to find answers to questions

19. Question 1. Question: Ask a question based on an observation
Notice something and wonder why, what, or how?

20. Hypothesis
2. Hypothesis: a statement about why you think something is happening
MUST BE TESTABLE!

21. Experiment 3. Experiment: Set up an experiment to test your hypothesis
Only test 1 variable at a time!

22. Analyze Data
4. Analyze Data: Gather data from the experiment and analyze it

23. Conclusion
5. Conclusion: Restate your hypothesis in the form of a logical conclusion based on the results of the experiment

24. What if your hypothesis is not correct?
Now what?
Was the experiment set up to test the hypothesis correctly?
Am I asking the right question?
Make a new hypothesis based on your data collected?
Start a new experiment?

25. Independent Variable
Independent variable: The factor that is changed by the scientist
Ask yourself: What am I testing?

26. What is the independent variable?

27. Dependent Variable
Dependent variable: The factor that changes in because of the independent variable
Ask yourself: What am I measuring?

28. What is the dependent variable?

29. Control Variable
Control variable: The normal state of the independent variable
Ask yourself: What will I compare my results to?

30. Constants
Constants: Things that must be kept the same to ensure accurate results
Ask yourself: how can I make sure my experiment is accurate?

31. Example
Suzie Q wants to know the effect of different colors of light on the growth of plants
She believes that the plants can survive best in white light
She buys 5 ferns of the same species, which are all approximately the same age and height
She places the plants under different colors of light and also one in the closet
All of the plants are given the same amount of water and miracle grow for 2 weeks
After the 2 weeks she takes the measurements of the plants

32. Spontaneous Generation
Spontaneous Generation: the idea that living things can come from non-living things

33. Francesco Redi 1668
The first person to challenge spontaneous generation by doing an experiment to disprove it
** meat in jars**

34. Lazzaro Spallanzani 1768
Proved that microbes could be killed by boiling

35. Louis Pasteur 1855
Did experiments with curved flasks that finally disproved spontaneous generation once and for all

36. Tools and Procedures
Metric System: a measurement system used by most countries

38. Metric units
Measurement
Base Unit
Common Units
Tool Used

41. Temperature Temperature: a measure of hotness
measured in Celsius in science

43. Microscopes
Microscopes: produce a magnified image of a small structure