1. Nature of Science

2. Scientific Process SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS
The things that scientists do when they study and investigate problems
The intellectual skills that students use to solve scientific problems
The basic process skills:
-Observation
-Classification
-Measurement
-Prediction
-Communication
-Inference

3. Science- a body of knowledge and the methods of gaining more knowledge.
3 Main Branches:
1. Life science: biology, zoology, botany, psychology, genetics
2. Earth science: geology, meteorology, astronomy, oceanography
3. Physical science: physics, chemistry, electricity

4. Nature of Science 5 Objectives:
Public- everyone is able to share, debate, scrutinize, and criticize the knowledge sources, where it can be found, which make it public: books, labs, internet, TV, radio, magazines, museums, newspapers, technology, seminars, universities
Historic- looks at the past to figure out the present & predict the future
Past info present  future

5. 5 objectives con’t.
Replicable- repeatable will get similar results if performing same experiment
Tentative- subject to change
Probabilistic- predictable, results are likely to occur, chances, statistics

6. Scientific Method
An organized systematic way of thinking, the process for seeking a solution to a problem
6 Steps:
1.) Purpose- question, problem
2.) Research- go & find out information
3.) Hypothesis- educated guess, predicts an answer to the problem
4.) Experiment- design a test to prove or disprove your hypothesis
5.) Analysis- collect data & analyze it
6.) Conclusion- decide if hypothesis is correct,“possible” answer based on evidence
If hypothesis proves incorrect, then go back to #1
Examples: cake, car

7. Definitions
Independent variable = factor that is manipulated by the experimenter; x axis
ex: time, days
Dependent variable = factor that can change if the independent variable is changed; y-axis
ex: height, weight
Constant = does not change
Control = shows results that are actually due to tested condition
Model = idea, system, or math expression similar to idea being explained

8. Definitions con’t.
Theory = based on many observations, repeated experiments, and makes testable predictions; can be changed with new info
Law = basic fact that describes natural phenomenon. Cause of law may be unknown. “Law/rule of nature.”