1. Scientific Problem Solving

2. What will we be learning?
What are some steps used during scientific inquiry (steps of the scientific method)?
What are the results of scientific inquiry?
What is critical thinking?
Why are evaluation and testing important in the design process?
How is scientific inquiry used in a real-life scientific investigation?
Why did scientists create the International System of Units (SI)?
Why is scientific notation a useful tool for scientists?
How can tools, such as graduated cylinders and balances, assist physical scientists?

3. What is Science?
Science - is the investigation and exploration of natural events and of the new information that results from those investigations
Can you give some examples of sciences?

4. Science
Life
Earth and Space
Physical
Biology
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Anatomy
Meteorology

5. What is Physical Science?
Physical science is the study of matter and energy.
Matter is made up of atoms and has both a mass and volume.
Energy is the ability to do work.
The branches of physical science
Chemistry- the study of matter
Physics – the study of energy

6. Measurement and Scientific Tools
Measurement and uncertainty
All measuring tools have some degree of uncertainty

7. Measurement and Scientific Tools
The International System of units is the internationally accepted system of measurement
Length
Meters
Volume
Liters
Mass
Kilogram
Temperature
Kelvin or Celsius
Density
g/cm3
Time
seconds

8. Metric Measurements Prefixes
The metric system is a set of units based on the powers of ten
Prefixes are used to change the value
Prefix
Symbol
Factor of Base Unit
kilo- K
1,000
hecto- H
100
deka- D 10
BASE
m, L, g, s
Meter, liter, gram, second
deci- d
0.1
centi- c
0.01
milli- m
0.001

9. Metric Conversions Determine your starting point
Count the number of jumps to the ending point
Move the decimal the same number of jumps in the same direction.

10. Metric Conversions K H D __ d c m
1378 millimeters = ________ dekameters
45 centimeters = ________ decimeters
4 liters = ________ hectoliters
5 kilograms = ________ grams
0.32 cm = __________ m
4 mL = _________ L
0.03 hg = ___________dg
6035 mm = __________ cm

11. Metric Conversions Practice
2000 mg = _____ g
120 DL = _____ HL
75 mL = _____ L
480 cm = _____ m
104 km = _____ m
0.12 kg = _____ Hg
14.6 mm = _____ cm
Dg = _____ mg

12. Scientific Notation 12345 = 1.2345 x 104 0.00456 = 4.56 x 10-3
Scientific Notation - is a method of writing or displaying very small or very large values in a short form
Example:
12345 = x 104
= 4.56 x 10-3
Exponent – the # of times the decimal was moved
(+) to the left
(-) to the right
Base
Coefficient – must be between 1 and 9

13. Scientific Notation
56934 =
1280 = = =

14. Scientific Notation Reverse it! (+) right (-) left 2.347 x 10-3 =

15. Scientific Notation- Practice
56934 =
1280 = = =
2.347 x 10-3 =
x 104 =
x =
x 105 =

16. Partner Share
Explain in words how your would convert a number from standard notation to scientific notation

17. What are the “steps” of the Scientific Method?
Scientific Inquiry/Scientific methods are ways in which scientists answer questions and solve problems
Ask a question/ Observation
Form a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Analyze results
Draw conclusions
Communicate results

18. Steps of the Scientific Method
1) Ask a Question/ Observation
Observations—the results of using one or more of your sense to gather information and taking note of what occurs
Qualitative – color, odor, taste, etc.
Quantitative – measurements.
Instruments used:
Rulers, balances, stopwatches, etc.

19. Steps of the Scientific Method
2. hypothesis—a possible explanation that can be tested by scientific investigations
The hypothesis can be used to make predictions
statements of what will happen next in a sequence of events

20. Steps of the Scientific Method
3. Testing the Hypothesis – Experiment
A controlled experiment compares the results from a control group with the results from the experimental groups. The groups are exactly the same except for one factor. That factor is the variable.
Independent variable is the variable you change.
Ex. Time
Dependent variable changes in response to the independent variable.
Ex. Distance

21. Steps of the Scientific Method
4. Analyze Data/Results
Data is the information gathered through your experiment.
All information needs to be recorded in a notebook, in a data table or other recording devices.
Organizing material makes analyzing the data easier.

22. Steps of the Scientific Method
Draw conclusions- what do the results tell you? Do they make sense?
Might make inferences, or logical explanations of observations drawn from prior knowledge or experience
Outcomes of experiment
Data does support hypothesis
Data does not support hypothesis
Not enough information to tell

23. Steps of the Scientific Method
Communicate / share results--science fair, conference, write science journal articles, exchange information on the internet

24. Partner Share
Is there a correlation between the number of hours spent studying and the score a student gets on a weekly quiz?
Independent variable?
Dependent variable?
Control group?
Experimental group?

25. Scientific Inquiry Results of Scientific Inquiry
Scientific theories are well-tested explanations of observations or events that are based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations
Tells you why something will occur
Ex: Kinetic molecular theory
Scientific laws are rules that describe repeatable patterns in nature
Tells you something will occur
Ex: Law of conservation of energy