1. Science is a way of understanding the world around us.
THE NATURE OF SCIENCE
Science is a way of understanding the
world around us.
2. Science is ever changing. It changes as
new evidence is found.
Give some examples of how are view of our world has changed
Over the centuries.
3. Science starts with observations – using
all senses!
4. Questions arise from observations.
Why is the sky blue?
Does this fertilizer work better than that one?

2. 5. Often a HYPOTHESIS (possible answer for your question) is formed.
6. An experiment is designed to test your
hypothesis and answer your question.
-Different types of questions and hypotheses
require different types of experiments.
-Some scientific questions are answered
through indirect evidence, logical
reasoning and models.
Give some examples of science information found
through indirect evidence.

3. -If possible, scientists try to run
CONTROLLED EXPERIMENTS – where
two things are compared to each other
in a fair manner.
7. In a controlled experiment, one variable is
studied while all other variables are held
constant.
The constants are the things that we keep the
same throughout the experiment.

4. Example – If you want to test the effectiveness of a new
fertilizer you would have two groups of plants that were identical.
One group (called the Independent Variable) would receive the
fertilizer and the other group (the Control) would
not receive the fertilizer. The two groups would be treated
IDENTICALLY other than the fertilizer. This experiment is
CONTROLLED.

5. 8. In a Controlled Experiment, the ONE thing
that you are testing is called the
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE.
What was the independent variable in our
experiment?
9. When you do an experiment you collect data.
It may be displayed in a chart or a graph.
The DEPENDENT VARIABLE is the data
you collect. It DEPENDS on how the
variable changes.
What is the dependent variable in our fertilizer
experiment?

6. 10. Scientific CONCLUSIONS can be
drawn from VALID scientific experiments.
-A valid (fair test) scientific experiment is
a. repeatable
b. logically designed and carried out
c. keeps everything constant except
for the variable we are testing.
11. WHEN AN EXPERIMENT IS COM-
PLETED IT SHOULD BE RETESTED
TO VERIFY RESULTS.

7. 12. Scientific Theories are formed when
an explanation for a question is tested and
repeatedly found to be true.
SCIENTIFIC THEORIES ARE NOT GUESSES OR
HYPOTHESES. THEY ARE STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY
EVIDENCE FOUND FROM MANY SCIENTISTS AND
YEARS OF RESEARCH.
-Examples – Atomic Theory, Theory of Relativity,
and the Theory of evolution
13. Scientific Law – a summary of a repeatedly
observed natural event. Does NOT include an
explanation.
Examples: Law of Gravity, Newton’s Laws
of Motion