1. Scientific Method Lecture

2. What is the scientific method? Give an example of it in terms of something you do at your house/sport/school:? Demo: does gas burn?

3. A. Scientific Method: Formal, systematic, organized, rational for thinking and doing experimentation to solve a problem: use bacteria culturing as an example: “is bacteria in the air?” can you make cookies at home? does gas burn? It is a multi-step process to find/solve the problem in question.

4. 1. Purpose/Observations: Make observations of a situation or event and recognize a question or state a problem. This is an initial point of inquiry. examples: air is a gas, does gas burn? can I make cookies at home?

5. 2. Hypothesis: A testable prediction based on prior knowledge (not educated guess) stating how it will be tested, use this formal format: If… Then…Because… Examples: -bacteria: -cookies: -gas:

6. If tested over and over a hypothesis can become a theory, a principle or a law: all are well tested but all are subject to change with new information; ie structure of atom, heart failure, extent of universe. thus, a good hypothesis must be testable to prove it right or wrong: is this testable: alien life exists? Why or why not?

7. 3. Experiment/procedure: designed to isolate and identify a problem Collects data in a step by step process to test the hypothesis The experiment is designed w/many variables contributing to the end product: Variable: ? items which can change. Test only one variable at a time, why? Control: ? unchanging variable. Used to compare to the variable which was tested to see if a change did occur.

8. 4. Results: must be repeatable, why? must include these: a. Quantitative: ? data charts, graphs, b. Qualitative: ? descriptions drawings c. Inferences: ? d. Discussion: unusual observations/data and trends of observations/data

9. 5. Conclusion: Answers the hypothesis with data from the experiment. ALWAYS Has four sections: 1. Restate what you were trying to find out: the hypothesis 2. State if your hypothesis was right or wrong 3. State why your data supports or refutes your findings, but you must include the data that supports your findings 4. State any possible sources of error which could effect the outcome (even if it may not have done so)?