Physical Science Mid-Term Review 2015 Unit 1 – Nature of Science and Scientific Method Notes: What is science? Science is…. Observable Testable Measureable Limited to the Natural World A search for understanding Open to change Creative Repeatable Science is not… Based on belief Fair Certain/absolute Based on authority Based on proof A way to explain supernatural, or other ways of knowing, such as art, philosophy or religion Pseudoscience: claims to be scientific, but doesn’t follow scientific guidelines. Example: astrology Theory vs. Law: Theory: • Single explanation that is supported by lots of evidence collected over a long period of time • Starts as a hypothesis • It can be added to or disproven • Theories do not become laws, theories explain laws • Example- Theory of Evolution, Theory of Plate Tectonics Law: Prediction of “what” – describes a pattern in nature • Describes how something behaves, formula that tells us what things will do • A truth that is valid everywhere in the universe • It does not provide any explanations like a theory does • Not all scientific laws have accompanying explanatory theories. • Example- Gravity is an example of a scientific law because no experiment has been done to disprove it. Steps of the Scientific Method 1. Make an observation. 2. Ask a question (what’s the problem?) / Do research. 3. Form a hypothesis 4. Test your hypothesis – Experimentation 5. Collect data / Results 6. Analyze and Conclude 7. Repeat Step 1: Observation vs. Inference What is an observation? Definition: describing something using your senses, computer tools, research
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Physical Science Mid-Term Review 2015 Science Mid-Term Review 2015 Unit 1 ... Test your hypothesis – Experimentation 5. Collect data / Results 6. Analyze and Conclude 7. Repeat Step
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Physical Science Mid-Term Review 2015 Unit 1 – Nature of Science and Scientific Method
Notes:
What is science?
Science is….
Observable Testable
Measureable Limited to the Natural World
A search for understanding Open to change
Creative Repeatable
Science is not…
Based on belief Fair
Certain/absolute Based on authority
Based on proof A way to explain supernatural, or other ways
of knowing, such as art, philosophy or religion
Pseudoscience: claims to be scientific, but doesn’t follow scientific guidelines.
Example: astrology
Theory vs. Law:
Theory:
• Single explanation that is supported by lots of evidence collected over a long period of time
• Starts as a hypothesis
• It can be added to or disproven
• Theories do not become laws, theories explain laws
• Example- Theory of Evolution, Theory of Plate Tectonics
Law:
Prediction of “what”
– describes a pattern in nature
• Describes how something behaves, formula that tells us what things will do
• A truth that is valid everywhere in the universe
• It does not provide any explanations like a theory does
• Not all scientific laws have accompanying explanatory theories.
• Example- Gravity is an example of a scientific law because no experiment has been done to disprove it.
Steps of the Scientific Method
1. Make an observation.
2. Ask a question (what’s the problem?) / Do research.
3. Form a hypothesis
4. Test your hypothesis – Experimentation
5. Collect data / Results
6. Analyze and Conclude
7. Repeat
Step 1: Observation vs. Inference
What is an observation?
Definition: describing something using your senses, computer tools, research
What is an inference?
Definition: logical prediction based on an observation
Step 2: Question / Do research
How can you do research?
Examples:
Computer
Interviews
Library
Periodicals
Step 3: Form a hypothesis
What is a hypothesis?
Prediction based on prior knowledge and creativity – NOT an edeucated GUESS!
Usually an If….then…. statement
Testable!
Step 4: Test…Experiment!
What materials do I need?
What is my procedure?
Should be written in list format, like a recipe. Someone else should be able to copy your experiment based
on your procedures.
Variables
Independent variable (IV): what you or the tester changes
Dependent variable (DV): what you are measuring
Control Group: a neutral point of reference to compare data against….the normal. Not required for every
experiment.
Constants: variables that remain the same. Example: amount of water and sunlight I give my plants when
I’m testing which fertilizer makes them grow best. I give my plants all the same amount of water and
sunlight.
Example 1
Identify the IV, DV, control and constants for the following:
You decide to clean the bathroom. You notice that the shower is covered in a strange green slime. You decide to
try to get rid of this slime by adding lemon juice. You spray half the shower with lemon juice and spray the
other half with water. After 3 days of spraying equal amounts 3 times a day, there is no change in the
appearance of green slime on either side of the shower.
IV?
DV?
Control group?
Constants?
Example 2
Identify the IV, DV, control and constants for the following:
Marissa wanted to find out if the color of food would affect whether kindergarten children would select it for
lunch. She put food coloring into 4 identical bowls of mashed potatoes. The colors were red, green, yellow and
blue. One bowl of mashed potatoes was left as the regular white color. Each child was able to choose which
color they wanted. Each day she recorded the choice of 100 different students. She did this for 5 days.
IV?
DV?
Control group?
Constants?
Step 5: Collect Data / Results
What kinds of data do I collect and how do I define them?
Quantitative: a number, measureable, countable
Qualitative: description
Examples:
Quantitative: The U.S. Flag has 50 stars on it and 13 stripes.
Qualitative: The U.S. Flag is red, white, and blue.