Ch. 2 Key Terms Flashcards
observation
the action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in order to gain information.
hypothesis
a statement that attempts to explain a phenomenon or answer a scientific question.
prediction
statements made in advance that express the results that will be obtained from testing a hypothesis if the hypothesis is supported.
experiment
a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.
variable
a variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types.
experimental group
in a comparative experiment, the experimental group (aka the treatment group) is the group being tested for a reaction to a change in the variable.
control group
the control group is defined as the group in an experiment or study that does not receive treatment by the researchers and is then used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do.
data
environmental data is that which is based on the measurement of environmental pressures, the state of the environment and the impacts on ecosystems.
correlation
a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things.
statistics
the practice or science of collecting and analyzing numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of inferring proportions in a whole from those in a representative sample.
mean
the value obtained by dividing the sum of several quantities by their number; an average.
distribution
the action of sharing something out among a number of recipients.
probability
the extent to which something is probable; the likelihood of something happening or being the case.
sample
a small part or quantity intended to show what the whole is like.
risk
a situation involving exposure to danger.
