ch1. What is Science? Flashcards
what is science?
science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world
quantitative data
expressed as numbers, obtained by counting or measuring
qualitative data
descriptive and involve characteristics that can’t usually be counted
what is an inference?
a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience
hypothesis
a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations.
scientists generate hypotheses using prior knowledge, logical inference, and informed, creative imagination
how must a scientific hypothesis be proposed?
scientific hypotheses must be proposed in a way that enables them to be tested
how are hypothesis tested?
by performing controlled experiments.
- the conclusions researchers draw from experiments or data must be valid
what is the goal of science?
to investigate/understand the natural world and to explain events. make predication
what is observation?
the process of gathering info about events in a careful, orderly way
in science, a hypothesis is useful only if it can be _____
tested
what are three sources from which hypotheses may arise?
- prior knowledge
- logical inference
- informed, creative imagination
what is a controlled experiment?
when a hypothesis is tested by an experiment, only one variable is changed at a time
manipulated variable (independent variable)
the variable that is deliberately changed
responding variable (dependent variable)
the variable that is observed and that changes in response to the manipulated variable
variable
any trait, factor, or condition that can be changed
