Chapter 1 - Scientific Knowledge

Question 1

What are types of Scientific Knowledge

Answer 1

Geology, Biology, Astronomy, Earth Science

Question 2

What is Science?

Answer 2

** The study of the natural world. **

Knowledge obtained by observing natural events and conditions in order to discover facts and formulate laws or principles that can be verified or tested. (glossary)

Question 3

How do scientific THEORIES differ from LAWS?

Answer 3

Theory - Describes HOW something happens. It’s an explanation that makes sense based on the evidence.

Law - Describes WHAT happens when you do something. “Put a pot of water on the stove and the water gets hot.”

Question 4

Where do scientists get their evidence?

Answer 4

Scientists work where their data is - in the laboratory, in the field, or even in outer space.

Question 5

How do scientific ideas change?

Answer 5

They change when new evidence was found or someone found a better way of explaining the old evidence.

Question 6

How are scientific investigations conducted?

Answer 6

By gathering “empirical evidence” using measurements and data.

Question 7

What are some TYPES of scientific investigations?

Answer 7

• *Observations - A biologist watching how animals behave in the wilderness.
• *Experiments - A chemist measuring what happens when 2 chemicals are mixed together in a lab.
• *Making a Model

Question 8

What are some PARTS of scientific investigations?

Answer 8

• *Hypothesis - an idea that can be tested.
• *Independent variable
• *Dependent variable

Question 9

What are some scientific METHODS?

Answer 9

1. Making observations
2. Planning experiments
3. Collecting data
4. Come to a conclusion. Was your prediction right? wrong? why?

Question 10

What are some CHARACTERISTICS of a good scientific investigation?

Answer 10

1. Your results need to be REPEATABLE. If you did the test again, you’d get the same results.
2. Your results should be REPLICATED by other scientists by following your steps. They should get the same results.

Question 11

How can you evaluate the QUALITY of a scientific investigation?

Answer 11

The information should be in a book or magazine that is trusted by the people who study that type of science. Also, government or university webpages are pretty trustworthy.

Question 12

How do scientists organize, analyze, and present data?

Answer 12

1. Data tables
2. Graphs
3. Models

Question 13

How do scientists make sense of data?

Answer 13

By organizing it and analyzing it.

Question 14

What do GRAPHS show?

Answer 14

Graphs show data in a visual way - instead of numbers you see bars or circles.

Question 15

How do scientists evaluate models?

Answer 15

To make PREDICTIONS before an investigation and to make EVALUATIONS after an investigation.