Chapter 1 - What Is Science? Flashcards
Pose
To pose is to put forward a question or problem
Evidence
Facts, figures, or signs that help prove a statement are all pieces of evidence
Science
Science as a way of learning about the natural world.
Scientists use skills such as observing, inferring, predicting, classifying, evaluating and making models to study the world.
Inferring
When you explain or interpret the things you observe. Inferring is not guessing. Inferences on based on reasoning from what you already know.
Predicting
Making a statement or claim about what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence
Classifying
Grouping together items that are alike in someway
Evaluating
Comparing observations and data to reach a conclusion about them
Making models
Creating representations of complex objects or processes. Some models can be touched such as a map. Others are in the form of mathematical equations or computer programs.
Variables
Factors that can change in an experiment
Independent variable
A factor that is changed to test a hypothesis
Dependent veritable
Changes in response to the Independent variable
What attitudes help you think scientifically?
Curiosity, honesty, creativity, open-mindedness, skepticism, good ethics, and awareness of bias.
Skepticism
Having an attitude of doubt
Ethics
The rules that enable people to know right from wrong
Personal bias
Persons likes or dislikes
Cultural bias
Stems from a culture in which a person grows up
Experimental bias
Mistake in the design of an experiment that makes a particular result more likely
Objective
Means that you make decisions and draw conclusions based on available evidence
Subjective
Means that personal feelings have entered into a decision or conclusion
Deductive reasoning
Explaining things by stating with a general idea and then applying the idea to a specific observation
Inductive reasoning
Specific observations to make generalizations
Metric system
Measurement system based on the number 10
International system of units
SI. Modern scientist use a version of the metric system called SI aka International system of units
Mass
Measure of the amount of matter in an object.
Basic unit for measuring mass is the kilogram
Weight
Measure of the force of gravity acting on an object
Volume
Amount of space and object or substance takes up. Basic unit of measurement volume is (cm3) cubic centimeters.
Meniscus
To measure the volume of a liquid read the level at the bottom of the meniscus, or the curve.
Density
Measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume.
Basic unit is kilograms per cubic meter
Length
Distance from one point to another.
Basic unit of measuring length is the meter