Chapter 1 - What is Science? Flashcards
science
A way of learning about the natural world through observations and logical reasoning, leads to a body of knowledge.
observing
The process of using one or more of your sense to gather information.
quantitative observation
An observation that deals with a number or amount.
qualitative observation
An observation that deals with characteristics that cannot be expressed in numbers.
inferring
The process of making an inference, an interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge.
predicting
The process of forecasting what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence.
classifying
The process of grouping together items that are alike in some way.
evaluating
Comparing observations and data to reach a conclusion about them.
making models
The process of creating representations of complex objects or processes.
skepticism
An attitude of doubt.
ethics
The rules that enable people to know right from wrong.
personal bias
An outlook influenced by a person’s likes and dislikes.
cultural bias
An outlook influenced by the beliefs, social forms, and traits of a group.
experimental bias
A mistake in the design of an experiment that makes a particular result more likely.
objective
Describes the act of decision making or drawing conclusions based on available evidence.
subjective
Describes the influence of personal feelings on a decision or conclusion.
deductive reasoning
A way to explain things by starting with an idea or rule and then applying the idea to a specific observation.
inductive reasoning
Using specific observations to make generalizations or a rule.
scientific inquiry
The ongoing process of discovery in science.
hypothesis
A possible explanation for a set of observations.
variable
A factor that can change in an experiment.
manipulated variable
The one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment; AKA independent variable.
responding variable
The factor that changes as a result of changes to the manipulated or independent variable; AKA dependent variable.
controlled experiment
An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time.
data
Facts, numbers, and other evidence gained through observations.
scientific theory
A well tested explanation for a wide range of scientific data.
scientific law
A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen without explaining why.
