Chapter 2 Botkins and Keller Flashcards
What are the two ways of thinking about the environment
- The kind of thinking we do in everyday life
- the thinking scientists try to do
What is the key to science
It is generrally agreed today that the essence of the scientific method is Disprovability
What is the difference between observation and interence
Observation: the basis of science, may be made through any of the five senses or by instruments.
Inferences are generalizations that arise from a set of observations. When everyone or almost eceryon agrees with what is observed about a particular thing. Inference is ofteen called a fact.
“we might observe thta substance is a white, chrystalline material with sweet taste. we might infere that this substance is sugar.”
What is the def of a hypothesis
is a statement that can be disproved. The hypothesis continues to be accepted until it is disproved
Dependent and independent variable
The independent variable is the cause. Its value is independent of other variables in your study.
The dependent variable is the effect. Its value depends on changes in the independent variable.
Manipulated and responding variable
A manipulated variable (sometimes called the independent variable) is a factor or condition that is intention- ally changed by an investigator in an experiment.
A responding or dependent variable is a factor or condition that might be affected as a result of that change.
What kind of data is quantitative data
numerical data
What kind of data is qualitative data
non-nummerical data
what is controlling variables?
In testing a hypothesis, a scientist tries to keep all relevant variables constant except for the independent and dependent variables.
this practice is known as controlling variables
What is frequently overlooked in decriptions of the scientific methods
is the need to define or describe variables in exact terms that all scientists can understand.
What is an operational definintion
Before carrying out an experiment, both the independent and the dependent variables must be defined operationally. Operational definitions allow other scientists to repeat experiments exactly and to check on the results reported.
What is inductive reasoning (induction)
Inductive reasoning is a logical approach to making inferences, or conclusions. People often use inductive reasoning informally in everyday situations
Definition of Scientific theory
a gran scheme that relates and explaines many observations and is supported by a great deal of evidence.
theories have tremendous prestige and are considered the greatest achievements of science.
what is a model?
“a deliberatly simplified construct of nature”
it may be a a physical working model. a pictorial model, a set of mathematical equations or a computer simulation
what are some alternatives to direct experimentation
- Historical evidence
- Modern catastrophes and disturbance as experiments
uncertainty in science
as lead to many misunderstandings.
some discoveries have been done by accidents like for example antibiotics. However, it takes skills and knowledge to discover such accidents.
What are thee two sources of uncertainty
- the real variability of naturee
- that every measurement has some error
What are experimental errors
measurement uncertainties and other errors that occurs in experiments-
what are systematic errors?
errors that occurr consistently, such as those resulting from incorrectly calibrated instumenets.
Is uncertainty positive?
scientists traditionally include an discussion of experimental errors as is leads to a greater understanding and sometimes discoveries.
thats how they discovered neptun :)
Accuracy and precision
Accuracy refers to what we know
precision to how well we measure
the process of decision making
- Formrulate a clear statement of the issue to be decided
- gather the scientific information elated to the issue
- list all the alternative courses of action
- Predict the positive and negative consequences of each couse of action and the probability that each consequence will occur
- weigh the alternatives and chose the best solution
Science and technology
- often confused with one another
- technology is a result of science not the other way around.
- science is limited to the technology around it
Science and Objectivity
- objectivity in science is the goal
- it is a myth that science is objective
- soem contrroversies: genetic engineering, nuclear power and global warming.
- we can neve really escape biases
What is pseudodcientific
ideas presented as scientific that are not science as they are inherently untesteble, lack empericle support or based on faulty reasoning.
what obstacles does environmental science offer?
- the long time frame of many ecological processes relative to human lifeetimes
- professional lifetimes
- the lengths of research grants
- difficulties in experimental contols
