Chapter One Vocab Flashcards
The Scientific Method and Experiments
the set of rules that are obeyed by every detail of everything that occurs in the universe
natural laws
the process of learning that starts with asking questions and proceeds by seeking their answers
inquiry
describes evidence that documents only what actually happened as accurately as possible
objective
describes evidence that can be seen independently by others if they repeat the same experiment in the same way
repeatable
a scientific explanation supported by a great deal of evidence collected over a long time
theory
a possible explanation that can be tested by comparison with scientific evidence
hypothesis
a process of learning that begins with a hypothesis and proceeds to prove or change the hypothesis by comparing it with scientific evidence
scientific method
involves describing or quantifying parts of a natural system
descriptive investigation
involves collecting data on different systems or conditions in order to make a comparison
comparative investigation
involves designing an experiment in which variable are changed or controlled to support or refute a relationship
experimental investigation
the variable you change in an experiment
experimental variable
the variables that are kept the same in an experiment
control variables
the difference between a measurement and the true value
error
a mathematical process in which you add all the values, then divide the result by the number of values
average
describes how close a measurement is to the true value
accuracy
