How Scientists Work

Question 1

What are scientific theories?

Answer 1

A scientific theory is a set of ideas about how some part of the world works.

Question 2

Can scientific theories change over time?

Answer 2

Yes, scientific theories can change over time when new observations or discoveries are made and new ideas are formed.

Question 3

How can you evaluate or trust a source of information?

Answer 3

You can check
*the date,
*the name of the author (are they an expert in the area),
*the source (did it come from a trustworthy source?)
* for bias (is the information one-sided or balanced?)

Question 4

An _____________________ is a testable idea.

Answer 4

hypothesis.

Question 5

What is a controlled experiment?

Answer 5

A controlled experiment is a test that involves changing one factor in order to see how it affects some other factors. This makes it easier to see a link between cause and effect.

Question 6

What is a variable?

Answer 6

A factor that changes in an experiment or investigation is called a variable.