Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is science?
The study of the natural world
What 2 parts make up science?
- Knowledge about the natural world
- The process used to acquire knowledge (scientific method)
What is the scientific method?
A way of problem solving
What are the steps of the scientific method?
- Observe and generalize
- formulate a hypothesis
- Make a testable prediction
- Experiment or observe
- Modify the hypothesis as necessary and repeat
What is observing and generalizing? (step one of the scientific method)
When you make generalizations based on observations about the world.
What is formulating a hypothesis? (step two of the scientific method)
When you make a tentative statement about the natural world phrased as a positive statement.
What is making a testable prediction? (step three of the scientific method)
When you make a prediction based on the hypothesis that is specific and often in the form of an “if…then” statement.
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a prediction?
A hypothesis attempts to explain why something is and a prediction says that if something happens then it supports or rejects the hypothesis.
What is experimenting or observing? (step four of the scientific method)
When you support or reject your hypothesis.
What is an experiment?
A carefully planned and executed manipulation of the natural world.
What is a control group?
The baseline unchanged group.
What is an experimental group?
The test changed group.
What are variables?
Things that change during an experiment.
What is an independent variable?
A variable that can be set
What is a dependent variable?
The variable that is being tested.
