Science and Engineering Practices Flashcards
Scientific Method
The way scientist study and learn about the world.
Observation
Using your 5 senses to gather information about something.
Qualitive Observation
Use your senses to describe the characteristics of an object-color, texture, and taste.
Quantitative
Using numbers or measurements to describe something.
Inference
An explanation of an observation based on prior knowledge.
Hypothesis
A prediction based on prior knowledge. Always written in an if-then statement.
Variable
Any factor that can be manipulated, controlled for, or measured in an experiment.
Control Variable
What must stay the same in
the experiment.
Manipulated/Independent Variable
The thing that you are testing or changing in an experiment and it is graphed on the X-axis.
Dependent/Responding Variable
What you are measuring or observing in an experiment and it is graphed on the Y-axis.
Claim
Is the answer to the question you are
trying to answer.
Evidence
Scientific data that supports your claim.
Reasoning
The how or why the evidence supports our claim; scientific rule
Conclusion
A written summary of an experiment that uses evidence to prove what you learned.