Scientific Method Flashcards
What is DRY MIX?
D - dependent
R - responding variable
Y - y-axis
M - manipulated
I - independent variable
X - x-axis
What is the purpose science?
To investigate and understand the natural world (NOT a particular point of view)
10cm, 15 trees, 2 liters, and 1.8 square miles are examples of what?
Quantitative observations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? (in order)
- Ask a question
- Form a hypothesis
- Do an experiment (controlled experiment)
- Collect and analyze data
- Write conclusion
- Publish results
Why do scientists publish their results?
So it can be redone by others to verify and review the results
Any information gathered from an experiment is
data
What is a control of an experiment?
A variable that is held constant for each part of the experiment
(Ex. If you’re testing how a plant will respond to varying amounts of water, you’ll keep the sunlight, nutrients, and soil the same. The sunlight, nutrients, and soil are the controls)
The work of scientists is never ____
Bias
How is a hypothesis different from a theory?
A theory is a well tested explanation (hypothesis) about a group of observations.
A hypothesis must be well tested in order to become a theory
A good hypothesis must be ______
Testable
(must be able to prove it wrong)
A scientific explanation for a set of observations based on prior knowledge or experience
Hypothesis
A qualitative observation includes what?
Descriptions of shape, color, size, looks, etc.
What is meant by a “controlled” experiment?
Only ONE variable is changed, all other variables are held constant
(Ex. changing the amount of sunlight each plant gets, but keeping the amount of water and the type of soil the same)
True or False: a theory cannot be revised or replaced.
False. A theory **can **be revised or replaced.
What does the work of scientists usually begin with?
Careful observations
(they must have something to ask a question about)
