The Nature of Science Flashcards
Bias
a disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea or thing
Constant
any well-defined real number which is significantly interesting in some way.
Control
one in which the subject or a group would not be tested for the dependent variable
Density
mass of a unit volume of a material substance
Dependent Variable
something that depends on other factors
Experiment
a scientific test in which you perform a series of actions and carefully observe them
Graph
a diagram that represents the variation of a variable in comparison with with that of one or more variables
Hypothesis
an educated guess on something
Independent Variable
something that doesn’t depend on other factors
Mass
both a property of a physical body and a measure of its resistance to acceleration when a net force is applied
Model
a physical and/or mathematical and/or conceptual representation of a system of ideas, events or processes
Scientific Law
statements based on repeated experiments or observations, that describe or predict a range of natural phenomena
Scientific Method
an empirical method of acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century. It involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism about what is observed, given that cognitive assumptions can distort how one interprets the observation
Standard
an object, system, or experiment that bears a defined relationship to a unit of measurement of a physical quantity
Technology
the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes
Scientific Theory
an explanation of an aspect of the natural world and universe that can be repeatedly tested and verified in accordance with the scientific method, using accepted protocols of observation, measurement, and evaluation of results
Variable
anything that can change or be changed
Volume
the amount of space that a substance or object occupies
S1
a reagent in the laboratory that is commonly used in nuclease protection assays
