*Unit 1 Part 2: Scientific Methods and Experiments Flashcards
Scientific Method
Theory
An accepted explanation of something in nature that has been supported by many observations and experiments
A _____ is subject to change as new evidence arises.
theory
Law
A description of something that happens in nature
A _____ does not explain why.
law
_____ are generally accepted to be true and universal.
Laws
Is the following statement true or false? A theory cannot turn into a law.
True
Scientific knowledge is based on evidence from nature, through _____ and _____.
observations; inferences
Observation
A direct collection of information
Inference
Using observations and prior knowledge to draw conclusions
Scientific Method
A set of steps that allow scientists to gather information and answer questions as objectively as possible
List the 7 steps of the scientific method.
- Ask questions
- Do background research
- Form a hypothesis
- Design an experiment
- Collect data
- Analyze the data
- Report conclusions
Questions must be able to be solved through _____.
experimentation
Scientists base their questions on what three things?
Observations, prior knowledge, and related research
Scientists _____ their topics to see what has already been done.
research
Hypothesis
A possible explanation to the research question that can be tested by experimentation
Experiment
An investigation in a controlled setting to test a hypothesis
Control group
A baseline group used for comparison that recieves normal, neutral, or no treatment
Experimental group
The group(s) exposed to the variable that is being tested
Variable
Any factor that changes in an experiment
Independent variable
The variable that is changed by the experimenter on purpose
Dependent variable
The variable that is measured
The dependent variable change in response to the ______.
Independent variable
Constant
Factors that are kept the same between all trials
Experimental error
When something affects the results of the experiment by mistake
To minimize experimental error, scientists should:
~Have as many trials as possible
~Only change 1 variable in an experiment
~Keep as many factors constant as possible
Invalid data
Any data that is an outlier or doesn’t fit the pattern of the rest is likely not accurate
Data
Information gained from observations
Quantitative data
Numerical data
List examples of quantitative data.
time, temperature, length, mass, area, ect.
Qualitative data
Descriptions of what our senses detect
Is the following statement true or false? Qualitative data is always better for an experiment.
False
_____ and _____ are good tools for data analysis.
Tables; graphs
The IV is on the _____ axis.
X
The DV is on the _____ axis.
Y
What if the hypothesis isn’t supported?
Scientists learn something new, gained valuable data, and can design new experiments.
Scientific research must undergo _____ to publish research in scientific journals.
peer review
Scientific journals are the most _____ and _____ sources of scientific information.
current; reliable
Peer review
The process where published experimnets are evalulated by others
Why is peer review important?
To make sure experiments are objective and unbiased
The metric system is based on…
a base unit that corresponds to a certain kind of measurement.
What unit of measurement is used for length?
Meter
What unit of measurement is used for volume?
Liter
What unit of measurement is used for weight/mass ?
Gram
Prefixes plus base units make up the _____.
metric system
Each prefix in the metric system is based on…
powers of 10.
Graph
A visual display of information or data
What are line graph’s used for?
To show trends or how the data changes over time
What are bar graph’s used for?
Useful for comparing information collected by counting
What are circle/pie graph’s used for?
To show a fixed quantity is broken down into parts
