1-1 What Is ScienceScience is a way of knowing

3 Goals of Science1. To provide natural explanations for events in the

natural world2. To use those explanations to understand patterns

in the natural world 3. To use those explanations to make useful

predictions

Science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world.

Observation vs. Inference

Qualitative Observation Vs Quantitative Observation

Observation vs. Inference

• Observation – involves one or more senses to gather data– Quantitative – involves numbers, counting or

measuring (the skull is 20 centimeters long)– Qualitative – involves characteristics that

cannot easily be measured or counted, color or texture. (the skull is white and pointy)

• Inference – a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge

Scientific Methodology

• Stating the problem (asking a question)

• Where did the maggots come from on this meat?

The Scientific Method• Forming a hypothesis

– A possible explanation for a set of observations.

– Must be testable

Ex. Flies produce maggots (testable).

Something is causing maggots to appear on meat (not testable)

Scientific Method

• Setting up a controlled experiment– Independent (manipulated) variable – the

variable that the experimenter changes.– Dependent (responding) variable –

changes in response to the independent variable.

– Control Group – not manipulated, used for comparison

– Experimental Group – manipulated to test hypothesis

Redi’s Experiment

Independent Variable? Dependent Variable?

Experimental Group? Control Group?

Scientific Method

• Recording and Analyzing Data– Allows other scientists to view your data

and offer new explanations/interpretations

• Drawing Conclusions– Was the hypothesis accepted or rejected.

Scientific Overview

• Make and observation and ask a question

• Infer and form a hypothesis

• Design a controlled experiment

• Analyze data and draw a conclusion

How a Theory Develops

• Theory – a well-tested explanation supported by a wide body of evidence that unifies a broad range of observations. Ex. Evolution

• All cells come from existing cells is part of a theory known as “cell theory”

• No theory is considered absolute truth.

1.What question would you ask about location A and B? What do you observe? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.What would your hypothesis be about nitrogen?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Examine the six scenes shown (3 on the front, 3 on the back). Note that the general steps of the scientific method are described above each scene.

• In your own words, add detail to each step by elaborating on what you see depicted. Identify the hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, experimental group, and control group. Record your interpretations in the space below each scene.

3.What would your control be? (remember it’s the group that is not manipulated). ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.Accoring to the scene above what is the independent variable (the one we change)?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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5.What is the dependent variable and how was it measured?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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6.Look at this graph what can you conclude from the data?”______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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