SCIENTIFIC PROBLEM SOLVING THE NATURE OF SCIENCE SCIENTIFIC PROBLEM SOLVING

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Science is a process used to investigate the world around you, providing some possible answers. Science is the system of acquiring knowledge based on experimentation and research.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE People use science to find the answers to questions. Scientists are curious about the unknown. Explorers are scientists because….. Scientific exploration can never been limited to one race, sex, culture or time period. Scientists use an organized method and technology to do their work.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE What are some things that scientists do while searching for new information and solving problems?

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Scientists use the scientific method. A scientific method is an approach taken to try to solve a problem. STEPS Recognize the problem. Form a hypothesis. Plan and design the experiment. Observe and record. Analyze data. Draw conclusions.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Recognize the Problem The first step begins asking a question, recognizing the problem. Once you know what you want to study, then choose the methods that will help you find the answers.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Hypothesis A hypothesis is a prediction that can be tested. A hypothesis might be established based on observations, from personal experience or from new information gathered during other experiments.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Testing the hypothesis In order to form the conclusions from the results of the experimentation, the person needs a control , a standard to compare the results.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Controlled Experiments A controlled experiment test the hypothesis using a control and changing only one factor called variable. The variable that is changed is the independent variable. The variable that is observed and measured is dependent variable.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Plan the Experiment Once you have the control and identify the variables, you must recognize the constant in the experiment. Constants usually are variables that stay the same. Ex: same room temperature.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Determining the materials This is an important part of planning an experiment, Gather the complete list of materials that you need if you want to conduct a successful experiment. Finding incomplete materials can affect the development of the experiment.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Do the Experiment Observing and recording data. Measuring and writing numbers. Writing the journal or daily log. Writing accurate measurements. Doing 3, 4, 5 or more trials. Organizing data tables.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Analyzing Data Once a set of data has been collected and organized, it can be analyzed to see if supports the hypothesis. Data can be represented is a graph. A graph is a diagram that shows the relationship of one variable to another.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Draw Conclusions A conclusion is a statement based on the results of the experiment. The conclusion might or might not support the hypothesis.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE THEORY is an explanation backed by the results obtained from repeated tests or experiments. Not all results lead to the formation of a theory. LAW is a well-tested description of how something in nature works.

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE Vocabulary Find the meaning of the following words: Science Scientific method Hypothesis Theory Law Control Independent variable Dependent variable Constant Graph Technology Sequence Inference