Essential Question: What is the purpose of a hypothesis in an investigation?

Engage your Brain pg. 17

Scientist may do experiments or field work to acquire information about the world.

What is a hypothesis? A testable idea or explanation that leads to scientific investigation.

What is an independent variable? In a scientific investigation, the independent variable is the factor that is deliberately manipulated.

What is a dependent variable? In a scientific investigation it is the factor that changes as a result of manipulation of one or more independent variables.

Predictions are important in science because they help us to think about how one environmental factor may affect another.

A hypothesis is based on observations, provides an explanation about the relationship of the variables, and clearly identifies a testable experiment with the statement.

When developing a hypothesis you should be able to set it up in and “if…then…because…” format:

After “if” state what you are doing in the experiment. (Independent Variable) After “then” state what you think will happen in the experiment. (Dependent Variable) After “because” state why you think that will happen. (Prediction)