1. Scientific Inquiry
Chapter 1 Section 2

2. What is Scientific Inquiry?
Have you ever looked at an object and wondered:
Why does it do that?
What is it made of?
How does that happen?
When will it happen?
This is the start to scientific inquiry.

3. What is Scientific Inquiry?
Scientific Inquiry refers to the different ways scientists study the ________ world. It is the ongoing process of discovery in science.
The process of inquiry:
Posing Questions
Developing Hypotheses
Designing an Experiment
Collecting and Interpreting Data
Drawing Conclusions
Communicating

4. The Process of Inquiry Posing Questions
Ask questions to develop what you are going to research
The more specific the question, the better.
Scientific Inquiry cannot answer questions based on opinions, values, or judgments
This is because opinions and values cannot be measured

5. The Process of Inquiry Developing Hypotheses
A hypothesis is a possible answer to a scientific question or explanation for a set of observations
Ex:

6. The Process of Inquiry Hypotheses (cont) Hypothesis is NOT fact.
It is only one possible way to answer a question.
It must be testable by observations or by experiment.
That way you have data to prove or disprove your hypothesis.
Many experiments are needed before the hypothesis can be accepted as true.

7. The Process of Inquiry Designing an Experiment
Experiments are ways of testing a hypothesis
Trial and Error is a common way of testing a hypothesis

8. The Process of Inquiry Experiment (cont)
Variables are factors that can change in an experiment.
During a well-designed experiment, only one variable should change.
The changed variable is called the ________________variable.

9. The Process of Inquiry Experiment (cont)
The variable that is expected to change because of the manipulated variable is called the ______________variable.
The variable that remains the same during the experiment is called the __________ variable (or the ___________).
An investigation in which all variables except one remain the same is called a controlled experiment.

10. The Process of Inquiry Collecting and Interpreting Data
Data are the facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations.
Just like observations, data can be qualitative or _____________.
International System of Units (SI) are a set of measurements used by scientists worldwide so information may be shared easily.

11. The Process of Inquiry Drawing Conclusions
After all data is collected, its time to interpret what the data means and come to a conclusion on your results.
A conclusion states whether or not the data supports the hypothesis.

12. The Process of Inquiry Communicating
Communicating is sharing ideas and conclusions with others through writing and speaking.