1. INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE & THE
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
How to do an experiment

2. What is Science?
The goal of science is to investigate and understand the natural world, to explain events, and to use those explanations to make useful predictions.

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

4. What is scientific inquiry?
Process scientists use to study the world and develop explanations based on evidence.

5. How is science done?
Scientists collect and organize information in a careful, orderly way, looking for patterns and connections between events.

6. Scientists propose evidence that can be tested by examining evidence.
Scientists make an observation by using their senses to gather information.

7. Qualitative Quantitative Observations A description Tells how many
Color
Texture yellow balloon
Size
blue sky puffy
cloud
Tells how many
Total amount
Length
Mass objects
2 stars
temp: 1500 C

8. What do scientists do?
Scientists use the scientific method which is a series of steps used to solve a problem or answer a question.

9. What Are Scientific Methods?
Order of the steps can vary- not always the same
*Can use all steps or just some-
it depends on the investigation!
*Steps can be repeated

10. Scientific Method Steps
The problem
Form a hypothesis
Design a controlled experiment
Procedure
Collect and record data
Analyze the data
State your conclusion

11. The Problem Start with a problem that can be solved scientifically.
What makes a boat float?
The problem is always written as a question.
Why? How? What?
How would you find the density of an object?
The problem is measurable.
Research
What do you know?
What do you need?

12. A scientific explanation, an educated guess, or an answer to a question
Based on prior knowledge or observations that can be tested in an experiment
Written in the form
If …. then …. because
If a boat can float then its density is less than water because it does not sink.
Form a hypothesis

13. Prediction vs Hypothesis
Predictions ARE NOT hypotheses! A hypothesis explains what did happen. A prediction is made before you test a hypothesis. *It is what you think will happen *It states a cause and effect When predictions are shown to be true, the hypothesis is supported.

14. Testing the Hypothesis
Can test a hypothesis by doing an experiment
Factor
anything in an experiment that can influence the
outcome

15. Design a controlled experiment
The factors in an experiment that can be
changed are called variables. Some example
of variables would be : changing the
temperature, the amount of light present, time,
concentration of solutions used.
A controlled experiment works with one
variable at a time. If several variables were
changed at the same time, the scientist would
not know which variable was responsible
for the observed results.

16. between a controlled group with an experimental group.
An experiment is based on the comparison
between a controlled group with an
experimental group.
These two groups are identical except for one
factor.
The control group serves as the comparison. It
is the same as the experiment group, except
that the one variable that is being tested is
removed.
The experimental group shows the effect of the
variable that is being tested.

17. Describe the control group. Describe the experimental group.
PRACTICE
Example: In order to test the effectiveness of a new vaccine, 50 volunteers are selected and divided into two groups. One group will be the control group and the other will be the experimental group. Both groups are given a pill to take that is identical in size, shape, color and texture.
Even though the volunteers are given identical looking pills, the control group will not actually receive the vaccine.
Describe the control group.
Describe the experimental group.
What variables are kept constant?
What variable is being changed?
This group will receive the vaccine
The size, shape, color, and texture of the pill.
Whether or not the pill contains the vaccine.

18. The factor being tested
Identify the
variables
The factor being tested

19. Independent & Dependent
The changes that occur because of the experiment
It can be observed and measured
Is the data that is collected
Comes after “then” in the hypothesis
What is being tested or changed
Only have ONE
Comes after “If” in the hypothesis
Control – the standard to which the outcome of the test is compared.

20. Procedure Make a plan. Test the hypothesis by changing one variable.
Collect materials and tools.
Follow directions.
Gather information through observation, making measurements.

21. Collect and record data
Use senses to make any observations
Collect measurable information
Record information on a data table
Does the data support or not support the hypothesis?
Collect and record data

22. IMPORTANT REMINDER!! Repeat, repeat, repeat!
*The more times an experiment is done, the more data there is to support or disprove the hypothesis

23. Interpret or explain the data with graphs or pictures
Analyze the data
Interpret or explain the data with graphs or pictures

24. Conclusion
A logical answer that addresses the original problem, analyzes the data and determines whether or not the data supports the hypothesis.
Experiments must be repeated over and over. When repeated, the results should always be the same before a valid conclusion can be reached.

25. Practice Problem
Paper airplanes

26. Practice Problem The problem
Some paper airplanes fly farther than others.
What type of paper makes the best airplane?

27. Practice Problem The problem
Some paper airplanes fly farther than others.
What type of paper makes the best airplane?
Form a hypothesis
If a paper airplane is made using construction paper then it will not travel so far because construction paper has more mass.

28. IDENTIFY THE VARIABLES
Practice Problem
The problem
Some paper airplanes fly farther than others.
What type of paper makes the best airplane?
FORM A HYPOTHESIS
If a paper airplane is made using construction paper then it will not travel so far because construction paper has more mass.
IDENTIFY THE VARIABLES
Independent: construction paper
Dependent: distance plane traveled
Control: force thrown

29. QUESTIONS What is the importance of the control?
What is the difference between the independent and the dependent variables in an experiment?
What is the importance of the control?

30. QUESTIONS
Why is it so important that a scientist accurately describes the procedure used in the experiment?
In a “controlled experiment”, why must all of the variables, except one, be kept constant throughout the experiment?