Nature of Science



Nature of Science

_____________ is the study of the physical and natural world.

Science strives for _____________ by basing knowledge on evidence collected from observations and experimentation.

Science uses different skills, including creativity, discovery, thought, logic, and argumentation.

Science is the Study of the ____________ & _____________ World

Scientific methods can be used to study aspects of the physical world, such as forces and chemical reactions. They can also be used to study aspects of the natural world, such as the human body and ecosystems.

Science Strives for Objectivity

When conducting investigations, drawing ___________, and formulating _____________, scientists strive for ___________. That is, they try to not be influenced by their personal feelings or other prejudices that might produce bias.

Objectivity is achieved by basing knowledge—conclusions and theories—on facts and _____________, or data, collected from systematic observations and experimentation.

Despite these efforts, however, there is still some ________________, or interpretations based on personal feelings or opinions, present in science. This is because scientists are human, and science is a human endeavor.

Seeking More Information

When new _______________ are observed, it may be necessary to seek more information. This is especially important in cases where the new phenomena appears to __________ well-accepted scientific principles.

For example, if someone claims to invent a machine that can boil water at less than 100°C, it might be necessary to seek more information about the conditions in which the machine is operating.

Performing a Controlled Scientific Experiment

If the conditions of an experiment must be very _____________, or if an object or organism is not being studied in its natural setting, it may be beneficial to perform a laboratory experiment. Conditions can be controlled in a laboratory experiment.

In a _______________ scientific experiment, there should be an independent variable, a dependent variable, and a control. The _______________variable is the factor in the experiment that is manipulated by the ______________. The ________________ variable is the factor in the experiment that changes in response to the independent variable. _______________ in an experiment are used as comparison factors, and they can help determine the magnitude of the experiment's results.

Making Models

Making a model of something that is too _________, rare, _____________, or dangerous to fully observe in person can help scientists understand how it _______.

Scientific investigations are typically performed to solve a problem or answer a question. The _________________ ______________is a process that provides a logical approach to problem solving.

Although there is _________ a universal fixed procedure that all scientists must follow when performing scientific investigations, most include the following steps:

Identify a Testable ________________

Only __________ questions can be answered through scientific investigations. "Does fertilizer make roses grow taller?" is an example of a good, testable question. However, questions about ___________, emotions, or supernatural events do _______ make good testable questions for scientific experiments, even though some information may be gathered about opinions by performing a survey.

Testable questions may come about as a result of _____________, _______________, or even data gathered from another investigation.

_____________ the Topic

Before proceeding with an investigation, it is often useful to perform some basic research on the topic that is to be studied. Research may include making ____________ or gaining information from ___________ sources.

The ______________ should also be used with caution because it is not always clear if the author of an article or website is an expert in a particular field.

Form a _______________

A hypothesis is an __________________________ or a statement that proposes a possible explanation to some phenomenon or event. Hypotheses are based on observations or other information gathered through ____________.

When forming a hypothesis, it is important to make sure that it has the following traits:

• The hypothesis is written as a _____________. Since a hypothesis is meant to be a possible explanation, it should not be written as a question. So, "Why do some objects fall faster than others?" is not a good hypothesis, but "____________________________________________________________________________________" is an example of a good hypothesis.

• The hypothesis should be _____________. Vague terms should not be used when forming hypothesis. Instead, these terms should be clearly defined. For example, the statement, "Sometimes there is morning dew on the grass" is not a clear hypothesis, but "When the temperature drops below 50°F at night, the grass will have dew in the morning" is a clear hypothesis because it details the exact conditions under which dew is expected to appear.

• The hypothesis should be ____________________. It must be possible to carry out a scientific investigation and gather evidence that will either support or disprove the hypothesis. "Dogs are happier than cats" is not a testable hypothesis because it is not possible to clearly define "happy" nor is it possible to design an experiment to test this hypothesis.

Good hypotheses should exhibit all of the above traits to be considered meaningful or ___________. It is not necessary, however, for a hypothesis to be proven correct in order to be valid. Even if a hypothesis is eventually found to be ___________, meaningful data _________ still be derived from experiments related to the hypothesis.

Design an _______________ to Test the Hypothesis

Once a testable question and hypothesis are identified, an experiment must be designed to _______ the hypothesis.

All factors that can change in an experiment are called ________________.

Collect Relevant Data

Data includes observations and ________________ that are made during experiments. Data can be recorded by writing or drawing in a scientific ______________ or journal. Data can also be recorded by using computers, cameras, videotapes, and other tools. Recording data in __________ can also help keep observations neatly organized.

Interpret the Data

When an experiment is finished, the data from the experiment should be ____________. Organizing data in tables, charts, and graphs makes it easier to see patterns or relationships between one variable and the other.

Explain the Results

After gathering and interpreting data, _________________ should be made about what happened when the manipulated (independent) variable was changed.

Compare the Results to the Hypothesis

The results of the experiment should be compared to the hypothesis or prediction. Do the results support the hypothesis or prediction, or do they differ from what was expected?

Hypotheses and predictions should not be thought of as ______________________________. Something is usually _____________ from the experiment, even if the results are not what was expected. It usually takes more than one experiment to completely disprove a hypothesis. Hypotheses which are studied in depth and are consistently supported may become ______________ in time.

Communicate the Findings

The results, analysis, and agreement (or disagreement) of the findings with the hypothesis or prediction should be communicated to others. Communicating results _________________________________________________. Communication is also essential to maintaining an investigator's credibility with other scientists and society.

___________________ help to make ideas, complicated systems, very small items, or large items easier to understand. 

Watch the video on models.

Uses of Models

• Some models show how something _________ on a scale that is easy to see.

• Some models are used to demonstrate how something ___________.

• Models can also help to analyze and ____________ what will happen in the real system.

Models have Limitations

All models have limitations, or ways that they are not exactly like the real things they are modeling. It could be:

• ___________________________

• ___________________________

• ___________________________

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