Types of Science: Science: Study of:

Biology Living things and living processes

Ecology Living things and how they interact in their environment

Geology Earth and rock

Chemistry Atoms and molecules

What is Science???

Study of a topic that seeks to understand and explain the universe around us. Requires experimentation and evidence

Two major types: Pure: studying something just to learn

about it; basic research;

Applied: studying something to fix a problem; Medicine, technology

What do experiments need?

VariablesControlsData

Key Terms:

Control Group: group that you don’t experiment on; used for comparison

Variables: Factors important to your experiment

Types of variables:

Independent: anything that the researcher controls and designs as part of the set up. Experimental: specific variable you are

testing

Dependent: the data that you are collecting

Key Terms: Sample Size: number of subjects that you run your

experiment on

Sampling Error: error that arises from testing too few subjects (too low a sample size)

Example: How many students in WHRHS went to the beach this summer?

Which will give you better results: Three person survey? 500 person survey? Why?

You notice something (Observation)

It makes you wonder, why? Or How? (Ask a Question/State your Problem)

You think about it for a while. Based on the knowledge you have, you think you have an idea, but aren’t sure

(Form a Hypothesis)

You decide to test out your idea (Experiment)

Does it look like your hypothesis was right?

Support of Hypothesis

After many repetitions of the tests by you and other “observers”, all of which continue to support your

hypothesis,

Hypothesis becomes a Theory

You look at the results of your tests. (Data analysis)

Or do your results suggest something else?

Scientific Method

New Hypothesis

Is a Theory Fact?? No, it is the best explanation that we have for something based on current evidence.

Tomorrow could uncover new evidence that changes our theory!