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Introduction to science

What is science?Science is a technique: a way of seeking

principles about the physical world.

Science tries to verifythese principles

via experiments and observations.

Scientists collect data (facts) to test

these principles.Back to Science Central

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The Process ofScienceScience: from a Latin verb meaning

to know.

Derived from natural human curiosity.Seeks natural causes for natural

phenomena

Back to Science Central

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The Process of Science

Two primary approaches toscientific inquiry.

Discovery science or inductivereasoning.

Hypothesis-driven or deductivereasoning.

Back to Science Central

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Inductive reasoningWorks from the specific observations

to a general conclusion.

Example: Cell Theory based on 200years of observations of cells in everyliving specimen ever observed.

Back to Science Central

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Deductive ReasoningWorks from a general observation to

a specific conclusion.

Ex: If all organisms are made of cellsand humans are organisms, thenhumans must be made of cells.

Back to Science Central

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Hypothesis Driven Science

Driven by deductive reasoning.Guided by a hypothesis (a tentative

answer to a question) based on an

observation.

Back to Science Central

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Hypothesis Driven Science

Usually takes the form of a prediction,which can be tested.

If testing supports hypothesis we canaccept our hypothesis, if not we lookfor another explanation.

Back to Science Central

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Observation: Flashlight doesntwork.

Question: Why not?Hypothesis?

The batteries are dead.Back to Science Central

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Prediction: If this hypothesis iscorrect, and I replace the batteries,then the flashlight should work.

If hypothesis is not supported, reviseand pose a new one.

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The Scientific Method1. Observation2. Hypothesis3. Tests or experiments to obtain data4. Data interpretation5. Conclusions

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OBSERVATION

New observations

are made and previous

data observed

HYPOTHESIS

Input from various sources

used to make a testablestatement

EXPERIMENTS

The hypothesis is tested by

experiments and/or

further observations

CONCLUSIONS

The results are analyzed

and hypothesis is eithersupported or rejected

SCIENTIFIC THEORY

Many exper. & observations support it

The Scientific

Method

Back to Science Central

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The Scientific Method

Hypothesis : A tentative assumption(an educated guess) to explain something

and to test it.

Theory: A hypothesis that has survivedmany tests (and competing

hypotheses have been disproven).

Law: A theory that has been testedextensively and, based on lots of

evidence, and no data has been

found in disagreement. Back to Science Central

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Science is always a work in

progressScience evolves and is ever changing;

science is a process

What someone learned 10 years ago

may not be accepted today

Similarly, what is accepted todaymay no longer be valid 10 years

from nowBack to Science Central

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The End

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/29486106/Introduction-to-science