What is Science?Science is an organized way of attempting to understand the natural world, structurally and operationally.

We are always: - looking for ways to improve our quality of life

- trying to understand how systems work

- attempting to improve on an existing system - atlatl, pump toothpaste

The Need for Proof

• Evidence is based on observations.

• Information gathered using the senses during an observation is called data (sing. datum).

Data

• Data can be qualitative or quantitative.– Qualitative – no specific number, rather a

comparison or estimate• ex. big, blue, some, herd, bunch

– Quantitative – specific number given in an attempt at exacting detail

• ex. 21.6m, 662miles, 13, 17 reindeer

Give me some of your freedom fries.

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Get a dozen eggs.

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Only a few dollars.

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There are nine geese on the field.

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Go get some firewood.

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Participant Scores0 Participant 1

0 Participant 2

0 Participant 3

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• An estimation or prediction based on previous experiences or observations are called inferences

• You can infer about whether or not a fish with large, sharp teeth eats other fish because of your previous experiences or observations of fish with large, sharp teeth.

Hypothesis

• “Educated guess”• Testable prediction• Possible explanation of an experience or

observation in nature

Always as a statement, never as a question

There may or may not be an underlying knowledge about the hypothesis

Theory

• Best possible scientific explanation of an experience or observation in nature.

• Have not been tested• Can not be tested

There is an underlying knowledge about a theory, both observationally and experimentally

Scientific Law

• Always true

• Can not be circumvented or broken

Birds may have descended from dinosaurs.

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1. Hypothesis

2. Theory

3. Law

Energy can be transformed from one form to another.

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2. Theory

3. Law

Dogs will eat all kinds of cheese.

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1. Hypothesis

2. Theory

3. Law

Gravity affects all objects in the universe.

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1. Hypothesis

2. Theory

3. Law

Tide brand laundry detergent gets your clothes cleaner.

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1. Hypothesis

2. Theory

3. Law

Participant Scores500 Ashlee Carlisle

500 Russ Partridge

500 Kira Simmons

500 Damien Van Pelt

400 Taylor Abbott

400 Logan Chandler

400 Ivy Lopez

400 Rebekah Teasley

400 Regina Vance

400 Shawn Weerts

RIGHT or WRONG?GOOD or EVIL?

Ethics and Values in Science

• Ethics refer to whether or not an action or plan is considered right or wrong by a group or society.

• Your values, which differ from person to person, help you decide whether or not something is ethical.Ex. charging for cures, man v. environment

The Scientific Method

An organized procedure to determine whether or not a statement (or idea) is valid.

Every scientist follows the scientific method, but not every scientist uses all of the scientific method.

The Scientific Method

• Determine the Problem– Ask a question that you would like answered

about a particular topic

• Gather data• Research your topic using observations or other

sources of data (books, magazines)

• Make a hypothesis– Make a statement concerning your topic

• Must be testable• can not be a question

The Scientific Method

• Experiment– Test your hypothesis in a controlled experiment

setting

• Analyze Results– Use the data from your experiment to support

your hypothesis

• Conclusion– A restatement of the hypothesis that takes the

results of the experiment into account– The data may not support the hypothesis

Which step of the Scientific Method is a testable statement?

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1. Determine the Problem

2. Analyze Results

3. Experiment

4. Hypothesis

Which step of the Scientific Method proves or disproves the Hypothesis?

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1. Gather Data

2. Analyze Results

3. Experiment

4. Conclusion

Which step of the Scientific Method has us research the work done on our

question by others?

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1. Determine the Problem

2. Gather Data

3. Experiment

4. Conclusion

Which step of the Scientific Method is a restatement of the Hypothesis?

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1. Gather Data

2. Analyze Results

3. Experiment

4. Conclusion

Which step of the Scientific Method has us make graphs and charts to determine

the outcome of our Experiments?

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1. Gather Data

2. Analyze Results

3. Experiment

4. Conclusion

Controlled ExperimentsHave at least two groups:

Control GroupUsed to see what happens when nothing

is changedAs many variables are kept the same as

possibleExperimental Group

Only one variable is changedCan be more than one group, changingthe same variable

Variables

• Control variable– Kept the same from group to group, trial to trial

THE CAUSE

• Experimental Variable– Also called the Manipulated variable, the

Independent variable– Condition changed from the control group to

elicit a response

THE EFFECT

• Dependant Variable– The outcome of the changed variable– What changed because of what you changed for

the experimental group

Reproducible Results

• To be considered valid, a successful experiment must be replicable (repeatable).– Scientists often publish their lab reports in

journals so that other scientists can try these experiments.

• Make certain that the hypothesis you declare is based on a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

What may have gone wrong?

• If the Results and Conclusions do not support your hypothesis, check your procedures for any sources of error.

• Sources of error can be included in laboratory report to help other scientists determine what may have gone wrong in your experiment.

Which variable do you make certain does not change for the experiment?

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1. Control Variable

2. Experimental Variable

10

Anything that may have affected your data in an experiment should be

described under which part of a lab report?

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1. Premise

2. Procedures

3. Sources of Error

4. Conclusion 10

Any data which does not seem to follow the other data in an experiment could be

caused by

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1. Faulty equipment

2. Human error

3. Flawed chemicals/subjects

4. All of the above10

Which variable do you change for the experiment?

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1. Control Variable

2. Experimental Variable

10

Participant Leader Board

1. Participant 1

2. Participant 2

3. Participant 3

4. Participant 4

5. Participant 5

6. Participant 6

7. Participant 7

8. Participant 8

A sample Scientific Investigation

• To prove or disprove the hypothesis, run an experiment

• Make sure that the experimental (independent) variable is the only one that changes

A sample Scientific Investigation

• Define the question– Does smoking cause cancer?

• Gather Data– Ask doctors, hospitals, people in cancer wards

• Make a hypothesis– Smoking causes cancer

• HERE COME THE LAWSUITS!

Experimental Group

Control Group

Number of subjects

Control variables

Experimental Variable

Number of subjects affected

Correlation?

Analysis of Results

• Hypothesis disproved– If smoking causes cancer, all subjects should

have gotten cancer– Some of the control group developed cancer for

no apparent reason

Conclusion

• Smoking does not cause cancer

• Surgeon General’s warning– Because of the high correlation, you can restate

your hypothesis with strong conditional wording

– Smoking greatly increases the risk of cancer, emphysema, pregnancy complications, etc.