Section 1
What Science is and is not.
• The goal of science is to investigate and
understand nature, to explain events in
nature and to use those explanations to
make useful predictions.
• Science is an organized way of using
evidence to learn about the natural world.
• The word Science also refers to the body
of knowledge that scientists have built up
after years of using this process.
Evidence Based on Observation
• Science starts with observation.
• Observation involves using one or more
of the senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell,
and sometimes taste to gather information.
• The information gathered from
observations is called evidence, or Data.
• Observations can be classified into two
types, Quantitative and Qualitative.
Quantitative Observation
• Quantitative Observations involve
numbers.
• An example of quantitative observation is
“There are 4 sharks in the water!”
Qualitative Observation
• Qualitative Observations involve
characteristics that cannot be easily
measured or counted, such as color or
texture.
• A qualitative observation could be “That
Great White shark has very rough skin!”
Interpreting the Evidence
• An observation alone has little meaning in
science, because the goal is to understand
what was observed.
• An Inference is a logical interpretation
based on prior knowledge and experience.
• Example: researchers might sample water
from a reservoir, if samples collected from
different parts of the reservoir are all clean
enough to drink, the researchers may
Infer that all the water in the reservoir is
safe to drink.
Explaining the Evidence
• A Hypothesis is a possible explanation for
a set of observations or an answer to a
scientific question.
• In everyday settings, a hypothesis can be
stated about any topic or idea.
• In science, a hypothesis is useful only if it
can be tested.
• Scientific hypotheses may be developed
and tested in different ways.
• Hypotheses may arise from prior
knowledge, logical inferences, or
imaginative guesses.
• The testing may sometimes be done by
making further observations or through
careful questioning.
• A hypothesis is tested through a controlled
experiment.
• The tests of a hypothesis may support it,
or suggest that the hypothesis is partly
true but needs to be revised.
• The tests may even prove that the
hypothesis is wrong.
• No matter what the outcome, a tested
hypothesis has value in science because it
helps researchers advance scientific
knowledge.
Anole Dewlap Display
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7mZ
FwUTFg&feature=relmfu
Mid-Section Review
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Define Data
Define Science
Define Inference
Define Quantitative Observation
Define Qualitative Observation
Define Hypothesis
What is the goal of science and why?
In everyday settings:
A hypothesis may arise from:
The tests of a hypothesis may:
The word science refers to:
A Scientific View of the World
• Scientists are persuaded by logical
arguments that are supported by
evidence.
• For scientists, science is an ongoing
process, not the discovery of an
unchanging, absolute truth.
• Scientific findings are always subject to
revision as new evidence is developed.
• Certain qualities are desirable in a
scientist: Curiosity, honesty,
openmindedness, skepticism, and the
recognition that science has limits.
• Despite recognizing the power of science,
scientists know that science has definite
limits.
• Science cannot help you answer moral
questions.
• Science cannot help you decide whether a
painting is beautiful or cheating on a test is
wrong.
Science and Human Values
• Today, scientists contribute information to
discussions about health and disease, and
about the relationship between human
beings and the rest of the living world.
Section Review
• Numbers 1-5
Think, Pair, Share
• Figures: 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, and 1-6.
Quiz
• What is the goal of science?
• An organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world
___________.
• Science starts with an _____________.
• Information gathered from observations is known as ____________.
• What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative
observations?
• a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience is
known as ______________.
• a possible explanation for a set of observations or an answer to a
scientific question is known as a ____________________.
• A theory enables scientists to:
• In science, testing a hypothesis often involves:
• Today, scientists contribute information to: