Chapter 1 Study Guide answers
Science in Action
A. The scientific method includes observing, questioning, and researching; forming a
hypothesis; predicting an outcome; investigating; analyzing; forming conclusions,
communicating findings; and repeating the process.
-Steps often used to solve a problem in science (or any other problem) is called the
scientific method.
-The scientific method was developed to help scientists organize the process of solving
problems.
B. Scientists infer conclusions based on observations.
- To infer something means to draw a conclusion based on what you observe.
C. A controlled experiment is one type of scientific investigation.
1. Factor that can be changed in an experiment is the variable.
-Only 1 factor is changed in a controlled experiment.
-The factor that can be changed in an experiment is the variable.
- Independent variables are those factors that can be changed in an experiment.
2. Constants are variables that remain unchanged. This is the factor is not changed in an
experiment.
-Tables, graphs, and charts are useful for showing patterns in data.
- Data tables help you to organize your observations.
D. Safety is important for both laboratory and field scientists
Steps to the scientific method below:
1. State the problem: The first step in the scientific method. Ask a question to be
experimented.
2. Make Observations: Something noted in an experiment or noticed about the world around
you.
-When observing and recording the results of an experiment, observations may include
both measurements and descriptions.
3. Form a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an educated guess.
-A prediction or explanation that can be tested by experimentation.
-A hypothesis is a reasonable, educated guess, based on observations and grounded in
what is already known.
-A way to test a hypothesis is by conducting a controlled experiment.
4. Do the Experiment: A structured procedure for collecting information to test a hypothesis.
- An important part of planning an experiment is determining the materials needed.
-Experiments are usually conducted many times and by many teams to speed up the
scientific process.
-The information gathered in an experiment is called the data.
-An experiment is a specific test of a hypothesis.
-An experiment is a well-organized procedure that tests an idea.
5. Draw a conclusion:
If the results of a study do not support a hypothesis, there has still been something learned.