Scientific Process

The steps of the Scientific Method are:

• Observe & form a question

• Research

• Hypothesis

• Experimentation/collect & analyze data

• Conclusion

• Repeat work

• Peer Review

• Theory & Laws formed with multiple experiments

Law and Theory

• Explain different things but same level of certainty.

• Often a law will explain how and a theory explains why.

• GRAVITY HAS A THEORY AND A LAW– The law is the equation that describes the

strength, distance and relationship of objects.

– The theory explains why things would be attracted to one another.

• A theory is not a guess. It will not become a law when it is “proven”

Variables:A variable can be either dependent or independent.

Independent

• Affects the dependent

variable.

• The treatment, what

the experimenter is

doing

• Graphed on the x axis

Dependent

• Is affected by the

independent variable

• The outcome, what is

being measured

• Graphed on the Y axis

Control Group and Constants

Control Group

• Used for comparison

• Does not receive the IV

• Needed to make sure

the IV has an impact

Constants

• Things that stay the

same throughout the

experiment.

• Everything except for

the IV

• There will be many

constants

• Allows validity of

experiment

Variables can be related • Causation: One variable causes the other to

change.

• Correlation: the variables both change but

due to an unknown outside factor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxSUqr3ouYA

Pure Vs. Applied SciencePure

• Exact Science of

producing scientific

theories.

• There may be no

practical usage

• Doing science for the

sake of science

• Math and Theoretical

Physics

Applied

• Used to come up with

answers to problems

• Answers a question in

the natural world

• Driven by the need to

fix a problem or

change something

• Biology and Chemistry

Graphing!!

• Once you have collected your data,

part of analyzing is often creating a

graph to you can notice trends,

relationships, and overall understand

what the data means.

• In science we will almost always use a

LINE GRAPH. Other types of graphs

can be effective but they are rare.

How to set up your graph

• IV is on the x axis and DV is on the Y axis.

– The only exception is if you are dealing with time, then that is

on the x axis instead! Your IV will be in the legend/key.

• Numbers must be evenly distributed across the axis, do

not just copy your data table!

• Assume it is a line graph if there are numbers on both

axes or there is any measurement of time involved.

• You must always label both axis with numbers and units.

• You must always put a descriptive title on your graph.

• If there is more than one line, make a key.

• Your graph should take up all available space. Don’t

make a tiny graph in the corner of your graph paper!

Positive relationship (slope)

• Both X and Y values increase over

time.

Negative relationship (slope)

• One variable is increasing and the

other is decreasing.

Neutral relationship

• Y value stays constant over time.