The Scientific Method - Mr. Davis CMSddaviscms.weebly.com/.../scientific_method.pdf · THE...
Transcript of The Scientific Method - Mr. Davis CMSddaviscms.weebly.com/.../scientific_method.pdf · THE...
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Science is the human effort to understand the natural world and
how it works, with observable physical evidence as the basis of
that understanding.
Vanessa Jason Biology Roots
WHAT IS SCIENCE?
1. STUDIES THE NATURAL WORLD.
2. DISCOVERS NATURE'S "RULES" ABOUT HOW THINGS
WORK.
3. DISCOVERS KNOWLEDGE.
Science excludes the
supernatural- events or
things that cannot be
explained by nature.
What do you mean we’re not science?
Haven’t you seen our movies???
SCIENCE IS…
• Practical
• Based on observation
• An intellectual pursuit
• Systematic
Sounds difficult, right? It isn’t!
Science isn't mysterious or
unattainable. The scientific
method is really no different than
science itself.
THE POWER OF OBSERVATION
SCIENCE BEGINS WITH OBSERVATION.
HOW OBSERVANT ARE YOU?
ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT, IS THE GREEN LIGHT FOUND ON THE TOP,
MIDDLE OR BOTTOM?
WHICH HAND DOES LADY LIBERTY (THE STATUE OF
LIBERTY) CARRY THE TORCH IN?
Bottom!
Her right!
WHY IS HAVING A METHODICAL APPROACH TO SCIENCE USEFUL?
WHY BOTHER WITH THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?
Using a consistent, methodical approach to solving a
problem leads to the most accurate results with the
least mistakes!
The scientific method is something all of us use all of
the time -- being curious, asking questions, seeking
answers – these are basic parts of the scientific
method.
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IS ALL AROUND US
• FIXING A FLASHLIGHT
• FIXING YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION
• TRYING A NEW RECIPE FOR THE FIRST TIME
How are we
going to solve
this one, Bones?
Using the scientific
method, as we always
do, each and every
episode.
INFERENCE, HYPOTHESIS, PREDICTION
AN INFERENCE IS A LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR SOMETHING BASED
ON PRIOR EXPERIENCES OR KNOWLEDGE.
EXAMPLE- GRAY SKIES MEAN RAIN; SORE THROATS LEAD TO THE
FLU
A HYPOTHESIS IS A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION- IT MUST BE TESTABLE!
EXAMPLE) EXERCISING WILL HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT.
PREDICTION- A PREDICTION IS BASED ON YOUR HYPOTHESIS.
SET UP YOUR PREDICTION AS AN “IF, THEN” STATEMENT.
EXAMPLE) IF I RUN 2 MILES 5X A WEEK FOR
6 WEEKS, THEN I WILL LOSE WEIGHT.
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IS A SERIES OF STEPS IN
WHICH A QUESTION AND/OR PROBLEM IS
INVESTIGATED BY OBSERVING AND EXPERIMENTING.
Step 1 State the problem or pose the question.
Step 2 Collect data/gather information.
Step 3 Form a hypothesis (an explanation or
possible answer).
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
IN ORDER TO GET ACCURATE RESULTS FROM YOUR EXPERIMENT, IT
MUST INCLUDE TWO VARIABLES AND A CONTROL GROUP:
INDEPENDENT (MANIPULATED) VARIABLE: WHAT IS CHANGED
DURING THE EXPERIMENT.
DEPENDENT (RESPONDING) VARIABLE: WHAT YOU MEASURE
DURING THE EXPERIMENT.
CONTROL GROUP- A GROUP THAT IS NOT EXPERIMENTED ON;
Step 4Test your hypothesis.
Experiment!
INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT VARIABLES
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (OR MANIPULATED VARIABLE)- IS
WHAT IS CHANGED.
THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE (OR RESPONDING VARIABLE) IS
WHAT YOU ARE MEASURING-
THE CONTROL GROUP IS WHAT YOU LEFT ALONE.
Example- A new mosquito repellent is tested before it hits the
market. One arm is sprayed, the other arm is NOT sprayed.
After 6 hours, mosquito bites are counted.
In this case it is adding the mosquito repellent to
your skin.
the number of mosquito bites.
The control group in this example is the arm that is NOT
sprayed.
A question might look like this:
How does __________________ effect _________________
(independent variable) (responding or dependent)
Independent vs. Dependent Variables
mosquito repellent # of mosquito bites
EXPERIMENTAL GROUP
THERE ARE TWO GROUPS IN AN EXPERIMENT: THE CONTROL GROUP
AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP.
THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SHOWS THE EFFECT OF THE VARIABLE THAT
WAS TESTED.
EXPERIMENTS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO COMPARE THE RESULTS OF THE
EXPERIMENTAL AND THE CONTROL GROUP.
IN THE MOSQUITO REPELLENT EXAMPLE,
WHICH ARM SERVES AS THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP?
THE ARM WITH THE REPELLENT- IT IS GOING TO SHOW THE EFFECT OF
THE VARIABLE (THE REPELLENT).
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Step 5 Analyze your data.
During this step, you’ll want to organize your data by
using charts and/or graphs.
TYPES OF DATA
DATA CAN BE QUANTITATIVE OR QUALITATIVE.
QUANTITATIVE= NUMBERS (QUANTITY)
QUALITATIVE= DESCRIPTIONS (QUALITY) (EX- COLORS, HEALTH,
APPEARANCE, TEXTURE, BEHAVIOR, ETC.)
EXAMPLE) GUMMY BEAR LAB
HOW MUCH GUMMY BEARS WEIGH BEFORE AND AFTER
EXPERIMENT= QUANTITATIVE DATA
OVERALL APPEARANCE OF GUMMY BEARS BEFORE VS. AFTER
EXPERIMENT= QUALITATIVE DATA.
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
WHEN DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, INCLUDE IF YOUR
HYPOTHESIS WAS ACCEPTED OR REJECTED.
-IF HYPOTHESIS IS REJECTED (UNSUPPORTED), THEN IT NEEDS
TO BE MODIFIED.
-IF THE HYPOTHESIS IS ACCEPTED (SUPPORTED), THE
EXPERIMENT IS TYPICALLY REPEATED.
Step 6 Draw conclusions. This is the written
portion of your experiment in which you
share results and make connections.
SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN ACTION
QUESTION: WHICH BRAND OF GUM LASTS THE LONGEST?
TRIDENT®, ORBIT®, OR ECLIPSE®?
WHICH STEPS MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE DESIGNING THE
EXPERIMENT?
-COLLECT DATA
-FORM A HYPOTHESIS
HOW WOULD YOU DESIGN THE EXPERIMENT?
WHICH STEPS FOLLOW THE EXPERIMENT?
-ANALYZE THE DATA
-DRAW CONCLUSIONS
DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT!
QUESTION: DOES FERTILIZER INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TOMATOES ON A SINGLE
TOMATO PLANT?
TIP: USE A HIGHER NUMBER OF PLANTS… WHY?
HIGHER NUMBERS GIVE MORE ACCURATE RESULTS!
Possible scenario:
25 tomato plants DO NOT
receive fertilizer.
Possible scenario:
25 tomato plants receive
fertilizer.
Should fertilizer be the same
amount?
DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS SHOULD
BE THE ADDITION OF THE FERTILIZER TO THE EXPERIMENTAL
GROUP. EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD REMAIN THE SAME.
EXAMPLES-
SAME AMOUNT OF WATER
SAME SIZE POTS
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
MODELING
SOMETIMES, CONCEPTS IN SCIENCE ARE ABSTRACT AND CAN BE
BETTER UNDERSTOOD USING MODELS. GENERALLY MODELS ARE
USED FOR VERY BIG THINGS (LIKE THE EARTH) OR VERY SMALL
THINGS (LIKE A MOLECULE).
Can you think of any other
models useful in science?
SCIENTIFIC THEORY
THEORIES ARE FORMED IF AN EXPERIMENT IS REPEATED
MANY TIMES AND OBTAINS THE SAME RESULTS.
A THEORY IS AN EXPLANATION FOR AN OCCURRENCE; IT
CAN BE CHANGED AS NEW DATA EMERGES.
EXAMPLES: THEORY OF EVOLUTION
BIG BANG THEORYScientific theories take a long time
to develop! In order for a theory to
have merit, it must be repeated
many times by many different
scientists. Have you heard of my
theory of relativity?
SCIENTIFIC LAW
A SCIENTIFIC LAW IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TRUE
AND CORRECT NUMEROUS TIMES, AND CAN EXPLAIN WHY
SOMETHING HAPPENS.
EXAMPLES: LAW OF GRAVITY
LAW OF COSMIC EXPANSION
Typically, laws involve math
and can be proven with
numbers. Actually… I have three
laws.
THE DARK AGES
SCHOLARS SUCH AS ARISTOTLE, SOCRATES, ARCHIMEDES, PLUTO
AND HIPPOCRATES ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF GREEK
PHILOSOPHERS THAT HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR MODERN
SCIENCE.
DURING THE “DARK AGES” (CIRCA 500 TO 1100 AD), THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THESE ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS WAS DISMISSED
AS BARBARIC. THIS COINCIDED WITH THE RISE OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH- RELIGIOUS DOGMA GOVERNED MUCH OF WHAT
PEOPLE THOUGHT OR BELIEVED. PEOPLE WERE OFTEN PERSECUTED
IF THEY WENT OUTSIDE RELIGIOUS THOUGHT.
THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD
THE RENAISSANCE (IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DARK AGES IN
THE 12TH CENTURY), A PERIOD OF REAWAKENING CAME.
RENAISSANCE MEANS “REBIRTH”.
THE WORKS OF ANCIENT SCHOLARS WERE REDISCOVERED,
UNIVERSITIES WERE FORMED, AND MANY EMERGING SCIENTISTS
USED THE ANCIENT GREEKS PHILOSOPHIES TO BUILD UPON THEIR
OWN (GALILEO, FRANCIS BACON).
Francis Bacon also disproved some
ancient thought as he made his own
scientific journey.
I was one of the earliest
philosophers to design a
scientific method.
THE AGE OF DISCOVERY
FOLLOWING THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD CAME THE AGE OF
DISCOVERY. WITHIN THIS TIME PERIOD, MANY WERE ABLE TO USE
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PREDECESSORS TO ADVANCE IN
SCIENCE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
MANY OF THESE SCIENTISTS ARE STILL FOUND IN TEXTBOOKS
TODAY, AS THEIR THEORIES AND LAWS ARE WIDELY ACCEPTED OR
KNOWN.
Robert Hooke- Cell Theory
Sir Isaac Newton
Louis Pasteur
Johannes Kepler- Calculated mathematical laws of orbit
Robert Boyle- Gas Laws
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