Transcript SCIENTIFIC METHOD

“The Scientific
Method”
Iaeger High School
WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC
METHOD?
Steps used to gather
information and answer
questions.
*Why do worms come up to
the sidewalks when it rains?
STEP #1 – OBSERVE
* DISCOVER WHAT YOU WANT TO
STUDY
STEP #2 –
HYPOTHESIS
•AN EXPLANATION FOR A
QUESTION OR PROBLEM THAT
CAN BE FORMALLY TESTED
•MUST HAVE SOME TYPE OF
ANSWER ALREADY
STEP #3 –
EXPERIMENT
•PROCEDURE THAT CAN BE
FORMALLY TESTED
•TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS BY
COLLECTING INFORMATION
UNDER CONTROLLED
CONDITIONS
TWO GROUPS:
1.CONTROL GROUP – All
conditions are kept the
same
2. EXPERIMENTAL GROUPAll conditions are the same
except for one.
Example: Certain bacteria causes
an increase in plant growth.
Determine the control group and the
experimental group.
VARIABLES
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE –
THE CONDITION IN THE EXPERIMENT
THAT IS CHANGED
DEPENDENT VARIABLE –
CONDITION IN THE EXPERIMENT THAT
CHANGES BECAUSE OF THE
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE.
STEP #4 COLLECT DATA
Data is information collected during
the experiment
STEP #5 – ANALYZE
Design any graphs or charts to illustrate
data
Draw some type of conclusion
STEP #6 CONCLUSION
REJECT THE HYPOTHESIS
NOT REJECT THE
HYPOTHESIS
STEP #7 -DEVISE A THEORY
Theory – Unproven assumptions based on
facts
After a hypothesis is tested, based on
results, if the hypothesis is not rejected it
becomes theory.
Law – Idea that is based on facts.