The Nature of Science (Inquiry

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The Nature of Science (Inquiry Measurement)

• What is Science?
• How do scientists work?

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What is Science?

• Organized way of using evidence to learn about
  the Natural World
• Science is an ongoing process or a search for a
  degree of understanding that is as close to
  reality as possible
• It is NOT based on faith or religion.

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Goal of Science

• To understand the world around us
• EX. Does life appear from non-living matter?
• To explain events by making predictions
• EX. Life doesnt appear from non-living matter.
• To investigate predictions
• EX. Setting up an experiment to see if life comes
  from non-living matter, or from living things

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Observation Inference
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Observations - Any information collected
with the senses.

• Qualitative observation
• Focus on the qualities of an object.
• Ex. Color of an object
• Quantitative observation
• Characteristics of an object that can be
  measured.
• Ex. Mass, Length

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Qualitative or Quantitative ?????
Non-measurable traits
Your Senses
Data
5 Oxygen Bubbles
Counts / Measuring
Feather Colors
Quantity
Quality
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Inferences

• Inference is a conclusion or deduction based on
  an observation

Lets practice WS- Tracks..What do you think?
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Tracks like these are common in parts of New
England and in the southwestern United States.
What do you OBSERVE? What can you INFER?
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Now what do you think?
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Infer what happened based on your observations.
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Scientific Method

• Problem/Question
• Observation/Research
• Formulate a Hypothesis
• Experiment
• Collect and Analyze Results
• Conclusion
• Communicate the Results

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• 1. State the Problem
• This is the question you want answered. also
  called the purpose.
• 2. Form a Hypothesis
• a testable explanation to your problem a
  possible explanation
• Written as an if ______, then _________
  statement.
• Example If soil temperatures rise, then plant
  growth will increase.

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Do you remember the next step?
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3. Set up a Controlled Experiment

• Develop and follow a procedure that tests your
  hypothesis.
• Includes a detailed materials list.
• Include 2 groups
• Control Group test variables are kept constant
• Normal Conditions
• Experimental Group variables are changed

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4. Results or Data

• Results
• This section includes all of the data and
  information collected.
• How do you present your data?
• Diagrams, tables, charts, graph

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Graphing

• Placement of Variables on Axis
• Independent Variable
• goes on the X Axis
• Hint Music band called INXS
• Dependent Variable
• goes on the Y- axis

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Making a Graph From A Data Table
Section 1-4
Water Released and Absorbed by
Tree
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Water released by leaves
Absorbed by Roots (g/h)
Released by Leaves (g/h)
Time
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8 AM
2
1
Relative Rates (g/h)
10 AM
5
1
10
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Water absorbed by roots
12 PM
4
2 PM
6
17
5
4 PM
9
16
0
6 PM
10
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8 AM
10 AM
12 PM
2 PM
4 PM
6 PM
8 PM
8 PM
10
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Time
Go to Section
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5. Analyze your Results

• After your data is organized you must be able to
  interpret the data
• Modify the procedure if needed.
• Confirm the results by retesting.

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6. Conclusion

• Outcome
• Was your hypothesis supported?
• Accept or Reject (refute)
• Make recommendations for further study and
  possible improvements to the procedure.

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7. Communicate the Results

• Be prepared to present the project to an
  audience.
• Expect questions from the audience.

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Scientific Theory

• A hypothesis that is so well supported by many
  different scientific investigations
• A well tested explanation that unifies a broad
  range of observations.
• Remember Theories can be revised

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Think you can name all seven steps?
Problem/Question
Observation/Research
Formulate a Hypothesis
Experiment
Collect and Analyze Results
Conclusion
Communicate the Results
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Figure 1-8 Redis Experiment on Spontaneous
Generation
OBSERVATIONS Flies land on meat that is left
uncovered. Later, maggots appear on the meat.
HYPOTHESIS Flies produce maggots.
PROCEDURE
Uncovered jars
Covered jars
Controlled Variables jars, type of
meat, location, temperature, time
Several days pass
Independent Variables gauze covering that keeps
flies away from meat
Dependent Variable whether maggots appear
Maggots appear
No maggots appear
CONCLUSION Maggots form only when flies come in
contact with meat. Spontaneous generation of
maggots did not occur.
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Ethics in Science
How do the ethics of a scientist and the
ethics of society affect our lives?
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Some Tools for Measurement
Measurement
Which tool(s) would you use to measure A.
temperature B. volume C. time D. weight

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Measuring Length

• Metric ruler
• Units are centimeters (cm) or millimeters (mm).
• 1cm 10mm
• Micrometers (um) are very tiny units that are
  used to measure objects through the microscope.
• 1000um 1mm

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Measuring Volume

• Graduated Cylinder
• The amount of space something occupies.
• Graduated Cylinders are calibrated in milliliters
  (mL).

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Meniscus

• Curved surface when measuring fluids when placed
  in the narrow tube of a graduated cylinder.
• Correct steps to read the volume of a liquid.
• 1. Place the cylinder on a flat surface
• 2. Read from the bottom of the curved
  meniscus at eye level.

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Measuring Temperature

• Measured in degrees Celsius.
• Freezing point of water is 0oC.
• Boiling point of water is 100oC.
• Human body temperature is 37oC.

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Measuring Mass

• Mass the quantity of matter in something
• Measured with a balance
• Triple Beam Balance
• Electronic Balance

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Triple Beam Balance

• Single pan and three bars (beams) that are
  calibrated in grams.
• Steps to using this balance
• 1. Make sure pan is empty
• 2. Pointer and all riders (devices that move
  along the beams) are on zero.
• 3. Calibrate scale
• 4. Weigh object using the beams until the
  pointer is at zero.

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Compound microscope
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Magnification

• Eyepiece Power X Objective Power Total
  Magnification

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Measuring object in microscope

• 1. Determine field of view width
• 2. Estimate how much of the field the object
  takes up
• 3. Divide to get length of object
• 4. 1 millimeter 1000 microns