Scientific Inquiry

1
Scientific Inquiry
2
Scientists are

• CURIOUS they ask questions that make them want
  to investigate.
• OBSERVANT they look at the world around them
• CREATIVE they think about what they already
  know to explain their observations and come up
  with plans to test their ideas
• SKEPTICAL they question their own conclusions
  and except only explanations based on evidence

3

• Science is the continuous process of asking
  questions and seeking answers!

4
Scientific Inquiry

• The process that allows us to think about and
  design an experiment to help us find the answers
  to our questions!

5
Scientific Inquiry

• Problem
• Hypothesis
• Experiment
• Materials - Variables/Controls
• Procedure - Observations
• Results
• Charts/Graphs
• Conclusion
• Limitations

6
Problem

• Identify by asking a question
• Only part of the process that will end with a
  question mark.
• As you do research/perform the experiment you
  make ask more questions!

7
Our example

• Which brand of paper towels is the most
  absorbent?

8
Hypothesis
Thinkers

• Tentative explanation
• Educated guess/prediction
• What do you think will happen
• when you perform your experiment?
• Written in the form of an IF/THEN statement.
• IF three brands of paper towels are tested, THEN
  Bounty will be the most absorbent.

9
Experiment

• An organized procedure used to study something
  under controlled conditions.
• Consists of two parts
• Materials
• Procedure

10

• Materials items needed to
• perform the experiment
• Graduated cylinder, beaker, lab sheet, pencil,
  paper towels, triple beam balance, water
• Procedure sequence of actions or instructions
  to be followed
• The STEPS of the experiment!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
11
Variables

• Independent Variable (IV)
• the factor being tested
• paper towels
• Dependent Variable (DV)
• the factor being measured
• amount of water the paper towels absorb

y axis
DV
x axis
IV
12
Constants

• Factors that remain the same throughout the
  experiment
• Examples
• The size of the paper towel
• The type of liquid used
• Using same balance to mass wet towels
• OTHERS?

13
Control

• Serves as a basis for comparison
• Ex a paper towel that is not wet

14
Trials

• The number of time the IVs are tested
• The more the better!

Not this kind!
15
Observations

• Made during the course of an experiment using
  your senses or equipment
• Often recorded in data tables
• Examples
• Temperatures
• Times
• Color changes

16
Data

• One type of observation
• Evidence collected during a lab

TRIAL 1 2 3 4
TEMP
17
Results

• We often use charts and graphs to show our
  results.
• You may also write results statements that put
  your observations/data into paragraph form.

18
Conclusion

• Statement indicating whether your hypothesis was
  correct or incorrect.
• Use one of the following in your conclusion
• Supported
• Rejected
• Could neither support nor reject
• Example
• The results of my experiment rejected my
  hypothesis go on to tell why.

19
Limitations

• Unforeseen problems with an experiments design
• What went wrong during the lab.
• Examples
• Complete more trials
• Test more paper towel brands
• We spilt something beside water on the towels
• Used the wrong mass
• Forgot to test one brand

20
Click the link
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vKZaCy5Z87FAappdes
ktop