Bellwork 8/20/24
Name 2 Earth systems & what they
contain.
Lecture 2
Scientific
Investigations
&
Communication
in Science
Unit 1 – Earth Science
Ch 1 – The Nature of Science
Vocabulary
[Link] Method – series of problem-solving procedures that help
scientists conduct experiments.
[Link] – testable explanation of a situation that can be
supported or disproved by careful procedures.
[Link] Variable – factor changed by the experimenter.
[Link] Variable – factor that is affected by changed in the
independent variable.
[Link] Variable - a component that does not change or is unaffected
by other variables
The Scientific Method
Observation
Hypothesis
Experiment
Data
Collection
Conclusion
OBSERVATION
An example
Gathered of an
through your observation
senses might be
A scientist noticing that
notices many
something in salamanders
their natural near a pond
world have curved,
not straight,
tails
Hypothesis
A suggested
solution to the An example of a
problem. hypothesis might
Must be be that the
testable salamanders
Sometimes have curved tails
written as If… due to a
Then… pollutant in the
statements moist soil where
Predicts an they live.
EXPERIMENT
Variable – factor in the
A procedure experiment that is being tested
An experimenter
to test the changes one
hypothesis. factor and
observes or
measures what
happens.
A good or “valid” experiment
will only have ONE variable!
VARIABLES
THE CONTROL VARIABLE
The experimenter makes a
special effort to keep other Controls are NOT
factors constant so that being tested
they will not affect the
Controls are used
outcome.
for COMPARISON
Those factors are called
control variables.
VARIABLES
OTHER VARIABLES
The factor that is changed is known as the
independent variable.
The factor that is measured or observed is called
the dependent variable.
VARIABLES
For example, suppose you want
to figure out the fastest route to Varying the route is
walk home from school. the independent
You will try several different variable
routes and time how long it takes The time it takes is
you to get home by each one. the dependent
Since you are only interested in variable
Keeping the same
finding a route that is fastest for
walker throughout
you, you will do the walking
makes the walker a
yourself.
VALID EXPERIMENTS
ONE MORE THING… IT IS BEST TO MAKE
SEVERAL TRIALS WITH EACH INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE…
Two groups are required --- the control
& experimental groups
There should be only one variable
DATA
Results of Must be
the organized
experiment Can be
May be organized
quantitative into charts,
(numbers) or tables, or
qualitative graphs
CONCLUSION
The answer
In order to verify
to the the results,
hypothesis experiments
based on the
must be retested.
data
obtained
from the
experiment
SOLVING A PROBLEM
1)Identify a Problem
2) State Observations about the
problem
3) Form a Hypothesis about the
problem (if…then…)
4) Design an Experiment to test the
hypothesis
5) Collect Data
6) Form a Conclusion
7) Retest
Vocabulary
[Link] Systeme International d’Unites (SI) - modern version of the metric
system
[Link] Notation - number expressed as a value between 1 and 10
multiplied by a power of 10
[Link] Model – idea picture, system or mathematical expression
that represents the concept being explained
[Link] Theory – based on many observations during repeated
investigations (the Why)
[Link] Law – principle that describes the behavior of a natural
phenomenon (a rule of nature – the What)
SCIENTIFIC LAWS V.S. SCIENTIFIC THEORIES
PRIMARY GOAL OF SCIENCE: NOT FACTS THEMSELVES, BUT NEW IDEAS,
PRINCIPLES, OR MODELS THAT CONNECT & EXPLAIN FACTS & LEAD TO NEW
PREDICTIONS
IF MANY EXPERIMENTS BY
DIFFERENT SCIENTISTS SCIENTIFIC LAW
SUPPORT A PARTICULAR A DESCRIPTION OF
HYPOTHESIS, IT IS: WHAT WE FIND
SCIENTIFIC THEOR HAPPENING
IN NATURE OVER AND
Y OVER IN THE SAME WAY,
AN IDEA, PRINCIPLE, OR
MODEL THAT USUALLY TIES WITHOUT KNOWN
TOGETHER EXCEPTION.
AND EXPLAINS MANY FACTS (EX: CHARLE’S LAW,
SCIENTIFIC LAWS V.S. SCIENTIFIC THEORIES
WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE?
SCIENTIFIC THEORY SCIENTIFIC LAW
EXPLAINS TELLS YOU WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE ITS
WHY A THING IS HAPPENING ALWAYS HAPPENED THAT WAY BEFORE
IF I DROP AN APPLE IT WILL FALL
NEWTON SAYS GRAVITY IS WHY
THE APPLE FALLS
PROTONS AND NEUTRONS ARE IN
LAW
THEORY
THE NUCLEUS OF THE ATOM
DALTON SAYS CHEMICAL
REACTIONS OCCUR BECAUSE OF
ATOMIC REARRANGEMENT