click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Tolli/Stapp - B
Scientific Method
Term | Definition |
---|---|
science | A way of learning about the natural world. |
scientific inquiry | The diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world. |
observation | The process of using one or more senses to gather information. |
inference | An interpretation of an observation based on evidence and prior knowledge. |
hypothesis | A possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to scientific question; must be testable. |
variables | All the factors that could affect the outcome of the experiment. |
manipulated variable | The one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment; also called independent variable. |
responding variable | The factor that changes as a result of changes to the manipulated variable in an experiment. |
controlled experiment | An experiment in which all of the variables except for one remain the same. |
data | The facts, figures, and other evidence collected in an experiment. |
scientific law | A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen every time under a particular set of conditions. |
scientific theory | A well tested scientific concept that explains a wide range of observations. |