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What is the scientific method?

What is the scientific method?. It is a simple method scientists use to conduct an investigation. It is a way to ask & answer scientific questions by asking questions & conducting experiments. I. Question/Problem. Ask a question about something observed. Why? How? What?

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What is the scientific method?

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  1. What is the scientific method? • It is a simple method scientists use to conduct an investigation. • It is a way to ask & answer scientific questions by asking questions & conducting experiments.

  2. I. Question/Problem • Ask a question about something observed. • Why? • How? • What? • Question to be solved. • Must be about something measurable.

  3. Examples of Problems (must be measurable) • Does the amount of sunlight a plant gets affect how it grows? • Does caffeine affect reaction time in middle school students? • Which disinfectant works the best on household germs?

  4. These Are Not Testable Questions • Is Eli Manning the best quarterback of all time? • Does water smell good? • Will the school be open tomorrow? • You cannot answer these questions with an experiment. Opinion questions are not testable.

  5. II. Hypothesis • Educated guess about how things work. • Prediction • Use If, then statements • If ____ [I do this], then _____ [this will happen] • Focus on one variable only. • A variable is something that changes.

  6. Examples • “If we fertilize the tomato plants, they will produce more tomatoes.” • “If caffeine is increased in someone’s body, then their reaction time will be quicker”

  7. III. Experiment • Tests your hypothesis. • Is it accepted (right) or rejected (wrong) ? • Change only one variable at a time. • Use a control or control group (A group that has nothing done to it. Standard used for comparison in an experiment.) • In order for results to be valid, conduct several tests.

  8. III. Experiment • Record your data

  9. IV. Data Analysis • Reduce the data • Average (Mean) • Graph • Graph the data to look for trends & relationships.

  10. V. Conclusion • Summary of your experiment. • After your experiment, analyze your data to see if your hypothesis was accepted or rejected. • If hypothesis is rejected, give possible reasons for the difference between your hypothesis and the experimental results.

  11. They Might Be Giants • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kf51FpBuXQ

  12. MYTHBUSTERS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpTSA_25wGE

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