Understanding Science

Everyday

Without even thinking about it, you use science or the results of science in almost everything you do. Science is a systematic process, it helps us build and organize knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the natural world.​

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The study of Earth, including rocks, soils, oceans, and the atmosphere.

​​Earth Science

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The study of living things is life science, or biology

Life Science

​The study of matter and energy including both physics and chemistry.

Physical Science

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Scientific Inquiry

A process that uses a set of skills to answer questions or to test ideas about the natural world.​

Scientists perform investigations where they observe the natural world without interference.

In other investigations, scientists perform experiments that involve variables and that establish cause and effect relationships.​

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Comprehensive Science I

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Observation is an act of using one or more of your senses to gather information and taking note of what occurs.

After make an inference. A logical explanation of an observation that is drawn from prior knowledge and experience.​

​​Ask Questions​

​A hypothesis is a possible explanation for an observation. It states an observation and provides an explanation.

Scientists use hypotheses to make a prediction to test their hypothesis. A prediction is a statement of what will happen next in a sequence of events.​

​Hypothesis and Predict

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​Testing whether predictions are true. If a prediction is confirmed, then it supports the hypothesis. If prediction is not confirmed, then modify your hypothesis and retest it. Four possible ways to test a hypothesis:

designing an experiment, making a model, gathering and evaluating evidence, and collecting data/recording observations.​

​​Test Hypothesis

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Analyze results after testing by graphing results, classifying information or making calculations.​

Organizing or sorting data helps to see any trends or patterns.

Analyze Results

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A summary of the information gained from testing a hypothesis.

​​Draw Conclusions

Writing journal articles, speaking at science conferences and exchanging information.​

Scientists communicate results of investigations to inform other scientists about their research and the conclusion of their research.​

Communicate Results

Scientists will retest the predictions several times to ensure the conclusions are replicable.

It is important that experiments can be replicated many times and by other scientists to make sure results are accurate and valid.

Further Inquiry

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​A controlled experiment is a scientific investigation that tests how one variable affects another and establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables.

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Any factor in an experiment tha tcan have more than one value.​

​​Variable

The factor measured or observed during an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The factor that you want to test. Changed by the investigator to observe how it affects a dependent variable.

​​Independent Variable

​Constant or control are the factors that remain the same in an experiment.

​​Constant

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Results and conclusions from an investigation can lead to many outcomes, such as answers to a question, more information on a specific topic, or support for a hypothesis.

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​Results of science

The practical use of scientific knowledge.

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For example, a cochlear implant can help some deaf people hear.​

​​Technology

Space travel has had its unique challenges. Spacesuits consists of 14 layers of material.​

New materials

​Scientists often investigate how or why something happens.

For example, scientists analyze data from telescopes, where some gather images of clouds of gas and dust with newly formed stars. ​

possible explanations

Practicing critical thinking is comparing what you already know with the information you are given in order to decide whether you agree with it.​

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Evaluating Scientific Evidence

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To determine whether information is true and scientific or psuedoscience, you should be skeptical and identify facts and opinions.