1. Chapter 1.1-1.2 Notes

2. Science : is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world

3. Scientific thinking usually begins with: Observations : the process of gathering information about events or processes in a careful, orderly way. Observations generally involve using the senses.

4. Information gathered from observations is called data .

5. Quantitative data : expressed as numbers, obtained by counting or measuring

6. Qualitative data : descriptive and involve characteristics that can’t usually be counted

8. After initial observations, scientists propose one or more hypothesis .

9. Hypothesis : a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations. Scientists generate hypothesis based on prior knowledge, logical inference, and informed creative imagination.

10. Scientific hypotheses must be proposed in a way that enables them to be tested.

11. Science is a way of knowing science is an ongoing process scientific understanding is always changing. Good scientists are skeptics. Scientists assume that in the universe, basic natural laws govern all events and objects.

13. Variables : The factors in an experiment that can change. Examples: equipment used, type of material, amount of material, temperature, light, time, etc.

14. Whenever possible, a hypothesis should be tested by an experiment in which only ONE variable is changed at a time! This type of experiment is called a controlled experiment

15. The variable that is changed is called the manipulated or independent variable.

16. The variable that is observed and that changes in response to the manipulated variable is called the responding or dependent variable

20. Recording and Analyzing Results Often done with technology

23. Science assumes that experimental results can be reproduced because nature behaves in a consistent manner

24. Scientists often publish reports in scientific journals, where other scientists review the experiments to make sure there were no flaws.

25. Scientists also often repeat experiments done by others to check for flaws.

28. Scientific Theory: a well tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.