The document provides an overview of the scientific method and its importance. It begins with defining the scientific method as a four step process of observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion. An example is given of using this method to solve the problem of lights not working in a home. Key aspects of experiments are explained like variables, controls, collecting data, and the importance of order and repetition. Safety practices for labs are outlined. Finally, it discusses why the scientific method is important as it seeks to eliminate bias through facts, collaboration, and producing learning regardless of results.

1. Welcome to Earth & Space ScienceWelcome to Earth & Space Science
The Scientific Method
& Safe Lab Practices
Science is Organized Knowledge

2. 4
It’s a way to solve problems.
What is the Scientific Method?

3. 5
How do you solve problems?
• Wait and hope it will go away
• Scream and yell - throw a fit
• Think about it and make a plan
• Work around it
• Ask for help
• Pray
• All of the above

4. 6
Scientists have devised a
method with four basic steps:
Observation
– State the problem (as a question)
– Research
Hypothesis
Experiment
– Design (materials & procedures)
– Perform (collect & analyze data)
Conclusion
– Test your hypothesis
– Report (share findings)

5. 7
How the Scientific Method
Solves Problems
• It starts with OBSERVATION
example:
– you first notice that the lights are out in your home
– you quickly state the problem in the form of a
question: "WHY IS IT DARK IN HERE?"

6. 8
– while fumbling around in the dark, you do a
little research and find out:
1. the weather outside is calm and clear
2. the other homes on your street still have power
3. the T.V. and computer upstairs are working, but the
lights and outlets downstairs are not working

7. 9
?
• Then you must choose a HYPOTHESIS
that you can test (this is just a fancy word that
means, "a good guess" at the reason for this problem)
Which would you choose?
a. You forgot to pay the electric bill
b. A thunderstorm knocked out the power
c. Your sister's hairdryer, radio, curling iron, computer,
disco ball lights and lava lamp overloaded a circuit

8. 10
• Next step is to EXPERIMENT!
– First you must design the experiment
• The materials you'll need are:
– a flashlight
– replacement fuses
• Your procedures will involve:
– unplugging all your sister's electrical appliances
– walking down to the basement (with flashlight)
– finding and opening the circuit breaker box
– checking for and replacing any blown fuses
– closing the breaker box and walking back upstairs

9. 11
– Next you must perform the experiment
• You gather the materials and follow the
procedures carefully, collecting data as you go
• Upon reaching the circuit box, you find a blown
fuse and replace it. As you climb the stairs, you
notice ALL the lights back on in the house. A
quick mental analysis of this information leads
you to...

10. 12
– The CONCLUSION
• You conclude that your hypothesis proved
correct (your sister's hairdryer, radio, curling iron, computer,
disco ball lights and lava lamp overloaded a circuit).
• After replacing all your materials and cleaning up
after your "experiment" you share your findings
with your sister in hopes that this will not happen
again.

11. 13
Now, if you wanted to use the scientific
method to its fullest extent, you could
•Repeat the experiment
•See if the results are the same
OR even better yet, let someone else follow
your procedures and repeat the
experiment to see if THEY get the same
results

12. 14
A Good Experiment always has…
• Variables
– the parts of your experiment that will change
– usually just one thing changes at a time
• Controls
– parts of experiment that will stay the same every time
– gives you something to compare the changes to
Example: What affect does light have on plant growth?
Variable: plant exposure to light (in sunny window, in dark closet, in dimly lit room)
Controls: all plants are same size and age to begin with, receive same amount of
water and are planted in the same soil.
• What happens if there is more than one variable?
• … an unrecognized variable?
• … no control?

13. 15
Data Collection
• Data = information
• Always record WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!
• Never fake or make up results simply
because it was “supposed” to go differently
• Record your observations clearly & neatly
• Always label sketches, diagrams or photos
• Data can be kept organized in charts,
graphs, or lists

14. 16
Is it important to do the
steps in order?
Why?
Observation
Hypothesis
Experiment
Conclusion
Why not?

15. 17
When a hypothesis is
repeatedly supported
by scientific data, it
may become a theory.
State the
Problem (as a ?)
Do Background
Research
"Best Guess"
Solution
Design (Materials
& Procedures)
Perform (Collect
& Analyze Data)
Report Results
Hypothesis is
False or Partly True
Hypothesis is
True
Think! Try
Again
Conclusion
Experiment
Hypothesis
Observation

16. Lab Safety
Always... Never...
Wear Safety Glasses, Gloves, and a Lab Coat
(when needed)
Work Alone or Unsupervised
Report spills or hazardous situations
IMMEDIATELY
Eat of Drink in the Laboratory
Tie Back Long Hair Touch, Sniff or Taste Chemicals
Be Aware of the Risks and Hazards Involved
in Any Experiment
Wear Open Toed Shoes or Sandals in the
Laboratory
Know Where Safety Equipment is Located
and How to Use it
Return Unused Chemicals to Their
Containers
Minimise Risks By Working Tidily Dispose of Hazardous Materials Down the
Drain
Clear Up at the End of a Lab Wear Bulky or Dangling Clothing or Jewelry

17. Experiment 1
Bubble Trouble
• Observation:
• What do you know?
• What do you want to
know more about?
• Hypothesis:
• What do you think will
happen & why?
• Experiment:
• Record data/observations
• What happened?
• Conclusion:
• Does the data support
your hypothesis?
• What's next?
SI Units of Length
micrometer
(μm)
0.000001 of
a meter
Width of a human
hair
millimeter
(mm)
0.001 of a
meter
Thickness of a
fingernail
centimeter
(cm)
0.01 of a
meter
Width of your
pinky finger
decimeter
(dm)
0.1 of a
meter
Length of a
crayon
meter (m) base unit
A bit longer than
a yard
decameter
(dam)
10 meters
Height of a
2-story house
hectometer
(hm)
100 meters
Twice the length
of an Olympic
swimming pool
kilometer (km)
1,000
meters
Distances on a
road map
megameter
(Mm)
1,000,000
meters
Distances
between planets

18. 20
Why is the Scientific Method
Important?
Because boys are smarter than girls.
RIGHT?

19. 21
Everyone Has Assumptions
• A bias (or assumption) is something you believe
to be true even though it has never (or can’t
be) been proven.
• Assumptions affect how you view and process
everything around you in the world.

20. 22
Scientific Method:
solutions without bias?
• forces us to look only at facts (data)
• seeks to eliminate variables that can skew
results (sleep study placebos)
• encourages collaboration & accountability
(shared results, repeated studies)
• method produces learning no matter what
the results
• hypothesizing
requires speculation,
and bias is always
present

21. 1. State problem
and gather
information
2. Formulate hypothesis
Fact - Theory - Law
• Fact:
• Theory:
• Law:
WRONG!

22. F = Gm1m2
r2
Fact - Theory - Law
• Fact:
– an objective, verifiable observation of something that occurs
in our natural world
– i.e. gravity, natural selection, heat exchange
• Theory:
– an explanation of how natural occurrences work that can be
observed, repeated, tested and can accurately predict future
– i.e. Theory of Gravity, Theory of Evolution, Kinetic Theory of
Matter
• Law:
– a description (often mathematical) of observable phenomenon
– i.e. Newton's First Law of Universal Gravitation