Law vs. Theory
A well-supported explanation of observations
What is scientific theory?
A student tests if sugar water or plain water makes flowers last longer. Identify the independent and dependent variables.
IV = type of liquid; DV = how long flowers last
The reason that scientists use scientific methods
What is to answer questions about the world around them?
What is data?
What is collection of raw facts?
Define how replication differ from repeated trials.
Repeated trials are when a researcher repeats their investigation multiple times (repeated at least 3-5 times) and replication is when another researcher takes someone else's work and replicates the entire investigation.
How are laws and theories different?
Law = what happens (defines what), Theory = why it happens (explains why)
An investigation was designed to find out if plants will grow more leaves if they are watered more often. The number of leaves were counted on each plant before beginning. Plants were divided into two groups, one group is watered once a day and the other group is watered twice a day. What is the test variable (independent variable) in this experiment?
What is number of times plants are watered?
Finding facts in a textbook is what method in the Scienctific Method
What is research?
Which type of graph best shows change over time?
What is a line graph?
When you wrote out your airplane instructions and gave them to another student in the class and the other student performed the same steps. What does this type of task represent in science?
What is replication?
The Big Bang theory is used to explain the origins of the universe. Why is this called a theory and NOT a law?
The Big Bang theory is a theory because it uses evidence to explain how the natural world works.
In an experiment, 5 tomato plants were grown under red wavelengths of light. An additional 5 tomato plants were grown under normal light conditions. What did the tomato plants grown under normal light conditions represent in the experiment?
What is the control group?
final answer to a problem is known as
What is the conclusion?
On a graph, which axis is the independent variable plotted on, and which axis is the dependent variable plotted on?
Independent = x-axis; Dependent = y-axis
If Mr. Ramsey developed a cure for brain rot through his experiment, what is the next step for other scientists?
What is to replicate his experiment?
The atomic theory has been modified many times to explain new experimental data. However, the data has never led to the atomic theory being discarded. Why are theories sometimes modified, but rarely discarded?
Scientists form a theory after they have repeatedly verified the hypotheses leading to the theory by carrying out experiments.
The result of the changes the researcher makes to the test variable (independent variable)
What is dependent or outcome variable?
A possible explanation or answer to a question is called...
What is a hypothesis?
Information gathered through direct observation or experiment rather than theory or conjecture.
What is empirical data?
After reading an article describing an experiment, Mark concluded that the experiment was valid. The reasons he thought the experiment was valid was because it included several trials and several other scientists had conducted the same experiment with similar results. Why did Mark accept the results he found?
What is because the experiment was both repeated and replicated?
An example of scientific law
What is . . . ?
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Law of Gravity
Law of Conservation of Mass
Law of Conservation of Energy
Boyle’s Law (gas pressure/volume)
Charles’s Law (gas temp/volume)
Kepler’s Laws (planet orbits)
Ohm’s Law (electricity)
Why are controls important in an experiment?
What is they keep conditions the same so only one variable is tested?
What is . . . Question/Observation, Hypothesis, Experiment, Data Collection/Observation, Analyze, Conclusion, Share results
What types of data do scientists rely on?
Qualitative (qualities) and Quantitative (numbers/measurements)
including more trials for extra data during an investigation is . . .
What is repetition or repeated trials?