Nature of Science and Variables

Scientific Method

A way scientists ask questions, test ideas, and draw conclusions.

Natural Phenomena

Events in nature that happen without human control.

Observation

Information gathered by using your senses or tools.

Inference

A conclusion you make based on observations and evidence.

Qualitative

Describes something using words instead of numbers.

Quantitative

Describes something using numbers or measurements.

Constraints

Limits or rules that affect what you can do.

Variable

Something that can change in an experiment.

Independent variable

A variable that the scientist changes

Dependent variable

A variable that depends on the independent variable

Controlled Variable

Factors that the scientist wants to remain constant

Hypothesis

An educated guess that predicts an answer to the experiment question

Experiment

A test used to find out if an idea is correct.

Fair test

An experiment where only one variable changed while everything else stays the same.

Inquiry Question

A question that can be investigated to find an answer.

Attraction

A force that pulls things toward each other.

Cohesion

The force that makes particles of the same substances stick together.

Surface Tension

The force that makes the surface of a liquid act like a thin skin.