Science 7-1

What is science?

A logical way of thinking about the world.

What is an observation in scientific terms?

Something we notice using our senses and lab instruments.

What is an inference?

A logical guess based on observation.

What is an independent variable?

A variable that is intentionally changed or controlled in an experiment to test its effects on the dependent variable.

What is a dependent variable?

Changed and measured during the experiment.

What is the purpose of control groups in an experiment?

They are not changed or experimented on, as a means of comparison.

What are constant variables?

Variables that remain unchanged.

What is the first step of the scientific method?

State the problem or question based on observations.

What do you do after forming a hypothesis in the scientific method?

Test the hypothesis by making an experiment.

What is a graduated cylinder used for?

It is the primary measuring tool for finding the volume of a liquid, more accurate than beakers.

What is a beaker used for?

Great for mixing, stirring, and heating chemicals; not very accurate for finding volume.

What is a meniscus?

The curve formed at the top of a liquid; always take the measurement at the lowest part.

What does a digital balance do?

Used to determine the mass of a substance; it is important to zero or tare the balance first.

What tool is used for grinding and mixing solid substances?

Mortar and pestle.

What does a line graph used for?

To display continuous information and predict future events.

What is an inverse relationship?

When one variable increases, the other decreases.

What do bar graphs display?

They are used to display categories of data and compare data using solid bars.

What is a pie graph used for?

To show a relationship of the parts to a whole, using percents.

What does a line graph need?

A title, a labeled x-axis, a labeled y-axis, and a legend/key.