Lab A: Science Process Skills Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts, variable definitions, graphing rules, and experimental setups from Lab A on Science Process Skills.

Qualitative Observations

Observations made using your senses (such as sound, taste, and feel) without using numbers or measurements.

Quantitative Observations

Observations that involve numbers and/or measurements.

Inference

An interpretation or explanation of an observation based on past experience.

Observation

The most basic science skill, which is unbiased, objective, accessible to anyone, and serves as the first step of the scientific method.

Variable

Anything that can be changed in an experiment.

Manipulated Variable

Also called the independent variable; the factor that is changed by the experimenter.

Responding Variable

Also called the dependent variable; the factor that changes in response to the independent variable and is measured to determine the effect.

Controlled Variables

Non-changing variables kept constant during an experiment to ensure a causal relationship can be identified between the independent and dependent variables.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that receives no treatment and is not being experimented on.

Hypothesis

A detailed if-then statement that explains or predicts the relationship between the manipulated and responding variables in an experiment.

Horizontal Axis ($x$)

The axis on a graph where the manipulated variable is always placed.

Vertical Axis ($y$)

The axis on a graph where the responding variable is always placed.

Line of Best Fit

A straight or curved line drawn on a graph to indicate the general trend shown by the plotted data.