The Scientific Method

Foundations of the Scientific Method

  • Primary Origin of Scientific Inquiry:
    • All good science begins with two foundational steps:
    • An observation
    • A testable question

Prominent Examples of Scientific Inquiry

  • Gravitational Observation:

    • Question: "Why did that apple fall on my head?"
    • Concept: Captures foundational inquiry into physical mechanics and gravity, leading to the formulation of classical gravitational theory.

  • Microbiological Observation:

    • Question: "Why are no bacteria growing around the mold plates?"
    • Concept: Illustrates key biological observation leading to the discovery of antibiotics and modern bacterial inhibition studies.

  • Theoretical and Relativistic Inquiry:

    • Question: "What would happen to our perception of time if traveling close to the speed of light?"
    • Concept: Represents thought experiments in theoretical physics and special relativity, examining time dilation as velocity approaches the speed of light cc.