Scientific Method Review- Physics

Reorder

Put the following steps of the scientific method in order from first to last:

• Observation: make observations or identify a problem/question

• Research & Hypothesis: gather existing knowledge and form a testable prediction or explanation

• Experimentation: design and conduct an investigation to collect data

• Data Analysis and Conclusion: analyze and interpret the data to make conclusions

• Communication & Replication: share results with others and repeat the experiment to validate the results

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

It’s important to note that the scientific method is not a rigid and
linear process

●Sometimes you may collect data
that changes your hypothesis, or
creates new questions.

●So rather than moving from step 1
to step 2 to step 3, sometimes we
take different steps in a different
order

●This creates more of a “cycle”
than a one way process

Observation

●Factual and objective gathering of
information using the senses or
scientific tools

●Based on what is directly seen or
measured- do not involve
interpretation, guesses or inferences

●Examples:

○Observing that the thermometer reads
100℉ (quantitative data)

○The sky is getting darker in color and
the clouds are moving in (qualitative
data)

●Logical interpretation or
conclusion of an observation or set
of observations

●Inferences draw explanations based
on available evidence or prior
knowledge

●They go beyond what is directly
observed

●Examples:

○It must be warm outside because
people are wearing shorts and
T-shirts

○It will rain soon because it’s getting
darker

Inference

Categorize

Options (7)

When a ball is dropped, it accelerates at 9.8 m/s/s

An astronomer notices the shifting gravitational interactions among galaxies far away

A child sees a balloon stick to a wool sweater and concludes there must be static electricity

Newton notices that red light bends less than blue light through a prism

A student sees a ball roll to a stop and concludes there must be friction

A sample of copper weighs 0.25 N

Mars takes 687 days to orbit the Sun

Classify the following as either an observation or an inference.

Observation:

Inference:

Law (in Science)

●A statement that
summarizes observed
patterns in nature.

●Describe what happens
without explaining why it
happens

●Provide framework for
understanding and
predicting the behavior
of things in the universe

●Can often be
summarized
mathematically

●An explanation that is
based on limited
evidence or prior
knowledge

●Testable

●Serves as a starting
point for science
investigations

●It may lead to a theory if
evidence supports it

Hypothesis

●Explanation supported
by a lot of evidence
from various sources
with extensive testing

●Well-established and
widely accepted
explanation supported
by lots of evidence and
experimentation

Theory

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

Isaac Newton observed that for all objects he tested, more force caused more acceleration and more mass caused less acceleration. This can be mathematically summarized by F=ma and can be used to make predictions of an object's future motion.

• Hypothesis

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

Matter is composed of indivisible particles called atoms, which interact to form molecules and can undergo chemical reactions. Experimental data includes: observations with electron microscopes and numerous experiments with atomic spectroscopy, electron diffraction and the behavior of atoms in chemical reactions

• Hypothesis

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

Gravity is the curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. Experimental confirmation includes: the precession of the orbit of Mercury, the bending of light around massive objects and the measurement of time dilation through precision clocks.

• Hyothesis

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

A student thinks that increasing the temperature of a gas will cause its volume to expand. She plans to test this by placing a gas sample in a controlled environment and measuring its volume as the temperature is increased, observing if the volume expands.

• Law
• Theory
• Hypothesis

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

It has been observed time and time again that energy cannot be created or destroyed. The total energy in a system remains the same. This can be mathematically summarized by Total Energy Before = Total Energy After, and can be used to make future predictions.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Choice

Hypothesis, Law or Theory?

Galileo suspected from previous work that the acceleration of an object in free fall near the Earth's surface is constant and doesn't depend on its mass. He planned to test this by dropping objects of different masses from the same height and measure their acceleration using accurate timing devices to observe if the accelerations are approximately equal

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Variables: Independent Variable

●

The independent variable is the variable that is intentionally

manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

●

It is the factor or condition that the researcher believes may have an

effect on the dependent variable.

●

For example, in a study investigating the effect of different doses of a

medication on pain relief, the independent variable would be the

different doses administered to the participants (e.g., low, medium,

and high doses).

Variables: Dependent Variable

●

The dependent variable is the variable that is observed or
measured by the researcher.

●

It is the outcome that is expected to change as a result of
manipulating the independent variable.

●

The dependent variable is dependent on the independent
variable and reflects the effects of the independent variable.

●

In the medication study example, the dependent variable would
be the pain relief experienced by the participants

Variables: Control Variable

●

In an experiment, the control is a group or condition that serves as a

baseline point for comparison.

●

The control does not receive any manipulation of the independent

variable

●

In the medication study example, the control would be participations

that do not receive the medicine.

Drag and Drop

A student wants to see how plants respond to different types of liquid other than water. In this experiment the type of liquid used to water each plant would be the ​

Placeholder

. The height or health of the plants would be the ​

Placeholder

. The type of plant used, pot size, amount of liquid and soil type would be the ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

independent variable

dependent variable

controlled variable

Drag and Drop

A class is conducting an experiment to see how the speed of a toy car is affected by the type of surface that it rolls over.

Independent variable: ​

Placeholder

.

Dependent Variable: ​

Placeholder

.

Controlled Variables: ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

type of surface

speed of the toy car

type of car used

Categorize

Options (3)

Distance between objects

Strength of gravitational force

Mass of the objects

How is the force of gravity affected by the distance between two objects?

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Controlled Variable

Open Ended

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

Many people draw the steps of the scientific method as a circle/cycle instead of a linear step by step process. Why might this cyclic model make more sense?

Open Ended

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

List 2 observations in the classroom right now.

Open Ended

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

List 2 inferences that you can make based on those observations.

Open Ended

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

What is the hierarchy in terms of strength: hypothesis, law and theory? List from weakest to strongest.