Scientific Inquiry Process Lesson

Scientific Inquiry

What is "science"?

What is "science"?

Science is the investigation and exploration of natural events and of the new information that results from those investigations.

NOTE

Science is a process by which we better understand the world around us, not a specific body of work which points to truths which are held dogmatically. Scientific consensus and scientific knowledge are constantly in flux because new information is always being discovered.

Three Branches of Science

• Physical Science - the study of matter and energy. This branch includes physical science, chemistry, and physics.

• Earth Science - the study of the processes of the earth. This includes geology and seismology.

• Life Science - the study of living things and the processes that occur in them. This includes biology, zoology, and biogeography.

• All of these sciences are "natural sciences". They are concerned with the nature of physical matter and processes.

Scientific Laws and Scientific Theories

A theory explains why some natural phenomena occur. A law states the observations of that phenomenon and names them.

What Are the Results of Science?

• New technology!

• Newly discovered objects or events!

• Answers to important questions!

What Do You Need to Participate in a Scientific Process?

• Have critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is the ability to compare what you already know to new information and determine whether one explanation is better than the other or if both can be true simultaneously.

• Understanding that science cannot answer all questions, but it can answer questions which have testable, falsifiable answers offered.

• Be cautious and protective of yourself when conducting scientific experiments.