Nature of Science

What must you find out after conducting an experiment and collecting data?

• if the answers are right

• if the results support your hypothesis

• if the answers can be corrected

• if the results can be changed

Which tools can be used for collecting and analyzing data in science?

• scanner, computer, printer, speakers

• scissors, calculator, stapler, envelope

• meter stick, stopwatch, balance, computer

• stopwatch, screwdriver, meter stick, drill

Where do scientists publish the results of their experiments?

• in letters to friends

• on television, radio, and the Internet

• in academic papers, science magazines, and on the Internet

• in books, magazines, and comic books

Early scientists thought the shapes of birds’ wings helped birds fly. In their first experiments, they made wings the same thickness and shape from front to back. This didn’t work. What might these scientists have done after they analyzed their results?

• tested the same hypothesis

• stopped conducting tests

• taken a vacation

• designed new wing shapes

Which of the following is the best definition of science?

• the process of memorizing answers about the natural world

• the process of gathering knowledge about the natural world

• the process of reading the knowledge of

  the known world

• the process of gathering knowledge about the ancient world

At the end of an investigation, what should you do if you conclude that your results do not support your hypothesis?

• Buy new measurement tools.

• Change the topic you are studying.

• Repeat your investigation, and then change your hypothesis if necessary.

• Repeat your investigation over and over until you get the results that support your original hypothesis.

What is a scientific model?

• a representation of an object, but smaller

• an exact representation made of similar material

• a representation of an object or system

• a familiar copy of an object

In science, what is a scientific theory?

• the first idea to explain an observation

• the best idea to explain a hypothesis

• an explanation for many hypotheses and observations

• an explanation for many questions and answers

What is scientific law?

• the final answer to a scientific question

• a scientific statement of how something works, not why

• an explanation of many experimental results and observations

• an explanation of hypotheses, results, and observations

You want to determine if a new diet medication will make rats lose weight. What is the independent variable?

• measuring weight loss

• the rats

• the new diet medication

• the food the rats eat