Unit 1, Lesson 1 What is science?

Some scientists think Florida was under water at one time. Evidence that this actually happened could be the marine fossils found in sedimentary rocks in Florida. This in known as...

• an opinion

• a guess

• empirical evidence

• a crazy idea

Which of these is a scientific idea that explains how a natural phenomenon works or happens, is supported by lots of evidence, and covers a wide range of conditions?

• theory

• law

Which of these describes a natural phenomenon or relationship that always occurs under specific conditions, such as the idea of superposition that the oldest rock layer is always on the bottom, and does not include an explanation?

• theory

• law

Which of these scientists would most likely engage in work in a laboratory or lab to do an experiment where the conditions can be controlled?

• chemist or physicist

• whale watcher

• bird watcher

• mathematician

Before Pluto was no longer a planet, several scientist disagreed so they had a __________________ and when they all came to the same conclusion this _________________ that Pluto was not a planet.

• yelling match, confirmed

• debate, confirmed

• confirmation, debated

• screaming match, debated

The information acquired by observation or experimentation.

• empirical evidence

• scientific theory

• scientific law

• scientific method

Why is scientific knowledge considered to be dependable such as a telescope showed that Pluto is not a planet but a dwarf planet?

• It is published in reputable sources.

• Scientific knowledge can change if new evidence or a new interpretation of existing evidence comes about.

• It has many different areas that can be studied.

• It shows the reasons why the natural world works in certain ways.

Which statement provides a reason why a scientific theory could change?

• Scientists repeat the experiments associated with the theory.

• Scientists find new evidence that does not fit the theory.

• The theory is published in a scientific journal.

• The theory is over one hundred years old.

What is the study of living things?

• Botony

• Zoology

• Chemistry

• Biology

All the measurements and data scientists gather in support of a scientific explanation

• data

• empirical evidence

• hypothesis

• variables