1.1 What is science? Key Terms

The process of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

• Data

• Control group

• Observation

• Inference

A logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience.

• Data

• Hypothesis

• independent variable

• Inference

Possible explanation for a set of observations or possible answer to a scientific question.

• Hypothesis

• Data

• Theory

• Control group

Experiment in which only one variable is changed.

• Theory

• Data

• Dependent Variable

• Controlled experiment

Factor in a controlled experiment that is deliberately changed also called manipulated variable.

• Observation

• Hypothesis

• Independent variable

• Hypothesis

A variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable. This is also called the responding variable.

• Dependent variable

• Inference

• Data

• Independent variable

A group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable

• Observation

• Control group

• Independent variable

• Theory

 

Evidence or information gathered from observations.

• Theory

• Hypothesis

• Data

• Observation

A well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations and hypotheses. It also helps scientists to make accurate predictions about new situations.

 

• Control group

• Hypothesis

• Observation

• Theory

When all of the following steps are practiced, what do we call it?

1. Observing and asking questions, 2. forming hypotheses, 3. conducting controlled experiments, 4. collecting and analyzing data, 5. drawing conclusions.

• Guessing

• Scientific methodology

• Inference

• Facts