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Scientific Method
Chapter 1 and 2
56
Science
7th Grade
09/27/2011

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Term
Science
Definition
A way of learning about the natural world.
Term
Observing
Definition
Using one or more of your senses to gather information.
Term
Inferring
Definition
Explaining or interpreting the things you observe.
Term
Predicting
Definition
Making a statment or a claim about what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence.
Term
Classifying
Definition
The grouping together of items that are alike in some way.
Term
Evaluating
Definition
Comparing observations and data to reach a conclusion about them.
Term
Making Models
Definition
Creating representations of complex objects or processes.
Term
Variable
Definition
The factors that change in an experiment.
Term
Independent Variable
Definition
A factor that is changed to test a hypothesis.
Term
Dependent Variable
Definition
A factor that changes in response to the independent variable.
Term
Skepticism
Definition
Having an attitude of doubt.
Term
Ethics
Definition
The rules that enable people to know right from wrong.
Term
Personal Bias
Definition
A person's likes or dislikes.
Term
Cultural Bias
Definition
The culture in which a person grows up in.
Term
Experimental Bias
Definition
A mistake in the design of an experiment that makes a particular result more likely.
Term
Objective
Definition
Make decisions and draw conclusions based on available evidence.
Term
Subjective
Definition
Personal feelings have entered into decision or conclusion.
Term
Deductive Reasoning
Definition
Explaining things by starting with a general idea and then applying the idea to a specific observation.
Term
Inductive Reasoning
Definition
Using specific observations to make generalizations.
Term
Metric System
Definition
A measurement system based on the number 10.
Term
International System of Units
Definition
A version of the metric system used by modern scientists.
Term
Mass
Definition
The amount of matter in an object.
Term
Weight
Definition
The force of gravity acting on an object.
Term
Volume
Definition
The amount of space an object or substance takes up.
Term
Meniscus
Definition
A curve that is read to find the volume of a liquid.
Term
Density
Definition
How much mass is contained in a given volume.
Term
Accuracy
Definition
How close a measurment is to the true or accepted value.
Term
Precision
Definition
How close a group of measurments are to each other.
Term
Significant Figures
Definition
Communicate how precise measurements are.
Term
Percent Error
Definition
Calculations used to determine how accurate an experimental value is.
Term
Mean
Definition
The numerical average of a set of data.
Term
Median
Definition
The middle number in a set of data.
Term
Mode
Definition
The number that appears most often in a list of numbers.
Term
Range
Definition
The difference between the greatest value and the least value in the set.
Term
Anomalous Data
Definition
Data that does not fit with the rest of a data set.
Term
Graph
Definition
A 'picture' of data.
Term
Linear Graph
Definition
A line graph in which the data points yield a straight line.
Term
Nonlinear Graph
Definition
The kind of graph in which the data points do not fall on a straight line.
Term
Scientific Inquiry
Definition
A process started by thinking and questioning.
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
A possible answer to a scientific question.
Term
Controlled Experiment
Definition
An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time.
Term
Data
Definition
The facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through qualitative and quantitative observations.
Term
Repeated Trials
Definition
A repetition of an experiment.
Term
Replication
Definition
Another scientist repeats your experiment.
Term
Scientific Explanation
Definition
How something works or why something happens.
Term
Empirical Evidence
Definition
The data and observations that have been collected through scientific processes.
Term
Opinion
Definition
An idea that may be formed from evidence but has not been confirmed by evidence.
Term
Controversy
Definition
A public disagreement between groups.
Term
Scientific Theory
Definition
A well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experimental results.
Term
Scientific Law
Definition
A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen every time under a particular set of conditions.
Term
Model
Definition
Any repesentation of an object or process.
Term
System
Definition
A group of parts that work together to perform a function or produce a result.
Term
Input
Definition
The material or energy that goes into a system.
Term
Process
Definition
What happens in a system.
Term
Output
Definition
The material or energy that comes out of a system.
Term
Feedback
Definition
Output that changes the system in some way.
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