1.1 Scientific Method

Students will plan and conduct a scientific investigation to test a hypothesis.

Study Guide

Explain each concept

¨ Science is a process of making observations and asking questions about those observations.

¨ Physical science is the study of matter and energy and is often divided into physics and chemistry.

¨ Physical science is part of many other areas of science and many different careers.

¨ The scientific method is a series of steps that scientists use to answer questions and solve problems.

¨ Any information you gather through your senses is an observation. Observations often lead to questions or problems.

¨ A hypothesis is a possible explanation or answer to a question.

¨ A good hypothesis is testable.

¨ After you test a hypothesis, you should analyze your results and draw conclusions about whether your hypothesis was supported.

¨ Communicating your findings allows others to verify your results or continue to investigate your problem.

¨ A scientific theory is the result of many investigations and many hypotheses.

¨ Theories can be changed or modified by new evidence.

¨ A scientific law is a summary of many experimental results and hypotheses that have been supported over time.