Unit 1 - What is Matter?

Hypothesis

A conditional if-then statement that is testable and tries to answer your research question

Water Displacement

A method of measuring volume where a measurement is made of how much the water level in a container rises when an object is placed in a container

Law

A statement of observed behavior. Often precedes theories

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to answering questions about scientific phenomena

SI System

Also known as the metric system, it is the set of scientific units used in measurement in science

Theory

An explanation of natural phenomena that answers the Why? question

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space

Quantitative Data

Measurements and other numerical values recorded during an experiment

Qualitative Data

Physical observations recorded during an experiment

Intensive Properties

Properties such as color, hardness, and melting point that depend on the type of matter, not on the amount or size of the sample

Extensive Properties

Properties such as mass or volume that do change depending on the amount of matter

Volume

The amount of space that something takes up

Mass

The amount of substance, or material, in an object

Dependent Variable

The condition that changes as a result of the change done by the person performing the experiment

Independent Variable

The condition that is purposely changed during the experiment by the person performing the experiment

Meniscus

The curvature of the top of a liquid in a container

Density

The mass of a substance per unit volume

Conversion Factor

The number you multiply by to convert between different units whose value is equal to 1

Chemistry

The study of what substances are made of, how they behave, and how they can be transformed

Control

Variables that are held constant during the experiment