Chapter 1-1: What Is Science?

hypothesis

A hypothesis is a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations.

observation

Observation is the process of gathering information about events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

science

Science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world. The word science also refers to the body of knowledge that scientists have built up after years of using this process.

What is the goal of science?

The goal of science is to investigate and understand the natural world, to explain events in the natural world, and to use those explanations to make useful predictions.

data

The information gathered from observations is called data.

inference

An inference is a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience.