Unit 0: What is Science?
Legend (graph)
An area of a graph describing each of the parts of the graph (often colored)
Hypothesis
An educated guess about what one thinks will happen during experimentation.
controlled experiment
An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time.
Science
An organized way of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world.
line graph
a graph that uses one or more lines to show changes over time
pie chart
a type of graph in which a circle is divided into sectors that each represent a proportion of the whole.
Accurate Observation
an exact report of what your senses tell you
Objective Observation
an observation that avoids opinions, or bias, based on specific points of view.
DRY MIX
mnemonic device for Dependent- Responding-Y-axis & Manipulated-Independent-X-axis
Qualitative
relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something.
Quantitative
relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity of something.
y-axis
the vertical axis on a coordinate plane; where we plot the dependent variable
Examples of quantitative observations
4 feet long, 6 legs, 7.2 grams, 100 mL
Inference
A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning
Scatter Plot Graph
A graph of plotted points that show the relationship between two sets of data
bar graph
A graph that uses horizontal or vertical bars that is best for comparing different groups.
Constant/Controlled Variable
Factor that is kept the same for all groups in an experiment
Data
Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations.
Examples of qualitative observations
Green liquid, large hole, sour taste, sweet smell
Observation
Information obtained through the senses.
Independent Variable (IV)
The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable we change on purpose.
Dependent Variable (DV)
The variable that is measured by the researcher to see any changes.
experimental group
the group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested.
control group
the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.
x-axis
the horizontal axis on a coordinate plane; where we plot the independent variable.
