Term | Definition |
observation | Using one or more of your senses to gather information |
constant | Conditions in an experiment that are kept the same |
precision | Close, repeated measurements |
inference | An educated guess based on previous knowledge or cues |
prediction | An educated guess about what will happen in the future |
control group | Variables are compared to this "normal" group that isn't changed. |
meter | Metric unit of measurement for distance |
liter | Metric unit of measurement for volume |
International System of Units | Metric system, based on powers of 10 |
accuracy | How close a measurement is to the correct value |
hypothesis | Explanation of an observation that can be tested |
independent variable | This is what the scientist changes in an experiment |
gram | Metric unit of measurement for mass |
scientific law | Rule that describes a repeatable pattern in nature |
dependent variable | What is measured or observed in an experiment |
experiment | A test of the hypothesis |
scientific theory | An explanation (why or how) of observations that have occurred many, many times |
scientific notation | A method of writing large and small numbers in a shorter form |
quantitative | Observations that include numbers |
qualitative | Observations that are descriptions |
volume | Amount of space an object takes up, use grad. cyl. or LxWxH |
mass | Amount of matter in an object, use scale or TBB |
density | amount of mass per unit volume (m/v) |
density of water | 1 g/ml |
water displacement | Method used to find volume of a solid |
3 metric base units | meter, liter, gram |
1 cm = ? mm | 10 mm |
Name the metric prefixes in order from biggest to smalles | Kilo, Hecto, Deka, (base unit), deci, centi, milli |
1 meter = ? cm | 100 cm |
triple beam balance | tool for measuring mass (units are grams) |
graduated cylinder | tool for measuring volume of a liquid (units are ml) |
measuring irregular solid volume | water displacement (like a rock or ball) |
measuring regular solid volume | Measure with a cm ruler and multiply: LxWxH |
density | measures how tightly packed particles are in an object |
density of objects that float in water | less than 1 g/cm^3 |
density of objects that sink in water | greater than 1 g/cm^3 |
To calculate the density of an object | D = mass divided by volume |