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Scientific Processes
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Observe | To notice things around us using one or more of our senses. |
| Qualitative Observation | An observation that describes what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. |
| Quantitative Observation | An observation that provides some type of measurement or comparison. |
| Communicating | Sending or receiving information. |
| Classify | Use observations to group objects or events according to how they are similar or different. |
| Measure | Compare something to standard or nonstandard units. Length, mass, and time are the basic units of measurements. |
| Infer | Draw conclusions based on prior knowledge about things we observe. |
| Hypothesis | A prediction about what will happen. Written as a statement. |
| Fair Test | A test in which only one variable is changed or tested. |
| Independent variable | The one thing that is changed or tested by the student doing the investigation. What "I" change. |
| Dependent variable | The response to the variable that is changed by the student. The result that is measured. |
| Controlled variables | The things that stay the same during an investigation. |
| Unit of measurement | The standard unit used to record measurements. Examples are grams, milliliters, centimeters, degrees, hours. |
| Science safety | Guidelines to follow during science investigations in order to be safe. |
| Scientific Method | Steps that all scientist go through when completing an investigation. Question, Hypothesis, Experimentation, Data/Results, Conclusion. |
| Repeated trials | The experiment should be repeated at least 3 times to ensure that the data collected is reliable or accurate. |
| Bar Graph | A graph that is a visual display for comparing quantities. |
| Line Graph | A graph that is useful in displaying data or information that changes continuously over time. |
| Pie Chart | A graph that is used to compare parts of a whole. Usually shown in percentages. |
| Pictograph | A graph that shows data using images. Each image stands for a certain number of things. |