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Chapter 1
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Science | A way of learning about the natural world through observations and logical reasoning; leads to a body of knowledge. |
Observing | The process of using one or more of your senses to gather information. |
Inferring | The process of making an inference, an interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge. |
Predicting | The process of forcasting what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence. |
Chemistry | The study of the properties of matter and how matter changes. |
Physics | The study of matter, energy, motion, and forces, and how they interact. |
Scientific Inquiry | The ongoing process of discovery in science; the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propse explanations based on evidence they gather. |
Hypothesis | A possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question. |
Parameter | A factor that can be measured in an experiment. |
Manipulated Variable | The one variable parameter that a scientist changes during an experiment. |
Responding Variable | The variable parameter that changes as a result of changes to the manipulated, or independent, variable in an experiment. |
Controlled Experiment | An experiment in which only one parameter id manipulated at a time. |
Data (quantitative and qualitative) | Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations. Quantitative describes data collected that includes numbers or amount. Qualitative includes no numbers. |
Communicating | The process of sharing ideas with others through writing or speaking. |
Model | A representation of an object or process. |
Scientific Theory | A well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experimental results. |
Scientific Law | A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen every time under a particular set of conditions. |
Graph | A picture of information from a data table; shows the relationship between variables. |
Horizontal Axis | A line that runs left to right along the bottom of a graph, on which the manipulated variable is labeled. |
Vertical Axis | A line that runs up and down along the side of a graph, on which the responding variable is labeled. |
Origin | The point on a line graph; where the x-axis and y-axis cross on a graph. |
Coordinate | A pair of numbers used to determine the position of a point on a graph. |
Data Point | A point on a graph showing the location of a piece of data. |
Line of Best Fit | A smooth line that reflects the general pattern in a graph. |
Linear Graph | A line graph in which the data points yield a straight line. |
Slope | The steepness of a line on a graph, equal to its vertical change divided by its horizontal change. |
Nonlinear Graph | A line graph in which the data points do not fall along a straight line. |