Chapter 1 – Vocabulary & Study Guide
1) hypothesis an educated guess about a possible solution to a mystery; a prediction or statement that can be tested; A reasonable or educated guess; what a scientist thinks will happen in an experiment. Hypotheses are based on observations, research, and what is already known about the subject, you should be able to test your hypothesis through experimentation.
2) scientific method a problem-solving procedure used by scientists that follows steps to draw a conclusion, it includes identifying a problem, gathering information, making hypotheses, testing the hypotheses, analyzing the results, and drawing conclusions.
3) science a process of observing, studying, and thinking about things to gain knowledge to better understand the world.
4) Earth Science the study of Earth and space.
5) variable different factors that can change in an experiment; something that can change or "vary" in a situation.
6) independent variable sometimes called the manipulated variable; the variable that changes, or is changed by the researcher. A variable that is deliberately or intentionally changed by the scientist in an experiment.
7) constant variables that do not change in an experiment.
8) dependent variable sometimes called the responding variable; the variable being measured; a variable that changes as a result of the manipulation of another variable. The responding variable is not changed intentionally, rather, it changes because of what the scientist did with the independent variable.
9) control a standard to which results can be compared; the same experiment done with the same variables, except it omits the independent variable.
10) technology use of scientific discoveries for practical purposes such as making pottery or extracting metals from rocks, use of knowledge to make products or tools
11) scientific theory an explanation or model backed by results obtained from many tests or experiments A scientific law is a description of an observed phenomenon. A scientific theory is an explanation of an observed phenomenon. Theory - uses many observations and has loads of experimental evidence - can be applied to unrelated facts and new relationships - flexible enough to be modified if new data/evidence introduced
12) scientific law a rule that describes the behavior of something in nature, usually without explaining why the behavior occurs. A scientific law is a description of an observed phenomenon. A scientific theory is an explanation of an observed phenomenon Law - stands the test of time, often without change - experimentally confirmed over and over - can create true predictions for different situations - has uniformity and is universal
13) ethics deals with moral values about what is good or bad; a system of moral principles. Problems that deal with ethics cannot be solved using scientific methods.
14) bias personal opinion that may affect experiment results; prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
15) anemometer measures wind speed
16) barometer measures atmospheric ( barometric) pressure
17) hygrometer measures the percentage of water (hy-) vapor in the air
18) thermometer measures temperature
19) conclusion / inference summarizes the test, tells whether the hypothesis was correct or not, and suggests what parts of the test could be changed to make it better; a judgment or decision reached by reasoning; the result or outcome; he solution or answer to a problem. The conclusion is what the scientist has learned about the problem through experimentation, This is where all of the results from the experiment are analyzed and a determination is reached about the hypothesis.
20) fraud opposite of ethical behavior, includes making up data, changing experiment results, or taking credit for another’s work
21) Joseph Henry was an American scientist who served as the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1850. He was the first person to draw and compile weather maps.
22) Weather Bureau formerly an agency responsible for the gathering and interpreting of meteorological data for weather study and forecasts. It was formed and functioning by the late 1800s and was renamed the National Weather Service in 1970 when it became part of the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA).
23) transferable technology technology that can be applied to new situations, other than what it was originally designed for
24) NOAA National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a science-based federal agency of the United States federal government responsible for monitoring our climate and our environment, and taking steps to preserve them.
25) GPS Global Positioning System, a radio system that uses signals from satellites to tell you where you are and to give you directions to other places
26) experiment/experimental a scientific test in which you perform a series of actions and carefully observe their effects in order to learn about something, a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.