Scientific Method Terminology

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Observation

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The act of using one or more of your senses to gather information and take note of what occurs

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Inference

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A logical explanation of an observation that is drawn from prior knowledge or experience.

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Hypothesis

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A possible explanation for an observation that can be tested by scientific investigations.

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Independent Variable

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The factor that is changed by the investigator to observe how it affects a dependent variable.

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Dependent Variable

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The factor measured or observed during an experiment.

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Constants

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The factors that do not change during an experiment.

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Control Group

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The part of an experiment that contains the same factors as the experimental group, but the independent variable is not changed.

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Model

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A representation of a phenomenon, a system, a process, or a solution to an engineering problem that helps people visualize or understand the concept.

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Scientific Theory

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An explanation of observations or events based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations.

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Scientific Law

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A rule that describes a pattern in nature.