PHYSICAL SCIENCE A NOTES

PROBLEMS vs. EXERCISES

Scientists try to understand their surroundings and solve problems.

What is a problem?

  • a question
  • no steps are given to solve the problem
  • it is HARD to solve
  • your first answer is usually wrong
  • there is more than one way to solve it
  • there is more than one answer
The opposite of a problem is an exercise.  What is a exercise?
  • a question
  • steps are given to solve it
  • it is EASY to solve
  • your first answer is usually correct
  • there is usually only one way to solve it
  • there is usually only one answer 
In this class we will do work on both problems and exercises.

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Scientists follow specific steps to solve problems.  The steps are called the scientific method.

1. State the problem
  • often begins with "Determine the relationship..."
2. Gather information about the problem
  • use your senses (observations)
  • use your resources (books, the Internet, other people)
3. Write a hypothesis
  • a testable prediction of the answer to your problem
  • it's an educated guess or a "guess you can check"
4. Design an experiment to test the hypothesis
  • decide variables, constants, and control
  • pick equipment/materials
  • write a procedure
5. Do the experiment
  • usually at least 3 trials are done
  • record data during the experiment (observations, words, measurements, numbers, pictures)
6. Analyze the data
  • look for patterns
  • make a graph
7. Write a conclusion
  • give your answer (according to your data)
  • give reasons for your answer (mention data)
  • discuss problems that occurred during your experiment
  • plan improvements for the next time the experiment is run
If the same conclusion is reached over and over again, that conclusion can be called one of two things:
  • It's called a scientific law if it explains WHAT happens every time (such as the law of gravity, law of conservation of mass, and Newton's Laws of Motion)
  • It's called a scientific theory if it explains HOW or WHY it happens (such as the kinetic theory of matter, Dalton's Atomic Theory, or Einstein's Theory of Relativity).