Scientific Practices - quiz

Observing

definition:
touseoneormoreofyoursenses
twotypesofobservations
qualitative
definition:
whenmakinganobservationandnotusingnumbers
quantitative
definition:
tomakeanexactobservation
example:beachscene

describea
qualitative
observationbasedonthepicture
Thereiswateronabeach
describea
quantitative
observationbasedonthepicture
Thereisonlyonebuildingonthebeach

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz1

 Inferring

definition:
explaininganobservationthatisnotalwayscorrect
inferencesshouldbe
logical
and
reasonable
example:theendofabasketballgame

redteam(Russia)
inference:
Russiahaswonthegame,oratleastwhattheyhaveplayedsofar
whiteteam(Argentina)
inference:
Argentinahaslost
priorknowledge
and
pastexperiences
canhelpmakeaccurateinferences

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz2

 Predicting

definition:
makinganinferenceaboutfutureeventsbasedonevidenceorpastexperiences
example:Howfaryoucanruninanhour?
(general)
Icanprobablyrunalot.
(somewhatspecific)
Iprobablycanrun6miles.
(veryspecific)
Icanrunamilein10minutessofor60minutes,soIcanrun6milesinanhour.
example:darkcloudsinthesky

generalprediction:
Itisprobablygoingtorain
veryspecificprediction:
therearedarkcloudsintheskywhichisasignofrainso,itiswillrainin14
minutes
Whyshouldpredictionsusedinsciencebespecific?
reason:
Soyoucanproveitorhaveevidenceinyourprediction
testingaprediction
method1:
Observations(watchwhathappens)
method2:
Controlledexperiments
alloftheconditionsarekeptthesame,exceptforthemanipulatedvariable

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz3

 Classifying

definition:
organizingobjectsoreventsintogroupsaccordingtoasystem
objects(nonliving)canbeclassifiedby
size,shape,properties,oruse
classificationsystemsserveseveralpurposes
classificationshowsthe
relationship
amongtheitemsbeingclassified
example:candy

Howcanthiscandybeclassifiedindifferentways?Bespecificwithexplainingwhy/how.
1.
Thecandycanbesortedbycolorbecausethereisadistinctdifferenceinallthecolors
2.
Thecandycanbesortedhowharditisorhowsoftitisbecausethereisacontrastwhena
persontastesthecandy
3.
Thecandycanbesortedbythebrandbysortingitintogroupswhereacompanymadeit
byforminggroupsfromwherethecandywasfrom

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz4

 MakingModels

definition:
pictures,diagrams,orotherrepresentationsorobjectsorprocesses
modelsareusedforseveralreasons
reason1:
somethingsaretoosmallortoolargetoobservedirectly
reason2:
otherthingsaretoodangeroustostudy
reason3:
otherprocessesarehardtosee
typesofmodels
physical
definition:
modelsthatlookliketheobjectsbeingmodeledsomearetwodimensionalorcan
be3D
scale
definition:
madeordrawninproportiontotheactualobject
mental
definition:
thingsthatcannotbeseenorbeobserveddirectly
example:airplane

Whattype(s)ofmodelisthis?
Theairplaneisascaleandphysicalmodel
Couldyouturnthisintoa
scalemodel
?Whyorwhynot?
Yes,becauseanairplanecanbemadeordrawninproportiontotheactualobject

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz5

 Communicating

definition:
Communicatingistheprocessofsharingideasandinformationwithotherpeople
waysthatscientistscommunicatetheirresultsandideas:
scientificjournals
scientificmeetings(conventions)
letters,emails,telephones,texts,andmore
effectivecommunicationallowsscientiststo
repeatexperiments
verifyresults
shareideas
aboutfuturework
scientificcommunicationfollowstheseguidelines:
stepsinaninvestigationmustbedescribed
completelyandclearly
reason:
Wecanrepeattheprocedurecompletely
alldataandobservationsmustbe
recorded
reason:
Youwanttoknowifyoumademistakes
inferencesshouldbereportedseparatelyfromobservations
reason:
Observationsarefactsandinferencesareopinions
reviewtheworktomakesureitsfreefrom
bias
reason:
becauseyouwanttobeobjectiveandonlyprovethefacts
typesofcommunication
oral
definition:
sharingideasbytalkingandlistening
written
definition:
sharingideasinwrittenform
Howcantherebemiscommunicationorpoorcommunicationbetweenscientists?
reason1(oral):
ifascientistmumblesandotherscientistshearthescientistdifferently
possiblesolution:
thescientistshouldspeakclearer
reason2(written):
Ascientistmightnotgetaletter,text,emailandsoon
possiblesolution:
repeatedlycheckyourphone,computer,yourmailboxandsoon

Mr.WhangProcessSkillsQuiz6