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Understanding the Scientific Method: Fundamentals of Measurement and Experimentation

This unit introduces the fundamental skills of the scientific method, including asking questions, formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, and analyzing data. It elaborates on experimental variables: independent, dependent, and controlled. Measurement accuracy and precision are discussed, highlighting the importance of reliable data representation through SI units and scientific notation. Key topics like unit conversions, graphing principles, slope calculations, and the iterative process of refining hypotheses are also covered, emphasizing the structured approach to scientific inquiry.

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Understanding the Scientific Method: Fundamentals of Measurement and Experimentation

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  1. Unit 1—Fundamental Skills

  2. Scientific Method • Ask a question about something in Nature. • Formulate a hypothesis about the question. This is a testable guess, prediction, or statement . • Perform an experiment. Take data and then analyze your data. Draw a conclusion. • Revisit your hypothesis. Revise it if necessary and re-do the experiment. With verification over time a hypothesis becomes a theory/law.

  3. Experimental Variables • Independentvariable is a specific factor you purposely change or allow to change while observing to see if another variable is affected by it. • Dependentvariable is a specific factor you observe to see how it is influenced by changes in the independent variable. • Controlledvariable is one or more factors in an experiment that you keep constant.

  4. Measurements • Measurements are a form of information or data. They typically consist of a number and a unit of measure. • A set of measurements is accurate if the average is close to a known standard or true value. • A set of measurements is precise if the range (high – low) of values is small—that is, the values are close together.

  5. Precision of a Measuring Tool • The precision of a measuring instrument (in contrast to precision of a set of measured numbers) relates to the smallest level or fineness of measure that you can read. • In general, the maximum precision of an instrument is about 1/10th of the smallest mark or division on your instrument. Example: On our meter sticks, the smallest mark is a mm mark. Maximum precision of our meter stick then is 1/10th of a mm.

  6. Numbers • In physics we handle both huge and very small numbers. To handle the wide range of such numbers, we often express them in scientific notation: 6.02 x 1023 for example. • Often we use prefixes to represent certain powers of ten: 3000 m = 3 km where k or kilo- means x103. • We use SI units for mass (kg), distance (m), time (s), and a few other fundamental quantities.

  7. For the Unit 1 Test, know… • SI units (mass, distance, & time) • Prefixes (from micro- to kilo-) • Unit conversions • Graphing rules • Slope calculation • Accuracy & precision • Types of experimental variables • Scientific method

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