The Scientific Method - Video Tutorials & Practice Problems

The Scientific Method Concept 1

The scientific method is a procedure used to answer questions, test ideas and most importantly gain scientific knowledge. Now when it comes to the scientific method, it has important components associated with it. Now let's take a look. The first one deals with the collecting of information from a primary source by human or mechanical means, meaning that I see it and therefore it helps start the whole process of scientific method. Here this is called observation. So I observe something with my senses or through the use of some type of instrument. So here a quantitative 11 dealing with values numbers is the body temperature of over 38°C. A qualitative observation is a patient looks flushed. Next we have a proposed and testable explanation for an observation here. This would be our hypothesis. Here. This addresses the answers to what will happen and why it will happen. Next we have a testable and broad hypothesis of many observations that supported by a large body of evidence. So here we call this a theory. And then finally, we hope that from a theory would get to a testable phenomenon that the scientific community has found to be provably true. This is what we call a law now. What's important to understand here is that technically hypothesis hypotheses and theories can never be proven correct. What happens instead is that they can be falsified. They can be proven incorrect. So when it comes to the scientific method, these are the most important components to it.

The Scientific Method Example 1

Which component of the scientific method deals with the following statement. Gravity is the reason that an object that is initially tossed into the air comes back down towards the ground, right? So we know that gravity is an undeniable fact within our everyday life. We know that gravity is what gives mass to objects here on Earth. We know that we can toss an object up and it comes right back down. That's because of gravity, and we know we've heard the term of the law of gravity. Because of that this statement is a law. It is observable. We can prove that it is true. It's hard to falsify it, therefore it's going to be a law.

The Scientific Method Concept 2

when it comes to the scientific method, realize that it starts with an observation and a question. So here if we take a look, we can break down scientific method into seven basic parts. So in part one we make an observation here. We notice that a patient has high blood pressure from that. We then ask ourselves a question What type of diet does the patient have From there. Step three we formulate a hypothesis, and from that hypothesis we can make a prediction. We realize that we can lower the patient's sodium intake and that could help lower their blood pressure. So once we've made this hypothesis and made this prediction, we move on to step for here we design and conduct an experiment So we design a diet that is low in sodium. From there we collect and interpret the data. We see if the patient's blood pressure is lower. And then from that we can draw our own conclusions in step six. Here, should we accept or reject our hypothesis? What when it comes to the lowering of patients, sodium intake will help lower their blood pressure. Now, if we accept this, we move on to Step seven, where we have a peer review and publish our results here. We just publish it as a primary piece of literature. If we reject our hypothesis, then we have to start all over again and make our new observation.

The Scientific Method Example 2

A scientist observed a new phenomenon and wonders how it happens which of these steps comes next. So here we have, interpret data, design, an experiment, peer review, and hypothesize we know that when it comes to the scientific method, it first starts out with an observation and then a question. Remember after we have our observation, we come up with a hypothesis which will help us to understand what will happen and why it will happen. This means that option D. Would be the best choice it what comes next after our observations have been made?

Which of the following shows the best order of steps of the scientific method?

• A. Observation → Data Analysis → Hypothesis → Conclusion → Peer Review & Publish → Experiment.
• B. Observation → Hypothesis → Experiment → Peer Review & Publish → Analysis → Conclusion.
• C. Observation → Hypothesis → Experiment → Data Analysis → Conclusion → Peer Review & Publish.
• D. Experiment → Hypothesis → Observation → Data Analysis → Conclusion → Peer Review & Publish.

Which of the following statements represents an observation?

• A. Repeated studies show that lowering sodium in one's diet will lead to a decrease in blood pressure.
• B. During an assessment in the doctor's office, the nurse records that the patient's resting pulse as 32 beats per minute.
• C. A doctor believes that an incision during made during surgery that is red and pulsating is infected.
• D. A patient believes they are allergic to povidone-iodine and an alternate antiseptic must be used before surgery.

Which of the following statements represents a hypothesis?

• A. Drinking coffee at night keeps me awake.
• B. I will drink coffee early each morning before I start my day.
• C. If I drink coffee early in the morning, I will be able to sleep at night.
• D. The days that I drank coffee I was more alert than the days I didn't drink coffee.