<section>
<h2 class="title">Scientific Method</h2>
<p>The scientific method is the basic skill process in the world of science. Since the beginning of time humans have been curious as to why and how things happen in the world around us. The scientific method provides scientists with a well structured scientific platform to help find the answers to their questions.</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_102896" style="width: 350px"><a href="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/d4a98fed-ad18-4664-a1f8-0eb4b7c89f62"><img alt="scientific-method" class="size-full wp-image-102896" height="350" src="https://data.ulearngo.com/assets/d4a98fed-ad18-4664-a1f8-0eb4b7c89f62" width="350"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: Amazon.com</p></div>
<p>Using the scientific method there is no limit as to what we can investigate. The scientific method can be summarised as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li>Ask a question about the world around you.</li>
<li>Do background research on your questions.</li>
<li>Make a hypothesis about the event that gives a sensible result. You must be able to test your hypothesis through experiment.</li>
<li>Design an experiment to test the hypothesis. These methods must be repeatable and follow a logical approach.</li>
<li>Collect data accurately and interpret the data.You must be able to take measurements, collect information, and present your data in a useful format (drawings, explanations, tables and graphs).</li>
<li>Draw conclusions from the results of the experiment. Your observations must be made objectively, never force the data to fit your hypothesis.</li>
<li>Decide whether your hypothesis explains the data collected accurately.</li>
<li>If the data fits your hypothesis, verify your results by repeating the experiment or getting someone else to repeat the experiment.</li>
<li>If your data does not fit your hypothesis perform more background research and make a new hypothesis.</li>
</ol>
<p>Remember that in the development of both the gravitational theory and thermodynamics, scientists expanded on information from their predecessors or peers when developing their own theories. It is therefore very important to communicate findings to the public in the form of scientific publications, at conferences, in articles or TV or radio programmes. It is important to present your experimental data in a specific format, so that others can read your work, understand it, and repeat the experiment.</p>
<ol>
<li>Aim: A brief sentence describing the purpose of the experiment.</li>
<li>Apparatus: A list of the apparatus.</li>
<li>Method: A list of the steps followed to carry out the experiment.</li>
<li>Results: Tables, graphs and observations about the experiment.</li>
<li>Discussion: What your results mean.</li>
<li>Conclusion: A brief sentence concluding whether or not the aim was met.</li>
</ol>
<h3><strong>Hypothesis</strong></h3>
<p>A hypothesis should be specific and should relate directly to the question you are asking. For example if your question about the world was, why do rainbows form, your hypothesis could be: <em>Rainbows form because of light shining through water droplets</em>. After formulating a hypothesis, it needs to be tested through experiment. An incorrect prediction does not mean that you have failed. It means that the experiment has brought some new facts to light that you might not have thought of before.</p>
<div class="ns-tutorial">
<div class="ns-school-defn2">
<h3>Fact:</h3>
<p>In science we never 'prove' a hypothesis through a single experiment because there is a chance that you made an error somewhere along the way. What you can say is that your results SUPPORT the original hypothesis.</p>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<section></section>

1c4ddb66-ad36-4f81-90e7-4629f497d0b4

Scientific Method

Physics is a science discipline concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. Physics topics include mechanics, heat, light and radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, the structure of atoms, and so on.

Physics

Explore various scientific concepts and practical skills, including scientific notation, unit conversions, rates, ratios, constants, and the scientific method, as well as laboratory safety procedures and designing models.


Scientific Method

Track Your Learning Progress