| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Scientific Inquiry | The way in which scientists study the world and produce explanations based on data |
| Hypothesis | A possible answer to a question that can be tested |
| Parameter | Factors that can be measured |
| Manipulated Variable | Variable that you can change (Independent) |
| Responding Variable | Variable that changes in response to the manipulated variable (Dependent) |
| Data | Facts, figures, and other information gathered from experience |
| Qualitative Data | Observations or data that don't involve numbers |
| Quantitative Data | Observations or data that involve numbers and measurements |
| Communicating | When you share your results so others can repeat and check your results |
| Model | A picture, diagram, or computer image that shows and object or process |
| Scientific Theory | A well tested explanation of observations or experimental results |
| Scientific Law | What scientists expect to happen every time under certain conditions |
| Science | Study of the natural world |
| Observing | Using two or more senses to gather information |
| Inferring | Explaining your observation |
| Predicting | Making a statement about the future |
| Chemistry | Properties of matter and how it changes |
| Physics | Study of matter, energy, motion and forces |
| Controlled Experiment | An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time |
| Graph | Picture of data |
| Horizontal Axis | Line that runs left and right (Independent/manipulated variable) |
| Vertical Axis | Line that runs up and down (Dependent/responding variable) |
| Origin | ( 0 , 0 ) |
| Coordinate | Pair of numbers that tell the position of a point |
| Data Point | Shows location of the intersection of data |
| Line of Best Fit | Reflects general pattern of a graph |
| Linear Graph | Where points form a straight line |
| Slope | Tells you how much Y changes for every change in X |
| Nonlinear Graph | Data does not fall along a straight line/can't draw line of best fit |
