Scientific Method
A formalizing questions into testable hypotheses, testing hypotheses, analyzing the data and making conclusions, and starting again with
new questions.
Hypotheses
A prediction of an outcome, or testable
answer to a question
Null Hypothesis
The hypothesis of no effect,
specifically no significant difference between groups.
Alternative hypothesis
Hypothesis that there is an effect. This is what you are testing
Experimental group
The group that is being tested
for an outcome; the independent variable is being tested
Control group
Used in controlled experiments, the
group that does not have the independent variable changed.
Observational study
A study that relies on observations and does not manipulate the independent
variable
Dependent variable
The variable in an experiment that is measured to see if changes in response to another variable known as the independent variable
Independent variable
The variable in an experiment that is manipulated to see if it causes a response in the dependent variable.
Statistical significance
A threshold in science to determine if the results are due to random chance
or not. A statistically significant results mean that the observed effect is unlikely caused by chance.
Fact
A phenomenon that exist or happens and can verified by observations or experiments
Evolution
Species change over time
Scientific Theory
A broad explanation for a large set
of observations that is well supported by observations and/or experiments and has yet to be refuted.
Natural Selection
a mechanism of adaptive evolution. The differential survival of individuals in a
population where the most fit are likely survive and reproduce.
Scientific Law
They predict or describe a phenomenon but does not explain why or how it
occurs.
Laws of thermodynamics
Laws that describe the nature and behavior of energy.
Entropy
A measure of disorder that increases with energy usage and time.
Uniformitarianism
The principle that the laws of nature are the same everywhere in the universe in the past, present, future
Critical Thinking
The ability to evaluate, question,
and challenge information in a knowledgeable and objective way
