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1.3 Thinking Like a Scientist
The scientific method is important in modern science.
Lesson Summary
An Experimental Approach to ScienceModern science is based on experiments that
include careful observation and measurement.
Lavoisier transformed experiments by making careful measurements.
The Scientific MethodScientific problems are solved through the use of the scientific
method.
The scientific method includes making observations, testing hypotheses, and
developing theories.
Experiments that test hypotheses involve variables that can be changed.
Successfully repeated experiments may become a theory or be summarized
by a scientific law.
Collaboration and CommunicationIt is important for scientists to work together
and check each other’s work.
Successful collaboration brings together the knowledge and skills of different scientists.
Scientists communicate in different ways including publishing their results in scientific
journals and communicating through e-mail, on the phone, and in person.
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Name Class Date
After reading Lesson 1.3, answer the following questions.
An Experimental Approach to Science
1.Practical alchemy focused on
.
2.Alchemists developed processes for separating and purifying .
3.How did Lavoisier help to transform chemistry?
4.Circle the letter of the word that completes the sentence. Lavoisier demonstrated that
is necessary for materials to burn.
a. phlogistonc. oxygen
b. nitrogend. metals
The Scientific Method
5.What is the scientific method?
6.Complete the flowchart about the scientific method.
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7.Circle the letter of the activity that involves using the senses to gather information
directly.
a. forming a hypothesis
b. making an observation
c. planning an experiment
d. analyzing data
8.What do scientists do if the results of an experiment do not support the hypothesis?
9.The variable is changed during an experiment.
The variable is observed during an experiment.
10.Is the following sentence true or false? Once a theory has been accepted, no experiment
will ever disprove it.
11.What is a scientific law?
12.Circle the letter of each statement that expresses a scientific law.
a. As the temperature of a balloon increases, the balloon expands.
b. Increasing the temperature of a balloon might cause it to burst.
c. If all other variables are kept constant, the volume of a gas increases as the
temperature increases.
d. Sometimes increasing the temperature of a gas causes the gas to expand.
Collaboration and Communication
13.Several scientists working together to solve a problem is .
14.Is the following statement true or false? Scientists from different disciplines may need to
work together on a problem because the problem is too complex for one person to solve.
15.Exchanging ideas about science is called .
16.How are journals helpful to scientists?
17.Is the following statement true or false? Experts in an author’s field review articles before
they are published in a journal.
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