CPSurf Hewitt's Page - Chapter 1: Learning Links


 


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  • Scientific Method

Science does not define truth; rather, it defines a way of thought. It is a process in which experiments are used to answer questions.

This process is called the scientific method and involves several steps:

1. Observation: The first step of the scientific method takes place when an observation is made regarding some event or characteristic of the world. This observation might lead to a question regarding the event or characteristic. For example, you might drop a glass of water one day and observe it crashing to the floor near your feet. This observation might lead you to ask a question, "Why did the glass fall?"

2. Hypothesis: In attempting to answer the question, a scientist will form a hypothesis (or some would say a guess) regarding the question's answer. In our example there are many possible hypotheses, but one hypothesis might be that an invisible force (gravity) pulled the glass to the floor.

3. Experimentation: Of all the steps in the scientific method, the one that truly separates science from other disciplines is the process of experimentation. In order to prove, or disprove, a hypothesis, a scientist will design an experiment to test the hypothesis. Over the centuries, many experiments have been designed to study the nature of gravity. Let's look at one.


 

 

 

 

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