CHAPTER 1 IntroductIon to the ScIentIfIc Method and WorkIng together Scientists believe there is a natural explanation for most things For any problem they see they try to understand the cause so they can come up with a solution The process scientists use to solve problems is called the scientific method Scientists start by find ing out as much as possible about a problem Then they make a hypothesis A hypothesis is an attempt to explain the problem They test the hypothesis with 4
VOCABULARY an experiment Then they collect and analyze the results of the experiment or the data If the experiment does not support the hypothesis the scientists think about the problem again and develop a new hypothesis An experiment is a procedure carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover something to test a hypothesis or to serve as an example Scientific method ask question collect information make observations form a hypothesis record and analyze data draw conclusions conduct experiment develop new hypothesis try again This illustration shows the steps of the scientific method experiment supports hypothesis experiment does not support hypothesis communicate results 2013 Encyclopædia Britannica Inc
Next they test that hypothesis with a new experiment If the experiment supports the hypoth esis other scientists repeat the experiment If they get the same results the hypothesis will be accepted as true until it can be proven false Scientists use information they learn from test ing many hypotheses to develop scientific theories A theory is a much broader expla nation than a hypothesis Sci entists consider theories to be the best explanations for why some things happen A theory may later need to be changed if scientists discover new infor mation about the subject Nicolaus Copernicus developed an important theory about how the planets move around the sun 6
Scientific research can involve a lot of work that is too difficult and time consuming for one person To speed up research and development of theories scientists often collaborate and share the results of their work Collaboration makes it possible to approach the problem-solving process from many different points of view Collaboration and sharing information is a standard practice within the scientific community In fact many of the world’s greatest discoveries would not have occurred if scien tists chose to work alone rather than together Have you ever studied with a friend for a test How is that similar to or different from scientists who collaborate together 77 THINK ABOUT IT
