| A | B |
|---|
| physical science | the study of matter and energy |
| observation | the use of human senses to gather information |
| hypothesis | a testable prediction; affected by experience and prior knowledge |
| theory | the most logical explanation of why things work the way they do |
| scientific law | a rule that describes a pattern in nature without explaining why |
| experiment | an organized procedure for testing a hypothesis |
| control | a group or population which is used for comparison purposes in an experiment; makes results valid |
| standard | another name for a control variable in an experiment OR the control used in measurement |
| constant | a factor that doesn't change in an experiment; makes results reliable |
| independent variable | the factor adjusted by the experimenter based on need and resources |
| dependent variable | the factor being tested in an experiment |
| length | distance between two points |
| time | interval between two events |
| convert | to change from one prefix or unit to another |
| derived unit | created by combining two or more SI units |
| mass | amount of matter in an object |
| accuracy | refers to how close a measurement is to the true value; related to skill |
| precision | refers to how close together repeated measurements are, regardless of accuracy; related to calibration |
| resolution | smallest interval which can be measured by a particular instrument |
| calibration | method used to improve precision of instrument |
| dimensional analysis | another name for conversion which implies use of conversion factor to arrive at answer |
| conversion factor | ratio of 2 quantities that equal "one" |
| meter | SI standard unit for length; measured using meterstick |
| liter | SI standard unit for capacity; measured using graduated cylinder |
| kilogram | SI standard unit for mass; measured using triple beam balance |
| second | SI standard unit for time; measured using stopwatch |
| Kelvin | SI standard unit for temperature; measured using a thermometer |
| Celsius | primary unit used by the scientific world for temperature |
| control variable | another name for a constant |
| experimental variable | another name for the dependent variable in an experiment |
