| A | B |
|---|
| prediction | a statement about an event that will happen in the future |
| data | information, escpecially facts or numbers, collected to be examined and considered and used to help decision-making |
| variable | any item, factor, or condition that can be controlled or changed |
| independent variable | the one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment, also called the manipulative varialbe |
| dependent variable | the factor that changes as a result of changes to the independent variable in an experiment, also called responding variable |
| control variable | also called control. A constant and unchanging standard of comparison in scientific experimentation |
| science | a continuous cycle of asking questions about the natural world and looking for answers |
| scientific method | a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions |
| observation | the use of one or more senses to gather information |
| quantitative observation | observation that deals with a number or amount |
| qualitative observation | observation that is not expressed in numbers |
| inference | a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning |
| hypothesis | a possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question; must be testable. Should be written as an "if/then" statement |
| controlled experiment | a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact |
| conclusion | summarizes and explains what happened in the experiment. Answers the question posed and based soley on the results of the experiment |
| classifying | grouping together of items that are alike in some ways |
| control group | The control group of an experiment is a group that is not exposed to the independent variable and thus serves as a benchmark for which to compare the results of the experimental group to. |
