Scientific Method Vocabulary
Grade 8 · Science · Flashcards
Review the key terms and concepts that define how scientists investigate questions and test ideas.
Flashcards
- Hypothesis
- A testable, specific prediction about the relationship between variables, often written as an if-then statement.
- Independent Variable
- The variable that the scientist deliberately changes or manipulates in an experiment.
- Dependent Variable
- The variable that is measured or observed; it responds to changes in the independent variable.
- Controlled Variables
- All factors kept the same in an experiment so they don't affect the results.
- Control Group
- The group in an experiment that does NOT receive the experimental treatment; used as a baseline for comparison.
- Experimental Group
- The group in an experiment that receives the independent variable (the treatment being tested).
- Data
- Information collected during an experiment, including measurements and observations.
- Qualitative Data
- Descriptive data based on observations that cannot be measured with numbers (e.g., color, texture, shape).
- Quantitative Data
- Data expressed as numbers and measurements (e.g., 25°C, 14 cm, 3 grams).
- Conclusion
- A statement that summarizes the results of an experiment and states whether the data supported the hypothesis.
- Theory
- A well-tested, widely accepted explanation for a phenomenon, supported by extensive evidence.
- Scientific Law
- A description of a pattern in nature that is always observed under certain conditions, often expressed as a formula.
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