What is the Scientific Method?

Will a ping-pong ball float or sink in liquids?

How would you find an answer to this question?

What steps would you use to solve this problem or answer this question?

In the real world and in science, we are given problems to solve and questions to answer.

Sometimes we will not have an answer or solution….we must find one.

To help us find a reliable and true solution or answer, we must follow certain steps.

These steps are called the Scientific Method.

The Scientific Method is a process that helps us analyze a problem and find a solution.

The Scientific Method1. Ask a Question or State the

Problem

Without a question to answer or a problem to solve, we cannot conduct an experiment to find a solution.

Sometimes we will have to ask our own questions based on observations and other times we will be given a question or problem to solve.

The Scientific Method2. Develop a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a possible explanation or answer to a scientific question or problem.

After we ask or are given a problem, we develop a possible explanation or question.

A hypothesis must be testable. This means that we must be able to conduct an experiment to determine if our hypothesis is correct or not.

We must test our hypothesis multiple times.

Hypotheses must be written in the form: “I hypothesize that ……”

The Scientific Method3. Conduct an Experiment

We perform our experiment to test our hypothesis multiple times.

It is important that each time, we perform the experiment the same way.

The Scientific Method4. Collect and Analyze Data

During the experiment we collect data and analyze it so we can make appropriate conclusions.

We often collect data in the form of a table and then graph the results so we can share our findings.

The Scientific Method5. State your Conclusion

A conclusion is a summary of what you have learned from the experiment.

The conclusion is a detailed answer to your question or problem.

The conclusion is written in the form: “My hypothesis was…..because….”

All 5 steps in the Scientific Method work together.

We cannot skip a step if we want to find a solution!