The process of scientific inquiry
The scientific inquiry process is the method scientists use to explore observations and answer questions. It's a cycle of observation, questioning, hypothesizing, testing, and concluding.
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Concept
The scientific inquiry process is a systematic approach to understanding the natural world. It's not a rigid set of steps, but a flexible process that can be adapted.
The Steps:
1. Observation: Noticing and describing events in a careful, orderly way. 2. Question: Asking a question about the observation. 3. Hypothesis: A scientific explanation for a set of observations that can be tested in ways that support or reject it. 4. Experiment: A controlled procedure to test the hypothesis. 5. Analysis: Recording and analyzing data from the experiment. 6. Conclusion: A logical interpretation based on the data. Does the data support or reject the hypothesis? 7. Communication: Sharing results with the scientific community.
Key Idea: The process is iterative. The results of one experiment often lead to new questions and new hypotheses.
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Practice: The process of scientific inquiry.