Science 1101

Science, Society, and the Environment I

Instructor Valerie King

Lecture 1 Outline
I. What is Science?
A. Forms of Scientific Inquiry
B. Types of Logic

II. Scientific Design

A. Scientific Method
B. Theory and Laws

III. Scientific Method in Action

A. Examples
B. Statistics

What is Science?
Science

derived from Latin to know

Way of asking and answering questions
Seeking answers to questions about
natural phenomena (we are therefore
limited to what kinds of questions we ask)
Scientific thinking reduces emotional
reactions

Forms of Scientific Inquiry

Discovery

or Descriptive Science

Observation
Qualitative vs. Quantitative data

Types of Logic
Inductive

Reasoning

Derive generalizations based on specific

observations

Types of Logic
Inductive

Reasoning

Derive generalizations based on specific

observations

Deductive

Reasoning

- Specific predictions follow from general

premise

Forms of Scientific Inquiry

Discovery

or Descriptive Science

Observation
Qualitative vs. Quantitative data

Hypothesis-Based

Science

Scientific Design
Scientific

knowledge begins with an

observation and a proposed explanation.
Explanation called a hypothesis
A hypothesis is testable and falsifiable
In science hypotheses are tested by using
them to make predictions about how a
particular system will behave

Example
Hypothesis:

all objects fall when

dropped

Test this by dropping objects

Each object we drop is a test of our
prediction, the more successful tests the
more confidence in our hypothesis

What

if we drop a helium balloon?

What if we drop something in the
space shuttle in space?
These are clear exceptions to our
original hypothesis-does this make
our hypothesis invalid?

Theories and Natural Laws

Theory:

a description of the world that

covers a relatively large number of
phenomena and has met many
observational and experimental tests
Law of Nature: theory (or group of
theories) that has been tested extensively
and seems to apply everywhere in the
universe-they become part of the
conceptual framework of a particular field

Scientific Method in Action

We

use the scientific method in everyday

life
Example:
You got in your car to drive up here and
turned the key but the car wouldnt start
(observation)

Scientific Method in Action

Example:
You got in your car to drive up here and
turned the key but the car wouldnt start
(observation)
Hypothesis: There is something wrong with
the car

Scientific Method in Action

Example:
You got in your car to drive up here and
turned the key but the car wouldnt start
(observation)
Hypothesis: There is something wrong with
the car
Predictions: battery dead, ignition problem,
out of gas

Scientific Method in Action

Test

predictions: turn on headlights, check

spark plug wires, dip stick in gas tank

Scientific Method in Action

Test

predictions: turn on headlights, check

spark plug wires, dip stick in gas tank
Analyze results: headlights work, strong
ignition spark, no gas on dip stick-gas
gauge reads half full

Scientific Method in Action

Test

predictions: turn on headlights, check

spark plug wires, dip stick in gas tank
Analyze results: headlights work, strong
ignition spark, no gas on dip stick-gas
gauge reads half full
Draw conclusion: gauge inaccurate, out of
gas

Scientific Method in Action

I

want to market a new flea collar for dogs

that is a natural remedy-no harsh
chemicals. But first I have to see if it really
works.
Hypothesis: Kings collar repels fleas
Prediction: dogs wearing the King collar
will have fewer fleas than dogs not wearing
the King collar

Important terms:
Independent (manipulated) variable:
condition or event under study (choose 1)
Dependent (responding) variable:
condition that could change under the
influence of the independent variable
(measure this)
Controlled variables: conditions which
could effect the outcome of the expt so
they must be held constant between
groups.

experimental group: group(s) subjected

to the independent variable
control group: group not subjected to the
independent variable, used as measuring
stick
reproducibility: producing the same result
consistently to verify result. It is therefore
important to describe your experimental
design in enough detail for others to
perform the same experiment.

Lets recap
Hyp:

Kings collar repels fleas

Pred: dogs wearing Kings collar will have
fewer fleas than those without collar
IV: Kings collar
DV: presence of fleas
CVs: anything that might effect the number
of fleas on the dogs
Can we think of some???

Experimental Design
Obtain 500 dogs of various breeds from
local shelters. Have vet weed out the 200
dogs with the most fleas. Randomly
assign individuals to 2 groups.
Board the dogs in identical environments
and treat them the same except that one
group gets to wear the King collar and the
other group does not
After 2 wks. The dogs are examined by a
vet for fleas.

Results: the dogs wearing the King collars

were virtually free of fleas after the 2 wk
period compared to the dogs without the
collars which had about the same number
of fleas as when the experiment began

Second Example
Observation:

polar bears are white, you

wonder why this is so
Hypotheses:
Match arctic landscape for protection/predation
White fur may reduce heat loss in warm-blooded
animals
Maybe polar bears are unable to produce melanin
therefore they are white as result

 Prediction: polar bears which are white

will capture more prey than those which
are dark

IV: color of bears

DV: number of prey
Experimental Design: spray paint 5 polar
bears dark(experimental Group)/leave 5
white(control group) Track prey capture
for 8 weeks

Effect of Polar Bear coat color

on prey capture
Color of Bear
White
Number of Prey 12

Dark
7

Probability and Statistics

Probability:

an attempt to measure and

predict the likelihood of an event
Statistics: allow you to evaluate
comparisons between experimental and
control groups

Effect of Polar Bear coat color

on prey capture
Color of Bear
Mean Number
of Prey
captured

White
12

Dark
7

Mean: sum the values, divide by the

number of values

 Assumptions: factors thought to be true

for the investigation but have not been
verified or controlled
Commonly accepted information
Thought to be held constant but not controlled
Factors beyond the investigators control
because of technical or time considerations

Incorrect assumptions invalidate an

experiment!

 Assumptions:
1. All of the bears are equally hungry
2. Spray painting the bears has no effect
on their behavior etc. accept to make them
stand out on the ice
3. Our sample of bears is a good
representation of the polar bear population
in general

Statistics
Sample

Size: # of observations necessary

to have a reliable representation of a
population
Confidence Limits: estimates that reflect
the reliability of your mean (average)

Probability your sample is similar to other

random samples of that population