Scientific Method Important Scientists Scientific Method Observation gathering

Scientific Method & Important Scientists

Scientific Method • Observation: gathering information • Hypothesis: proposed scientific explanation • Experiment: controlled activity to test the hypothesis by changing one variable at a time – Manipulated Variable – deliberately changed – Responding Variable – observed to change in response to the manipulated variable

Sci. Method Cont. • Data – information gathered from the experiment – Quantitative: things that can be counted; M-n-M’s – Qualitative: descriptions; blue people, red sky • Theory: well tested explanation for an observation

Important Scientists • Redi – disproved spontaneous generation – Life cannot arise from nonliving matter – Experiment: flies produce maggots • Leeuwenhoek: created the simple microscope – Saw microorganisms in pond water

Imp. Scientists Cont. • Needham – spontaneous generation could occur under the right conditions – heated and sealed gravy and saw activity (incorrect) • Spallanzani: microorganism need air to grow – Experiment: boiled & sealed gravy

Imp. Scientists Cont. • Pasteur - all living things come from other living things – Experiment: crocked neck flask – Disproved the idea that air is a life force – Showed infectious diseases were the result of microorganisms entering the body – developed vaccine against anthrax

Imp. Scientists Cont. • Watson & Crick: structure of DNA – Nobel Prize 1962 • Darwin – Father of Evolution – Published On Origin of the Species