Scientific method

• Scientific method is a process that scientists use that have specific steps.
• The first step is to come up with a question through observation.
• The second step is to make an aim/purpose of the experiment, including the variables from the result of the experiment.
• The third step is to identify the variables e.g independent, dependent or fixed.
• The fourth step is to make a hypothesis about the experiment.
• The fifth step is to make a method. The meth must be clear, including all materials used, exact measurements, be written in present tense, be in point or bullet form and include safety precautions.
• The sixth step is to record results and present them in formats such as graphs, tables, pie charts etc.
• The seventh step is to analyse the data.
• The eighth step is to discuss the results based on reliability and validity.
• The ninth step is to present your conclusions. Discuss your findings and link them to your hypothesis.
• Graphs are a very good way of recording and communicating information. A graph is a picture which shows the relationship between two things that can change.
• A graph can be used to give a large amount of information in a way that is easy to understand and also easy to remember.
• The most commonly used graphs are: line graphs, histograms, bar graphs and pie charts.
• The type of graph that you choose depends on the type of information that you want to show.
• A line graph is useful in displaying data or information that continuously changes over time. The points on a line graph are connected by a line.
• Histograms are used to represent continuous data. E.g. the amount of cappuccinos made per hour. The number of cappuccinos is continuous data. The bars touch touch each other but there is a gap between the first bar and the y-axis.
• A bar graph is used to represent grouped data; it provides a visual representation of categorical data I.e. different categories. The categories appear along the horizontal axis and the bars do’t touch each other.
• A pie chart is a type of graph in which a circle is divided into sectors that each represents a proportion of the whole.
• We need to represent each part of the data as a proportion of 360 because there are 360 degrees in a circle. Formula= number divided by the total multiplied by 360 to get your amswer.
• A habitat provides all the necessary resources for an organism to live in.
• 2 types of relationships exist in every habitat: Between two living organisms or between a living organism and it’s non-living environment.
• Ecology is the study of living things and their relationships to one another (living to living) and the environment (living to non-living).
• Living things - biotic factors e.g. plants animals etc. Non-living things - abiotic factors e.g. rock, water , light, sand etc.
• Species: a group of individuals that look similar, are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
• Population: a group of individuals of the same species living in a defined area.
• Community: a group of individuals of the different species/populations living in a defined area.
• Ecosystem: area where biotic and abiotic things depend on one another in many different ways.
• Food chains show the transfer of energy from one organism to another. The flow of energy is shown with arrows.
• Each step in a food chain is called a trophic (energy) level. Food chains are always drawn horizontally.
• Food chains always start with producers.
• Producers are all organisms that can produce their own food e.g. Plants.
• In an ecosystem living organisms are interconnected by food webs— feeding relationships.
• Food webs consists of: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers and an apex predator.
• In a food web (made up of many food chains), there are many interlinking food chains.