Science Lecture Notes

Love for Science

• Personal anecdotes about developing a love for science
  • Speaker always loved science
  • Sister grew to love it through its relevance to life

Science Fairs

• Science fairs: events where students investigate problems
• Use of the scientific method to investigate
  • Steps: Observation, Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analysis, Conclusion
  • Misconception that science follows a strict linear method
  • Scientists often revisit steps and adjust models

Scientific Method

• Not a one-size-fits-all approach
• Variability in the steps across different sources
• Importance of flexibility and curiosity in science

Importance of Curiosity

• Curiosity drives exploration and learning
• Science aims to gain knowledge across all branches

Key Scientific Terms

• Observation: Gathering data about phenomena
• Inference: Logical statements based on evidence
• Example of barnacles on boats

Experimental Design

• Hypothetical experiment: Testing anti-barnacle additive on boats
• Importance of research and credible sources
• Setting up experiments with control groups
  • Control group: No treatment
  • Experimental groups: Different additive concentrations
  • Constants: Same application tools, boat models, environment

Graphing Results

• Bar graph to represent data
• Independent variable on X-axis (e.g., additive concentration)
• Dependent variable on Y-axis (e.g., number of barnacles)
• DRY MIX mnemonic for graphing

Science Concepts

• Science limited to natural phenomena
• Ethical considerations in scientific work
• Science is collaborative and ongoing
• Importance of science communication

Science as a Continuous Endeavor

• Ongoing nature of scientific discovery
• Importance of credible science communication and evaluation

Conclusion

• Science is for everyone and is constantly evolving
• Encouragement to stay curious and engage with science