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Nature of Science and Scientific Method Guided Notes
Anything present in the environment, around the world, living, non-living everything is included in science. Science can be knowledge, science can be a fun, it can be a fact, a discovery, a law, a solved mystery, etc.
The word science is derived from a Latin word “scientia” or “sciens” which means “to know”.
What is Science?
Science is a process of finding facts, revealing the truth and a systematic knowledge gained by any scientific study. Science is the study of natural world. It is a way of studying the natural world and the natural phenomena using scientific methods.
Science includes facts, definitions, concepts, theories, laws, concepts, phenomenon, logics, etc. The definition of science changes with views of different scientists and with the branch of science. The overall goal of science is to give an explanation and a solution to a problem.
A Science Laboratory
Depending upon the area of study, the branch of science differs. On a broader range, there can be 4 branches of science.
- Physical Sciences: These are mainly concerned with the study of non-living objects such as the planets, molecules, rocks, rivers, etc. These include four studies:
a)Astronomy
b)Geoscience
c)Chemistry
d)Physics
- Social Sciences: These sciences are mainly concerned with study of human mind. These include:
a)Sociology
b)Psychology
- Life Sciences: These sciences include the study of living organisms at all levels of organization.
a)Functional Biology
b)Cellular Biology
c)Botany
d)Zoology
- Formal Sciences: These sciences include the study of formal systems. These include:
a)Mathematics
b)Logic
Branches of Science
Physical Sciences Social Sciences
Formal Sciences Life Sciences
What is the Nature of Science?
Nature of science is defined as principles and ideas that provide description of the science and makes it more understandable. The nature of science or scientific knowledge includes:
- Tentativeness: Scientific knowledge is tentative in nature. Any scientific knowledge is well tested and is reliable because it is supported by various data and observation. Despite, the knowledge is challenged and retested for its accuracy and is a subject to change based on new observations and findings. This makes the knowledge tentative in nature.
- Empirical Evidence: The scientific knowledge is based on true findings. It is derived from data that are observed and well experimented. Thus, scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidences.
- Durability: Most of the scientific knowledge are durable. Even if we have another theory that is more accepted than the previous one, it does not mean that the previous theory is completely denied.
- Creativity: Scientific knowledge acts as an inspiration for scientists to show their creativity in various ways using the power of imagination and investigation.
- Based on Logic and Imagination: The scientific knowledge is always based on logic and investigation. It is also based on the imagination of the scientist in the form of investigation.
What is Scientific Method?
Scientific method is defined as an efficient technique and an organized process to test ideas in a systematic way. It is an experimental step by step process for an investigation to carry out and to derive a conclusion.
Steps in Scientific Method
Scientific method is an ongoing process that includes five steps. All these steps are related to each other and follow in the same sequence. These steps are very evident for any scientific enquiry. The steps included in scientific method are as follows:
- Observation
- Question
- Hypothesis
- Experiment
- Evaluation
- Interpretation
Observation: It is an action of closely monitoring something or someone. In scientific term, observation is a set of information obtained from a primary source.
Question: It is a sentence that needs to be interrogated or cross-examined and prepared based on the observation. Asking a question is very important in science. “Why” something happens is important to know. So, the more you ask a question, the more you create problems and try to solve them.
Hypothesis: It is a proposed explanation based on evidences that can be investigated further to prove it right or wrong. The scientific hypothesis is alwaystested. In science, a hypothesis is formed before answering any question. Hypothesis making is an important step in scientific enquiry. The hypothesis is not always correct, it might be wrong also. A hypothesis which is proved wrong at one time can be proved right at another time by another scientist. A hypothesis can be verified depending upon two variables: dependent variable and independent variable. The dependent variable is dependent on the independent variable while the independent variable can be manipulated. For a hypothesis to be true, the dependent variable must be obtained when independent variable is manipulated.
A testable explanation is called hypothesis.Examples of hypothesis can be:
a)Water is a universal solvent.
b)Air pollution affects plants and animals.
Experiment:The next step after formulating a hypothesis is experimentation. It is scientific procedure that is carried out to validate whether a hypothesis is correct or not. It includes all the tests and reactions that are carried out in a laboratory or any physical prediction that uses principle of mathematics to solve a problem.
In the above example of hypotheses, you can carry out experiments to prove whether the hypotheses are right or wrong. You need to design an experiment depending upon your hypothesis.
Evaluation: It refers to any assessment that is used to estimate or judge anything. In science, all the evidences, observations, data, results and conclusions are minutely evaluated.
Interpretation: It is the explanation of the evaluated result obtained from the experimental findings and observation.
Thus, it can be concluded that all the steps of scientific method are the integral part of the scientific enquiry.
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