THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Notes 1

QUESTION – determine a question that you would like to find an answer to

OBSERVATION – use of the five senses, literature review, internet search, etc.
*Qualitative Observation – descriptive (ie. “the grass is _______, ______, ________)
*Quantitative Observation – numerical measurements (ie. “the grass is _______,_______, _______”)

HYPOTHESIS – an “educated” guess (based on observation)

*Must be testable
EXPERIMENT – in order to draw any conclusions about a problem or question, you must perform an
experiment!!
*Involves two variables:
Manipulated (or Independent) Variable – the variable that is manipulated by the experimenter
(the experimenter chooses values before the experiment begins)

Responding (or Dependent) Variable - the variable that changes depending on what happens to the
manipulated variable (values are obtained during the experiment)

*Many experiments also contain a control – the “non-treatment” portion of the experiment
(as close to nature as possible; the manipulated variable is not changed)

*Intervening Variables – these are conditions in the experiment that might “mess up” the results; these
variables must be eliminated from the experimental and control set-ups

DATA COLLECTION / ANALYSIS

*This may consist of written observations, data tables, graphs, etc.
*Larger samples (and ones that are more spread out or random) give more representative data
RESULTS / CONCLUSIONS
A statement of the findings of the experiment

Look at the situation below underline and label the independent and dependent variables. Then try to label
what a graph of this experiment would look like.
You want to figure out which brand of microwave popcorn pops the most kernels so you can get the
most value for your money. You test different brands of popcorn to see which bag pops the most popcorn
kernels
 NOTES 2
PROPERTIES OF MATTER
CHEMISTRY – the study of the composition of substances and the changes that these substances undergo

MATTER – anything that has _______________ and takes up ____________________

ENERGY – the ability to do ____________ (ie. electrical, chemical, mechanical, radiant, heat, nuclear,
gravitational, heat, sound)

kinetic energy – the energy of _____________ potential energy – _______________ energy

Kinetic Potential

Electrical Heat Light Mechanical Chemical Nuclear Gravitational

Sound

VISCOSITY – a measure of the _______________________________ of a liquid to flow

Determined by:
a. Type of intermolecular forces
b. The shape of the particles
c. Temperature

PROPERTIES OF MATTER:

*Physical Property – can be observed or ________________________ without changing the composition of

the substance
Examples:

*Chemical Property – describes the ability of a substance to ____________________ with or

__________________ into one or more substances.
Examples-

*Intensive Property – _______________________ depend on the amount of material present

Examples:

*Extensive Property – ______________________ on the amount of material present

Examples:

Look at the situation below underline and label the physical, chemical, intensive, and extensive properties.

Samantha’s lab report details a mysterious rock that was found outside of a cavern. The rock is
described to be reactive with hydrochloric acid and have a light odor of sulfur. The rock was also described to
have a melting point of 345 degrees Fahrenheit and a weight of 72.3 grams.
MOTION OF PARTICLES IN MATTER:

*Vibrational - ______________________________________________________________

*Rotational - _______________________________________________________________

*Translational - _____________________________________________________________

STATES OF MATTER:

No definite shape No definite shape

SHAPE Definite shape Takes the shape Takes the shape
of container of container
No definite volume
VOLUME Definite volume Definite volume Spreads out to
fill container
Particles are free to
Particles vibrate Particles move fast
PARTICLE SPEED move, but have
in place only and at random
boundaries

Plasma: a gas made up of ions and electrons (neutral in charge, overall) – formed when electrons hop off and
back onto atoms in the gas; “super hot, super excited” Examples: lightning, fluorescent lights, stars

PHASE CHANGES:

*Condensation - _______________________ *Vaporization - ______________________

__________________ - vaporization at the surface of a liquid, __________________ - vaporization throughout the liquid
*Melting - __________________________ *Freezing - __________________________

*Sublimation - ________________________ *Deposition -________________________

NOTES 3
 CHANGES IN MATTER
PHYSICAL CHANGE – a change in matter which alters a substance without changing its composition
Examples:

CHEMICAL CHANGE – a change in matter in which the composition of the substance is changed
Examples:

INDICATIONS OF A CHEMICAL CHANGE:

1. _____________________________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________________________________

*precipitate – solid formed during a chemical reaction

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ______________ – in any chemical or physical process, matter is neither created
or destroyed

(i.e. total mass of reactants at the beginning must equal total mass of products at the end of a reaction)

LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ________________ – in any chemical or physical process, energy is neither

created or destroyed, but only changed from one
form to another
Draw what you think a chemical change and a physical change would look like on the atomic level using the images
provided below.
 NOTES 4
CLASSIFICATION OF MATTER
Homogeneous Matter – matter which has a uniform composition; it appears to be the same
throughout

Heterogeneous Matter – matter which does not have a uniform composition; it has parts with visible
differences in appearance

MATTER CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS:

1. ELEMENT – the simplest form of matter; cannot be broken down by chemical or physical means;
homogeneous; smallest particle is the atom (smallest particle of an element that can
still be identified as that element)
*Examples:

2. COMPOUND – made up of two or more elements chemically combined; can only be separated by
chemical means; homogeneous; constituent elements lose their original properties;
smallest particle is the molecule (two or more atoms bonded together)
*Examples:

Both elements and compounds are considered to be substances (matter which is pure; made up of only one
type of particle). For example, “salt” and “water” are substances, but “salt water” is not.

3. MIXTURE – two or more substances physically combined; can be separated by physical means
only; constituent substances keep or retain their original properties
Examples:

*Mixtures may be:

a. homogeneous (called “solutions”) –
b. heterogeneous –

Write a summary of how you can tell an element, compound, and mixture apart.

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