Scientific Method

Scientific Investigation

PHY/101

Jim Engstrom

June 18, 2014

Demetria Kimbrough

Scientific Investigation

Over the last five weeks a lot about physics and how it affects people’s everyday lives has been taught. Working in the dairy business I was never aware of how it pertained to our industry, until week four and the topic of Reflection and Refraction was explained. At the dairy a daily test is given in the lab on the juice and tea products that test for color by light refraction. The product is refracted using a refraction meter which uses light to see if the final product meets the color and brix needed for quality control. This paper will hopefully show the value of the scientific investigation process and how it is in everyone’s life today.

Hypothesis and Scientific Tools

Why should people create a hypothesis before conducting a scientific investigation? The use of a hypothesis is to help with a starting point to explain why they are preforming and experiment and its scope and objectivity. The hypothesis is merely a statement that there is not enough evidence present to support an idea or an explanation of an observation or principle. It is a statement of unproven fact, sometimes just a guess that is tentatively accepted as a basis or foundation for further investigation. If a hypothesis is proven to be correct beyond reasonable doubt, it becomes a theory and is generally accepted by the scientific community. While the use of tools in the investigation is governed by the materials you have for the investigation. It will also depend on the kind of investigation and the extent they would go to finish their investigation.

Dependent Variable, Independent Variable and Controlled Parameters

Dependent variable and independent variable are often used similar but with different applications in statistics and mathematics as standard terminology in both. Both are used to help differentiate between two kinds of...