Difference between revisions of "Experiment"
(New page: An '''experiment''' is a way to find out whether something is true or not. It is a kind of scientific test or demonstration.) |
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| − | An '''experiment''' is a way to find out whether something is true or not. It is a kind of scientific test or demonstration. | + | An '''experiment''' is a way to find out whether something is true or not. It is a kind of scientific test or demonstration. In the simplest sort of experiment, the testers vary one thing and measure another thing to discover whether there is a cause and effect relationship between them. If so, the ''independent variable'' can be manipulated reliably to produce changes in the ''dependent variable''. |
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| + | For example, in elementary science classes, we can heat water over a flame and measure the temperature with a thermometer. We can measure how much gas is used in the Bunsen burner, and how close the flame is to the bottom of the flask, and so on. Then we can measure how the temperature changes over time. Perhaps we will discover that more gas means faster heating, or that more distance between flame and flask results in slower heating. | ||
Revision as of 13:46, May 15, 2007
An experiment is a way to find out whether something is true or not. It is a kind of scientific test or demonstration. In the simplest sort of experiment, the testers vary one thing and measure another thing to discover whether there is a cause and effect relationship between them. If so, the independent variable can be manipulated reliably to produce changes in the dependent variable.
For example, in elementary science classes, we can heat water over a flame and measure the temperature with a thermometer. We can measure how much gas is used in the Bunsen burner, and how close the flame is to the bottom of the flask, and so on. Then we can measure how the temperature changes over time. Perhaps we will discover that more gas means faster heating, or that more distance between flame and flask results in slower heating.