Questions and Answers
What is most scientific questions based on?
A question about a moral issue can be answered with scientific methods.
False
What is a scientific question that can be asked about the insect in the photo?
How does the insect's appearance affect its survival?
Which question about dinosaurs is a scientific question?
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What is a scientific question?
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Why did the scientist ask a new question about the impact of climate change on the species?
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Which question could be tested in a scientific manner?
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What will the scientist most likely do after making surprising observations about diet and disease resistance in rats?
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Why is Amy's question 'Why do living things sometimes change direction?' not a very good scientific question?
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The question 'What color is a great horned owl?' is considered a scientific question.
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The question 'Is the lifespan of snowshoe hares affected by levels of winter snowfall?' is a good scientific question.
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Which question would least likely lead to a scientific investigation based on findings from the human genome project?
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What is a scientific question that could be asked about the picture?
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Study Notes
Formulating Scientific Questions
- Scientific questions originate from observations and phenomena in the natural world.
- Moral questions cannot be addressed using scientific methods due to their subjective nature.
Examples of Scientific Questions
- An insect's adaptation can be questioned by asking how its appearance impacts survival.
- A scientific inquiry related to dinosaurs could be, "How big was the average velociraptor?"
Characteristics of Scientific Questions
- A scientific question must be based on observations and be testable.
- Increased temperature effects on offspring can lead to further inquiries about climate change's impact on species.
Testable Questions
- "What causes some people to be color-blind?" illustrates a question that can be scientifically tested.
Scientific Investigation and Follow-Up
- Observations of unexpected patterns may prompt further studies, such as the role of genetics in disease resistance in mice.
Evaluating Question Quality
- Broad questions, like Amy's regarding direction changes in living things, are less effective scientifically.
- Non-testable questions, such as the color of an owl, are considered nonscientific.
Good Scientific Questions
- Specific inquiries like the impact of snowfall on snowshoe hare lifespans are valid for investigation.
Implications of Scientific Findings
- The Human Genome Project's discoveries would not lead to investigations about ethical laws concerning DNA data, which is more of a societal issue than a scientific one.
Another Example of a Scientific Question
- The behaviour of butterflies can be investigated by asking if they predominantly visit specific colors of flowers, such as orange.
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Description
This quiz explores the foundations of scientific inquiry, focusing on the characteristics and examples of scientific questions. Participants will learn how to formulate testable questions based on observations and the natural world, and understand the distinction between scientific and moral questions.
