What In the scientific method?

Answer 1

The Scientific method involves several sequential steps which allow a standard way of getting to te answer of a question. These, with a simple example, are:

1. Identify a problem that you wish to investigate as clearly as you can: You want to make sure your car is safe to drive
2. Based on your impressions identify what you think the answer might be (theory): You think your tire pressure is too low.
3. Determine what the outcome might be if you are right in this thinking: If you measure the pressure with a gauge it will be less than 28 psig
4. Do experiments or collect data to see if they confirm the expected results: The gauge says the pressure is 14 psig
5. Compare your results (real) to the predicted outcome: It is too low!
6. Make changes or modify your theory (start over again at step 2): Put some air into the tire with a pump
7. When your expected results and observed results are the same then your theory is probably correct (or almost so): After several cycles of check and pump the pressure is 28.1 psig, that is fine!

At this point most scientists let their results be known for other scientists to check out and attempt to duplicate the findings, This is called peer review.: You ask a friend to check the reading with his tire guage