ENVI 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Design Of Experiments, Nuclear Fission, Atomic Mass
1 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Science: a systematic attempt to discover how nature works through observation and experimentation to make predictions. The scientific method: observation, question(s, formulate hypotheses (proposed explanation for an observation or phenomenon) and predictions, experiments to test hypotheses, draw conclusions. Niche: role or position a species occupies within an environment. Fundamental niche: the conditions required for a species to thrive. Realized niche: conditions that take into account the complexity of the community such as interactions between species. Goal of the scientist - to determine theories and laws. Scientific law - well-tested and widely accepted description of a phenomenon happening repeatedly. Scientific theory - well-tested and widely accepted explanation of a phenomenon happening repeatedly. Supported by a large body of empirical evidence. Can be proven wrong with contrary evidence. Systems in natural world involve a huge number of variables and complex interactions. Matter: anything that has mass and takes up space, existing in solid, liquid, gas.
