Section outline

  • General

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  • 科学方法

    Three stylized angels dancing on the head of a silver pin.
     

    How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
    ::有多少天使能在针头上跳舞?

    This is a question that has been pondered over the centuries. Can it be answered using the scientific method? Is it a scientific question?
    ::这是几个世纪以来人们一直在思考的一个问题,能否用科学方法解答?这是一个科学问题吗?

    The Goal of Science
    ::科学的目标

    The goal of  science  is to answer questions about the natural world. Asking (and answering) questions is integral to the process of science. Scientific questions must be  testable . Which of these two questions is a good scientific question, and which is not?
    ::科学的目标是回答关于自然界的问题。 问(和回答)问题是科学进程不可分割的一部分。 科学问题必须能够测试。 这两个问题中哪一个是一个良好的科学问题,哪一个不是?

    • What is the age of our  planet  Earth?
      ::我们地球的时代是什么?
    • How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
      ::有多少天使能在针头上跳舞?

    The first is a good scientific question. It can be answered by age-dating   and by using other techniques. The second question cannot be answered using  data . It is not a scientific question.
    ::第一个问题是一个良好的科学问题,可以通过年龄定时和其他技术解答。第二个问题不能用数据解答。它不是一个科学问题。

    Scientific Method
    ::科学方法

    Scientists use the  scientific method  to answer questions. The scientific method is a series of steps. These steps help scientists (or even just people!) investigate a question.
    ::科学家使用科学方法回答问题。科学方法是一个步骤。这些步骤有助于科学家(甚至只是人!)调查一个问题。

    Often, students learn that the scientific method goes from step to step to step in a specific order, like so:
    ::通常,学生们知道科学方法从一步步到一步步按一个具体顺序发展,例如:

    • Ask a question. The question can be based on one or more observations or on data from a previous  experiment .
      ::问一个问题。问题可以基于一次或多次观测或先前试验的数据。
    • Do some background research.
      ::做一些背景研究。
    • Create a  hypothesis . Use your imagination and reasoning skills.
      ::创造假说 运用你的想象力和推理技巧
    • Conduct experiments or make observations to test the hypothesis.
      ::进行实验或进行观察以检验假设。
    • Gather the data.
      ::收集数据。
    • Use logical reasoning to formulate a conclusion.
      ::利用逻辑推理得出结论。

    In reality, however, the process doesn’t always go in a straight line. A scientist might ask a question and then start doing some background research. During their research, they may discover that their original question needed to be asked in a different way, or that an entirely different question should be asked. As a result, they are brought back to the first step of the scientific method.
    ::然而,在现实中,这一过程并不总是直线进行。 科学家可能会问一个问题,然后开始做一些背景研究。 在他们的研究中,他们可能发现最初的问题需要以不同的方式提出,或者应该提出完全不同的问题。 结果,他们又回到了科学方法的第一步。

    Ask a Question
    ::问一个问题

    Now, let’s ask a scientific question. Remember that it must be testable.
    ::现在,让我们来问一个科学问题。 记住它必须是可测试的。

    Scientific data have shown that the average global   has been on the rise since the late 1800s. Scientists know that carbon dioxide is a  greenhouse gas . Greenhouse gases trap  heat  in the  atmosphere . A scientist could wonder if greenhouse gases and temperatures are changing together.  This leads us to a testable question:
    ::科学家知道二氧化碳是一种温室气体。温室气体在大气中捕捉热量。科学家可能会怀疑温室气体和温度是否同时在变化。这让我们得出了一个可以测试的问题:

    Question: Is the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere changing?
    ::问题:地球大气中的二氧化碳数量是否在变化?

    This is a good scientific question because it is testable.
    ::这是一个良好的科学问题,因为它是可以测试的。

    Line graph showing increasing atmospheric CO2 levels at Mauna Loa Observatory from 1958 to 2020.
     
    According to data collected at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, atmospheric carbon dioxide has been increasing since record-keeping began in 1958. The small ups and downs of the red line are due to seasonal changes in the winter and summer. The black line traces the annual average.

    How has carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changed since 1958 ( Figure  )? The line on the graph is going up, so carbon dioxide has increased. About how much has it increased in parts per million?
    ::1958年以来大气中的二氧化碳是如何变化的(图 ) ? 图表上的线正在上升,因此二氧化碳增加了。 关于二氧化碳在百万分之几上增长多少?

    So we’ve answered the question. We used data from research that has already been done. Fortunately, scientists have been monitoring CO 2  levels over the years. If they hadn't, we’d have to start these measurements now.
    ::因此,我们已经回答了这个问题。 我们使用了已经研究的数据。 幸运的是,科学家们多年来一直在监测二氧化碳水平。 如果没有,我们现在就必须开始测量。

    Because this question can be answered with data, it is testable.
    ::因为这个问题可以用数据回答,所以是可以测试的。

    Summary
    ::摘要

    • Scientific questions must be testable.
      ::科学问题必须是可测试的。
    • Scientists use the scientific method to answer questions about the natural world.
      ::科学家使用科学方法回答关于自然界的问题。

    Review
    ::回顾

    1. What feature does a question need to have in order to be a good scientific question?
      ::为了成为一个良好的科学问题,一个问题需要具备什么特征?
    1. Create a question that is a good scientific question. Create a question that is not a good scientific question.
      ::创建问题是一个好的科学问题。创建问题不是一个好的科学问题。
    1. Look at the graph of atmospheric CO 2  measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory over time ( Figure  ). How much has the atmospheric CO 2 content risen since 1958?
      ::查看Mauna Loa观测台长期测量的大气CO2图(图 ) 1958年以来大气CO2含量上升了多少?