Qualitative/Quantitative

Question 1

What is a qualitative observation?

Answer 1

Describes non-numerical qualities of matter or changes in matter.

Question 2

What is a quantitative observation?

Answer 2

Involve a numerical quantity of matter.

Question 3

Quantitative examples

Answer 3

5’10, 150cm, 110lb, 123kg, 100%

Question 4

Qualitative Examples

Answer 4

Tall, short, normal, heavy, awesome, fail

Question 5

Definition of: Observation

Answer 5

Qualitative information collected through the direct use of our senses

Question 6

Definition of: Interpretation/Inference

Answer 6

An attempt to put meaning into an observation

Question 7

Definition of: Description

Answer 7

A list of the properties of something

Question 8

Definition of: Data

Answer 8

Quantitative information which is experimentally determined or obtained from references

Question 9

Definition of: Experiment

Answer 9

A test or procedure that is carried out in order to discover a result

Question 10

Definition of: Hypothesis

Answer 10

An unproven but testable assumption or idea.

Question 11

Definition of: Theory

Answer 11

A tested, refined, and expanded explanation of why nature behaves in a given way.

Question 12

Definition of: Law

Answer 12

A broad generalization or summary statement which describes a large amount of experimental evidence stating how nature behaves when a particular situation occurs.

Question 13

Characteristics of Hypotheses

Answer 13

• Are normally single assumptions
• Narrow in their scope of explanation
• Are tentative

Question 14

Characteristics of Theories

Answer 14

• Composed of one or more hypotheses
• Broad in scope
• Must be falsifiable
• Can never be fully proven

Question 15

Characteristics of Laws

Answer 15

• Summarize the results of many experiments or observations
• do NOT try to explain WHY something happens
• are NOT “proven theories” as sometimes stated.