Chemistry is a science based on observation and experimentation. Doing chemistry involves attempting to answer questions and explain observations in terms of the laws and theories of chemistry, using procedures that are accepted by the scientific community. There is no single route to answering a question or explaining an observation, but there is an aspect common to every approach.

Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work.

Phenomena (making observations about the real world)

Scientific phenomena are occurrences in the natural and human-made world that can be observed and cause one to wonder and ask questions. Phenomena are NOT the explanations or scientific terminology behind what is happening. They are what can be experienced or documented.

Asking questions

The purpose of the question is to narrow the focus of the inquiry, to identify the problem in specific terms.

• The question must be testable and falsifiable, if not, then it is not a good scientifically oriented question.

Making a claim

Claims are statements that you believe to be true that answers the guiding question. 

• • It will usually only be one sentence in length.

  • The claim does NOT include any evidence, explanation, or reasoning so it should not include any transition words such as “because.”

Experimental design means planning a set of procedures to investigate a relationship between variables. To design a controlled experiment, you need: A testable hypothesis. At least one independent variable that can be precisely manipulated. At least one dependent variable that can be precisely measured.

Dependent variables (y-axis): Dependent variables receive this name because, in an experiment, their values are studied under the supposition or demand that they depend, by some law or rule (e.g., by a mathematical function), on the values of other variables.

Independent variables (x-axis): Independent variables, in turn, are not seen as depending on any other variable in the scope of the experiment in question.

A control variable (or scientific constant) in scientific experimentation is an experimental element which is constant (controlled) and unchanged throughout the course of the investigation. 

• Control variables could strongly influence experimental results were they not held constant during the experiment in order to test the relative relationship of the dependent variable (DV) and independent variable (IV). 

• The control variables themselves are not of primary interest to the experimenter.

A confounder (also confounding variable, confounding factor) is a variable that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable, causing a spurious association.

• a spurious relationship or spurious correlation is a mathematical relationship in which two or more events or variables are associated but not causally related, due to either coincidence or the presence of a certain third, unseen factor

• https://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations 

Reasoning is a description of the logic, and/or scientific principles that fit the evidence together with the claim. 

• • Learner Formulates Explanations from Evidence (WHY (because) the evidence supports the claim)

  • Learner Connects Explanations to Scientific Knowledge (include an explanation of the underlying science concept)