Science Chapter 3 Culver

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the true or accepted value

Anomalous data

Data that does not fit with the rest of a data set

Estimate

An approximation of a number based on reasonable assumptions

Density

The measurement of how much mass of a substance is contained in a given volume

Feedback

Output that changes a system or allows the system to adjust itself

Field

Any area outside of the laboratory

Graph

A picture of information from a data table; shows the relationship between variables

Input

Material, energy, or information that goes INTO a system

Linear graph

A line graph in which the data points yield a straight line

Mass

A measure of how much matter is in an object

Mean

The numerical average of a set of data

Median

The middle number in a set of data

Meniscus

The curved upper surface of a liquid in a column of liquid

Metric system

A system of measurement based on the number 10

Mode

The number that appears most often in a list of numbers

Model

A representation of a complex object or process, used to help people understand a concept that they cannot observe directly

Non-linear Graph

A line graph in which the data points do not fall along a straight line

Output

A material, energy, result, or product that comes OUT of a system

Percent error

A calculation used to determine how accurate, or close to the truth value, an experimental value really is

Precision

How close a group of measurements are to each other

Process

A sequence of actions in a system

Range

The difference between the greatest number and the least value in a set of data

Safety symbol

A sign used to alert you to possible sources of accidents in an investigation

SI

The basic units of the metric system

Scientific figures

All the digits in a measurement that have been measured exactly, plus one digit whose value has been estimated

System

A group of related parts that work together to perform a function or produce as result

Volume

The amount of space that matter occupies

Weight

A measure of the force of gravity acting on an object