The Nature of Chemistry
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  • NOC
    • The scientific method
    • Observation and inference
    • Evidence, modelling and prediction
    • Theories and paradigm shifts
    • Cause and effect
    • Accuracy, validity and reliability
    • Reason and imagination
    • Bias and the role of humans in science
    • Communication of science
    • Contrasting with other areas of knowledge
    • (IB TOK outline)
  • Topics
    • Stoichiometry
    • Atomic structure
    • Periodicity
    • Chemical bonding and structure
    • Energetics
    • Chemical kinetics
    • Equilibrium
    • Acids and bases
    • Redox processes
    • Organic chemistry
    • Measurement and data processing
  • IB Options
    • A - Materials
    • B - Biochemistry
    • C - Energy
    • D - Medicinal chemistry
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Observation and inference

Activity 1 - Tricky tracks

All rights reserved to the Royal Society of Chemistry. The full RSC activity can be found here.
Time: 20 min
Task​: In small groups, complete the following for each of the following images:
  1. Record your observations - what can you see.
  2. Record your inferences - interpretations of what you see.
  3. Consider what assumptions you have made in your inferences.
  4. Comparing with other groups. How would you decide on the most likely scenario? Can you prove that a hypothesis is wrong?
Image 1
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Image 2
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Image 3
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Activity 2 - Mystery machine

Time: 20 min.
Task: A mystery machine changes shapes and their colours. For each data set:
  • Use the observations below to infer possible patterns of change (you might state this as a hypothesis).
  • Which shapes would you feed into the machine to test your hypothesis?
Picture
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  • Home
  • Recent news
  • NOC
    • The scientific method
    • Observation and inference
    • Evidence, modelling and prediction
    • Theories and paradigm shifts
    • Cause and effect
    • Accuracy, validity and reliability
    • Reason and imagination
    • Bias and the role of humans in science
    • Communication of science
    • Contrasting with other areas of knowledge
    • (IB TOK outline)
  • Topics
    • Stoichiometry
    • Atomic structure
    • Periodicity
    • Chemical bonding and structure
    • Energetics
    • Chemical kinetics
    • Equilibrium
    • Acids and bases
    • Redox processes
    • Organic chemistry
    • Measurement and data processing
  • IB Options
    • A - Materials
    • B - Biochemistry
    • C - Energy
    • D - Medicinal chemistry
  • People
  • Answers
    • NOC answers
    • Topics answers