Understanding How Scientists Make Use Of The Scientific Method
Science is an organized process that structures and develops knowledge in the form of concrete testable predictions and observations about the physical world. It attempts to explain the workings of reality by means of experiments, measurements and observations. The major part of science is experimental science which involves serious experiments to test predictions made by experiment. While theories may be well understood on theoretical level, they are not generally tested at the time of experiment.
The major aim of science is to test its predictions and observations. If a theory can be successfully tested, then it is confirmed as a scientific fact. Scientists adopt different strategies to test and improve the quality of their predictions and observations. They adopt formal and informal methods of procedure. Formal methods include peer review, reviews by other scientists, observations by experts, experimentation, field studies etc.
While theories and concepts of science are self-imposed restrictions on how a scientist may look at the world, there are instances where a scientist has to make a creative use of his knowledge. For example, to prove the Copernican theory, some of the major scientific discoveries were made using questionable methods. However, these extreme methods have often been used in order to bring forth new results. Another interesting example of creative use of science is the study of the movement of matter on the time scale of atoms. Many theoretical ideas about the structure of the atom were proposed and analyzed using the Einstein’s theory of relativity. But it was Einstein who made the great breakthrough by using a different scientific method called the general theory of relativity (GTR), which replaced all the previously existing physical theories.
To test the effectiveness of the GTR model on the real world, a number of scientists took advantage of a special opportunity. They made observations on the radio and satellite activities, taking data about how radio waves were emitted from stars and their motion. With the help of this information, they could simulate the effect of the solar radiation on the atomic clouds. This research showed that GTR was not able to account for all the natural phenomena, but it was able to show a close connection between terrestrial and heavenly radiation. From this result, GTR was further developed to more accurately represent the natural world.
To understand how scientists make the most of their scientific practices, it is important to consider how they actually observe the natural world. By gathering observational data, scientists can make a direct connection between the observations and the actual functioning of the natural world. For instance, if astronomers have a good eye at seeing unusual events such as streaks of light that cannot be explained by the visible stars, they can make a good guess about what these streaks could mean. The streak could indicate an alien planet, or it might just be a coincidence. By observing carefully, the scientists can then make correct calculations about the motion of celestial bodies in relation to their positions in the sky. A scientific practice called parallax was developed to measure a stars position in relation to other stars.
Science is made possible by observation and hypothesis. Scientists use various different techniques in order to construct strong and accurate predictions. With proper observation and hypothesis, a scientific method can accurately measure, test, and falsify a hypothesis, thus advancing the field of science.