(1) DISCUSSION.     Developing questions about the world in which we live and activities we witness each day begins with keen observation. Spend a couple of days observing the world around you. Are there processes or phenomena around you that pique your curiosity? Could those questions be addressed through observation, developing a testable hypothesis about your observations, collecting data, and analyzing that data? Can you state a hypothesis, as we discussed last week? Can you address that hypothesis with objective observations? 

Part 1. For your main post, describe two processes or phenomena in your world that you could ask questions about using objective observations, data analysis, and hypothesis testing. 

Part 2. For each process or phenomenon, list three repeatable and objective observations you personally could make about it. At least one of these observations must also be quantifiable. The idea is to think about things that could become the topic of your Observation Project. Developing your observation project from one of the processes or phenomena you present in this discussion is encouraged but is not required (that is, you can choose to do a different observation for your project, but be sure to check with your instructor to ensure that your new idea meets the assignment criteria).

(2)  ASSIGNMENT    Lab 2 Assignment

Carefully read All About Observations in the Week 2 Readings to learn about what makes observations repeatable, objective, and quantifiable.

Create a Microsoft Word document with the answers to the following questions. Answer each of the questions with a paragraph. Question 3 can be answered with a bulleted list.

1. What are some observations that you personally could make about the planet Jupiter on a clear night? Please specify whether you’d use your eyes alone, binoculars, or a small telescope.

2. If I say that the moon is in Gemini, could that be a scientific observation? What factors would need to be present to make it one?

3. Name six measuring tools you have or might find in a household.

4. If I use a musical tuner app on my cell phone to determine the pitch of a sound, have I made an observation? Is it a repeatable observation?

5. Explain why assessing the browning of a slice of apple left on a counter on a scale of 1 to 5 does not represent a repeatable, quantifiable observation. 

6. If you hear your local radio station announce that the temperature is 50 who has made the observation about the temperature?

7. If I check timeanddate.com and learn that there’s a full moon next week, have I made an observation? Why or why not?

8. Can I use the online archive of Hubble Space Telescope images to reject hypotheses using the scientific method? Why or why not? Who made the observations?