Understanding Scientific Method with Example
Scientific methods are used to solve problems step by step, which enables critical thinking and applies holistic approach, leading up to solution to the particular problem. However, not all problems follow the direct route of scientific method, involving experimentation in the laboratories, but critical approach towards a problem.
In this, the person makes observations made from using one’s five senses. In observation, the person intends to discover a problem, which leads to crucial questions, that why this problem occurred in the first place. These questions lay the foundation for educated guesses by the person, which are known as hypotheses.
The hypotheses tend to explain the reasoning behind the problem without experimentation, as to lay a ground-work for experimentation, for instance, how could one perform the experiment to reach a particular conclusion.
The experimental design highly depends on the hypotheses. The experiment is the testing of the hypotheses, which may or may not answer the problem stated. If the answer is not found, then the user goes back to forming hypotheses, and move on from there. Lastly, the user reach conclusion based on the facts, discovered in the experiments, which answers the problem. (McLelland, pg. 2-5)
Problem Statement:
Before jumping in to understand a scientific method, first a problem needs to be understood fully. Without a problem, you cannot setup a scientific method to troubleshoot.
I had a Microsoft Windows based laptop, manufactured by IBM Company back in 2010. The name of the model was Lenovo x201. It was core i5, with dual 2 x 2 GB RAM, with 250 GB hard drive. I had been using the laptop for two years and it worked fine. However, in mid-January morning, the laptop started making beep-sounds when I turned it on, and there was no display on the screen. However, a night before, it was working just fine without any problem. I couldn’t enter the BIOS setup or run BIOS diagnostic to figure out the problem.
Observations:
The very first in setting up a scientific method is to make observations. Observations can be made with your five senses. Let’s take a look below how observation plays a key role in setting up a scientific method.
- When the charger was connected to laptop, it made the connectivity pop-sound, that assured that the AC power has been attached. The battery indicator turned on. So, there was no problem of low battery, or faulty charger.
- There was a lot of dust gathered in the air vent of the laptop. It was visible with naked-eye, as the brown dust cover was self-evident. Furthermore, the fan was not turning on, when I pressed the power button.
- When I plugged the charger in, the laptop was heating up around the place, where dual RAMs were placed in.
- The hard drive indicator on the laptop turned on, whenever I pressed the power button. This indicates that the hard drive was plugged in fine and working.
Questions:
After you’re done with observations, it’s time in the scientific method process to ask yourself the questions pertaining to your problems.
- Why the laptop was not turning on with display?
- Why were there beep-sounds?
- Why was the fan not working? Was it because of the dust gathered in the air vents?
- Why the laptop was heating around the place where the RAM was placed? Was it because of the malfunctioning RAM or dust gathered in the slots and on RAMs?
Hypothesis:
Hypothesis is a very important step in implementing a scientific method. Without it, scientific method cannot be applied to any problem, no matter how hard you try!
H1: The dust gathered in the air vent of the laptop stopped fan from moving and completing the circuit, leading to no display.
H2: The dust gathered in the slots or on RAM, short-circuiting the system to start, leading to no display.
H3: Either both RAMs were malfunctioning, or one of them was malfunctioning, explaining the heating case around their place.
Experiment no. 1 to Test H1:
The fun and exciting part in the scientific method starts with experiments. Let’s see, how experiment leads to results.
To test the first hypothesis, I disconnected the battery and unplugged the AC charger off the laptop. I took a small soft brush and started brushing off the dust from the air vent from the laptop. After it was done, I blew air around the air vent with the air blower, which caused huge amount of dust to come out from the laptop. I continued blowing air, until no more dust was coming out from the air vent. I plugged the AC charger in to the laptop and tried to turn on the laptop. As I pressed the power button, I got the same beep-sounds with no display. Furthermore, the fan was still not running. The place around the RAM slots were still heating.
Experiment no. 2 to Test H2:
To test the second hypothesis, I plugged off the AC charger, took off the battery, and then back cover of the laptop by taking out the screws. I looked at the motherboard, and mostly, it was clean with little dust on few components. Maybe, the air blower blew most of the dust away. Nonetheless, I disconnected the CMOS battery and then, took out both RAMs one by one. I cleaned the RAM slots with soft brush, slightly dipped with rubbing alcohol. I also cleaned both RAMs with a clean cloth slightly dipped with rubbing alcohol. I waited around 15 minutes for the slots and RAMs to dry out, when I plugged the RAMs back in. I reconnected the CMOS battery. I temporarily attached the back cover of laptop without screws. I reconnected the laptop battery, and plugged in the AC charger to turn the laptop on. As I pressed the power button, I got the same beep-sounds with no display. Furthermore, the fan was still not running. The place around the RAM slots were still heating.
Experiment no. 3 to Test H3:
To test the second hypothesis, I plugged off the AC charger, took off the battery, and then back cover of the laptop. I disconnected the CMOS battery and then, took out both RAMs one by one. I observed each RAM carefully this time. This time, I noticed that there was a slight burn (browning) around the components of one of the RAMs. I put that burnt RAM aside, and plugged the healthy RAM in the original slot, just to be safe. Maybe, the burnt RAM also burned the memory slot. Nonetheless, I reconnected the CMOS battery. I temporarily attached the back cover of laptop without screws. I reconnected the laptop battery, and plugged in the AC charger to turn the laptop on. As I pressed the power button, there were no more beep sounds, and the display turned on. Furthermore, the fan turned on normally. I turned off the laptop. Put back the screws in to close the laptop back cover securely.
Conclusion:
One of the RAMs were faulty and burnt, which was causing a short-circuiting in the system board, inhibiting the laptop to be turned on and also heating up around the area of the RAMs. Experiment no. 3 was successful, and it states that the H3 was the correct hypothesis. The other hypothesis would be null and void.
Further Notes: I ordered a new RAM of the same company and bus speed. I plugged the RAM in the other slot, where the burnt RAM was placed before. The laptop turned on quite fine. It states that only RAM was burnt, and memory slot was safe from any damage.
***Note: I remember this problem so vividly, as it was the first time that I proved to my family, that I’m a technological genius.
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Work Cited
McLelland, Christine V. The nature of science and the scientific method. Geological Society of America, 2006.
