Editing Experiment (section)

{{short description|Scientific procedure performed to validate a hypothesis}}
{{Redirect|Experimental|the musical classification|Experimental music}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Apollo 15 feather and hammer drop.ogv|thumb|Astronaut [[David Scott]] performs a gravity test on the moon with a hammer and feather.]] [[File:Mirror baby.jpg|thumb|right|160px|Even very young children perform rudimentary experiments to learn about the world and how things work.]]
{{Research}}

An '''experiment''' is a procedure carried out to support or refute a [[hypothesis]], or determine the [[efficacy]] or [[likelihood]] of something previously untried.  Experiments provide insight into [[Causality|cause-and-effect]] by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a particular factor is manipulated.  Experiments vary greatly in goal and scale but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results. There also exist  [[natural experiment|natural experimental studies]].

A child may carry out basic experiments to understand how things fall to the ground, while teams of scientists may take years of systematic investigation to advance their understanding of a phenomenon. Experiments and other types of hands-on activities are very important to student learning in the science classroom. Experiments can raise test scores and help a student become more engaged and interested in the material they are learning, especially when used over time.<ref name=Stohr-Hunt>{{cite journal|last1=Stohr-Hunt|first1=Patricia|title=An Analysis of Frequency of Hands-on Experience and Science Achievement|journal=Journal of Research in Science Teaching|date=1996|volume=33|issue=1|pages=101–109|doi=10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199601)33:1<101::AID-TEA6>3.0.CO;2-Z|bibcode=1996JRScT..33..101S}}</ref> Experiments can vary from personal and informal natural comparisons (e.g. tasting a range of chocolates to find a favorite), to highly controlled (e.g. tests requiring complex apparatus overseen by many scientists that hope to discover information about subatomic particles). Uses of experiments vary considerably between the [[Natural science|natural]] and [[Social science|human]] sciences.

Experiments typically include [[scientific control|controls]], which are designed to minimize the effects of variables other than the single [[independent variable]]. This increases the reliability of the results, often through a comparison between control [[measurement]]s and the other measurements. Scientific controls are a part of the [[scientific method]]. Ideally, all [[Variable and attribute (research)|variable]]s in an experiment are controlled (accounted for by the control measurements) and none are uncontrolled. In such an experiment, if all controls work as expected, it is possible to conclude that the experiment works as intended, and that results are due to the effect of the tested variables.