What is an experiment? Probably, each of us had to deal with this concept. But not everyone knows that experiments are conducted not only in scientific institutions. They can be done at school and at home too. Experiments can even be mental. So what is this experiment? Let's get it right.
What is said in the dictionary?
The dictionary offers two options for the meaning of the word "experiment".
In one of them, the studied object is defined as experience set in scientific conditions. Here are examples of the use of the word in the specified meaning:
Example 1: “The book by V. A. Gilyarovsky“ Psychiatry ”about the professor of psychiatry De Krinis says that as a result of accurate scientific experiments, he found that in cats, under the influence of fear, the amount of grape sugar and adrenaline significantly increases.”
Example 2: “When physicists started experimenting with thermonuclear weapons, they were well aware that this was a huge risk, since no one had carried out such experiments.”
Second option
The fact that the experiment is what the second option says is that, in addition to scientific, it can be any experience and any attempt to produce something in one way or another (it does not matter in what situation).
Example 1: "The mother was very unhappy with the behavior of her daughter, and she flew very much for the experiments that Marina conducted on her health in order to lose weight."
Example 2: “When Ivan Ilyich was asked about how he relates to fundraising for the homeless, he, having previously grimaced, replied that in principle he had nothing against charity experiments, although he was not enthusiastic about them.”
To understand what an experiment is, the study of synonyms will help.
Synonyms
Among them are such as:
- attempt;
- experience;
- test;
- try;
- experimentation;
- study;
- check;
- approbation;
- testing;
- sounding.
As you can see, there are a considerable number of them.
Further, for a better understanding of what an experiment is, consider the origin of the word.
Etymology
According to the dictionary of Max Fasmer, the origin of the studied object can be traced back to its Pra-Indo-European roots. Linguistic researchers managed to single out the basis of per in the pre-Indo-European language, the meaning of which is “conduct, conduct.”
As a small digression for those particularly interested in the etymological direction, we note that this language is considered by scientists as the ancestor of languages belonging to the Indo-European family, and was created through reconstruction. According to the version that is by far the most common, its carriers lived in the Volga and Black Sea steppes.
Returning to the origin of the word "experiment", it should be noted that in the pre-Indo-European language, from the indicated basis per, the verb periri, meaning "to experience, to experience." Then he went into Latin, where he connected with the ex token (from, outside), resulting in a new verb experiri, the meaning of which is “to try, to experience”. From him came the Latin noun experīmentum, meaning test (experience, practice), which was borrowed by the Russian language through German experiment in the XVIII century, and first as a medical term.
Experiments for children
They can be a good help in understanding the world as a small person. Moreover, they cause genuine interest in children. Here are examples of such experiments.
- Dancing coin. You need to take a bottle and a coin so that you can cover the bottleneck with it. Unclosed empty bottle for a few minutes to put in the freezer. Moisten a coin with water and cover it with the neck of a bottle removed from the freezer. After a few seconds, a coin will jump, which will hit the neck of the bottle and at the same time emit click-like sounds. Explanation. The coin rises with air compressed in the freezer and taking up a smaller volume. As it warms up, the air expands, tossing a coin.
- Personal rainbow. You will need a container of water (basin, bath), a mirror, a flashlight and a sheet of white paper. Water is poured into a container, at the bottom of which a mirror is placed, and the light of a flashlight is directed at it. When light is reflected on paper, a rainbow appears on it. Explanation. As you know, a light ray contains several colors, and while passing through water it splits into its component parts in the form of a rainbow.
- Volcano. We need items such as a tray, a plastic bottle, sand, food coloring, vinegar, soda. For entourage, a small plastic bottle needs to be wrapped with clay or sand, building a kind of volcano. To cause its eruption, two tablespoons of soda are poured into the bottle, one-fourth cup of warm water is poured and a small amount of food coloring is added. At the end, one fourth of a glass of vinegar is poured. Explanation. When soda comes in contact with vinegar, a violent reaction begins, in which water, salt and carbon dioxide are released. Bubbles of gas and push out the contents of the bottle.