How does an experiment help you to understand the science theory better?

Question

Describe an interesting experiment that you have done before in science.

Answer 1

attracting paper bits with a rubbed comb

Answer 2

You can actually see the principle in action, and it makes a much stronger impression on your memory that way.

My favorite demonstration was of the conservation of angular momentum: the teacher spun himself on a revolving stool with a heavy book in each hand; as he moved the books closer to him he spun faster, out again and he slowed down, back in and he sped up, several times before the chair stopped spinning. No one could figure out where the additional speed came from (or where it disappeared to) until the teacher explained the principle.

Another one is two people standing at opposite ends of a schoolyard merry-go-round and throwing a ball towards each other after it's spinning. Both would swear the ball is curving away after it gets thrown, but the ball is going straight - it's the people who are accelerating by going in a circle.

When a theory is first being tested, though, experiments may not work as expected and therefore disprove the theory. And that's the only thing experiments can do is to disprove something. They can never prove that a theory is always correct, but they can improve confidence in the theory with enough tests giving the same results.

Answer 3

Repeatable experimentation is the building block of science. It is important because only by experimentation are you able to confirm or reject a theory.
The structure of the atom has been determined by thousands of successful experiments and tens of thousands of failed experiments. Is the failed experiment important? Of course it is. It tells you there is an error in your understanding of a subject.

Answer 4

It really helps, when you see something new you remember it by heart. But when you just read it, well, we read a lot and we can't remember all what we read, we are not computers.
I'm 3 years experience engineer, and I can remember most of experiments I saw in the first year of faculty (more than 7 years ago)

Answer 5

It doesn't help everybody. Those who are tactile learners are most benefitted from doing experiments. For those who are more auditory learners, it's not as beneficial.