Steps
What is the first step of the scientific method?
Ask a question or identify a problem.
The factor in an experiment that the scientist intentionally changes or manipulates.
Independent Variable
Scenario: A student tests how different amounts of fertilizer affect plant growth.
Name the independent variable.
amount of fertilizer
Data represented by numbers, measurements, or counting (e.g., 5 cm, 12 grams)
Quantitative Data
True or False: The scientific method must always follow the exact same linear sequence of steps in every study.
False
(Scientific inquiry is often iterative and non-linear.)
What step involves collecting information using your senses?
Make observations.
he factor that is measured or observed to see how it responds to changes in the experiment.
Dependent Variable
Scenario: A researcher tests how hours of sleep affect test scores.
Name the dependent variable.
test scores
Data described using words, characteristics, or sensory descriptions (e.g., red leaves, smooth texture).
Qualitative Data
True or False: An experiment is considered a failure if the results disprove the hypothesis.
False
(Disproving a hypothesis provides valuable data and points to new questions.)
What step comes after making a hypothesis?
Conduct an experiment
All the factors that a scientist keeps exactly the same throughout the experiment to ensure a fair test.
Controlled Variables (or Constants)
Scenario: A scientist tests how water temperature affects how fast a bath bomb dissolves.
Name one essential controlled variable.
size/brand of the bath bomb (or volume of water/stirring speed)
The number of times an experiment is repeated or the number of subjects tested, which increases the reliability of results.
Sample Size (or Trials)
True or False: A scientific law is a scientific theory that has been proven 100% true.
False
(Laws describe what happens under specific conditions; theories explain why it happens.)
Put these steps in order: conclusion, question, experiment, hypothesis, observation/data
Question → Hypothesis → Experiment → Data → Conclusion.
In an experiment, this group does NOT receive the experimental treatment and is used as a baseline for comparison.
Control Group
Scenario: A baker tests how adding different types of flour (almond, oat, wheat) changes bread height. Name the independent and dependent variables
type of flour (Independent)
and bread height (Dependent)
An unexpected result or data point that strays significantly from the rest of the dataset.
Outlier
True or False: You can change two independent variables at the same time in a single controlled experiment.
False
(Only one independent variable should be changed at a time to determine cause and effect.)
Why might a scientist change a hypothesis after an experiment?
Scientists use evidence from their experiment to revise their ideas. A hypothesis is not required to be correct.
If a line graph is drawn for experimental results, this is the axis where the dependent variable is plotted.
Y-axis
Scenario: An engineer tests whether changing tire pressure affects a car's fuel efficiency.
Identify the variable that goes on the X-axis.
tire pressure (the independent variable)
A flaw in experimental design that systematically skews the results in one direction.
Experimental Bias
True or False: A hypothesis can be completely proven true by a single experiment.
False
(Hypotheses are supported or disproved through repeated testing; single experiments rarely "prove" a universal principle.)