Method and Design
This is the first step of the scientific method where you identify what you want to investigate.
What is making an observation or asking a question?
This system of measurement, used worldwide in science, includes units like meters, kilograms, and seconds.
What is the SI system (or International System)?
The variable that you measure or observe in response to changes during an experiment.
What is the dependent variable?
When adding or subtracting measurements, your answer should be rounded to this decimal place.
What is the least precise decimal place (or the fewest decimal places in the measurements)?
In an experiment testing how temperature affects reaction rate, temperature is this type of variable.
IV
The number 0.00340 has this many significant figures.
What is three (or 3)?
If you're testing three different fertilizers on plant growth, the plants receiving fertilizer are in this group.
What is the experimental group?
A concise statement describing a natural phenomenon that occurs consistently, often expressed mathematically, but doesn't explain why it happens.
What is a scientific law?
This group receives no treatment and serves as a baseline for comparison in an experiment.
What is the control group?
In exponential notation, the number 45,600 written with 3 significant figures would be this.
What is 4.56 × 10⁴?
In a drug trial, patients who receive a sugar pill instead of the actual medication represent this group.
What is the control group?
The technique used to convert between units by multiplying by fractions equal to one.
What is dimensional analysis?
When designing an experiment, you should only change this many variables at a time to ensure valid results.
What is one variable?
When measuring with a ruler marked in millimeters, you should estimate to this decimal place.
What is the tenths of a millimeter (or 0.1 mm)?
These are factors that must be kept constant across all groups in an experiment to ensure a fair test.
What are controlled variables (or constants)?
Convert 2.5 hours to seconds using dimensional analysis, expressing your answer in exponential notation.
What is 9.0 × 10³ seconds?
A well-tested explanation supported by multiple experiments that can be used to make predictions, but can still be revised with new evidence.
What is a scientific theory?
The result of (3.42 × 10⁻³) × (2.1 × 10⁵) expressed in proper exponential notation with correct sig figs
What is 7.2 × 10² (or 720)?
An experiment where neither the participants nor the researchers know who is in the control or experimental group uses this design to prevent bias.
What is a double-blind experiment?
A graduated cylinder is marked every 1 mL. You read the meniscus at what appears to be exactly on the 25 mL line. You should record this measurement with this many significant figures and proper notation.
What is 25.0 mL (4 significant figures, including estimated uncertainty)?