Vocabulary
The distance from the Earth to the sun is 93 million miles. This is an example of a scientific ________ because this is a verifiable observation.
Fact
You must be able to ________ a hypothesis by experimentation.
Test
This is the "normal" group used for comparison in an experiment.
Control group
You are walking into school and you hear an ambulance siren. If you make the assumption that someone got in a car accident, you are making a(n) ___________.
inference
True or false: If the data from my experiment is not consistent with my hypothesis, my hypothesis is wrong.
False. The hypothesis is not supported.
This describes patterns in nature and are often accepted as facts. Examples: Newton's ______ of Motion, F=ma
Law
This variable is on the y-axis, what changes in response, or what is being measured in an experiment.
Dependent
I am investigating the effect of the height of a ramp on the speed of a toy car. The toy car, the ramp, the people doing the test should be __________.
Constants
I am mixing chemicals together in a beaker. I observe that the liquid inside is hot. What kind of an observation have I just made?
Qualitative
A hypothesis is a __________ about the relationship between two variables.
prediction
A statement based on repeated experimental observations is a ___________. An example is the Greenhouse Effect.
Principle
This variable is on the x-axis of a graph and is the manipulated variable in an experiment.
Independent
A teacher is investigating whether the amount of time students spend studying affects their test scores. What are the independent variable, dependent variable, and constants?
IV: time spent studying
DV: test scores
Constants: same test, same age of students, same abilities, same amount of sleep, etc.
True or False: In science, an observation can be an opinion that I have about something.
False. Observations should be objective.
Why is it best to conduct repeated trials in a science investigation?
To eliminate errors, ensure the data is precise, and that the results are not due to chance.
A ________ never becomes a fact or law because it can be changed based on new information gained from scientific investigations.
Theory
What is the dependent variable in the following hypothesis?
If birds eat berries, then their eggshells will be thicker.
The thickness of the eggshells.
After I collect data in my experiment, I organize the data into a ______ _______, then present the data in a ________.
Data table, graph
Make a qualitative observation about our classroom and a quantitative observation.
Many possible answers.
True or false: If I spill something in the lab, I shouldn't tell anyone about it.
False. Tell an adult in the room.
This is a way of explaining the natural world based on experimentation.
Science
Write a hypothesis that includes the following independent and dependent variables:
IV: amount of milk consumed
DV: strength of a child's bones
Example: If a child drinks more milk, then their bones will be stronger.
The school nurse wants to find out if the number of times students wash their hands has an effect on how often they get sick during the school year. What are the independent variable, dependent variable, control group, experimental groups, and constants?
IV: how many times a student washes hands
DV: how many time students get sick during the school year
Control: students who do not wash their hands at all
Experimental groups: students who wash their hands 1x, 2x, 3x per day, etc
Constants: same school, same students, same age, same health
I am measuring the volume of liquid in a flask. The actual volume is 37.2 mL. I take three measurements: 29.8 mL, 29.3 mL, and 29.9 mL. Are my measurements precise? Why? Are my measurements accurate? Why?
My measurements are precise because they are close to each other. My measurements are not accurate because they are not close to the actual volume of the liquid.
What is the only thing that should be different between your control and experimental groups in a scientific investigation?
The independent variable