Data Representation
A consistent pattern or direction in the data (e.g., increasing or decreasing).
What is a trend in a line graph?
A line graph shows how a variable changes over time or another continuous scale. In this example, temperature increases steadily as time progresses, indicating a positive trend. Line graphs are useful for identifying patterns, trends, and rates of change.
A group that does not receive the treatment, used for comparison.
What is a control group?
A testable prediction or explanation.
What is a hypothesis?
Cell division that produces two identical daughter cells
What is mitosis?
The smallest unit of an element.
What is an atom?
By identifying correlations or patterns between two variables.
How do you interpret a scatter plot?
Scatter plots display individual data points and help identify relationships between two variables. Here, as height increases, weight also increases, showing a positive correlation. Scatter plots are great for spotting trends, clusters, and outliers.
The factor that is changed or manipulated in an experiment.
What is the independent variable?
When researchers interpret data differently or propose competing ideas.
What is a scientific disagreement?
Plants converting sunlight, CO₂, and water into glucose and oxygen.
What is photosynthesis?
A group of atoms bonded together.
What is a molecule?
Categorical data with bars representing values.
What does a bar graph show?
Bar graphs compare quantities across categories. This example shows the growth rate of different plant species. Species B has the highest growth rate, while Species C has the lowest. Bar graphs are ideal for comparing discrete groups or categories.
The factor that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable.
What is a dependent variable?
Through further experiments, peer review, and new evidence.
How do scientists resolve conflicts?
Copying DNA before cell division.
What is DNA replication?
A process where substances are transformed into new substances
What is a chemical reaction?
Look for data points that deviate from the overall pattern.
How do you identify anomalies in data?
Look for data points that deviate significantly from the overall pattern. In this example, most points follow a linear trend, but one point (at x = 9) jumps far above the expected value—this is an anomaly.
An experiment where neither participants nor researchers know who receives the treatment.
What is a double-blind study?
A tendency to favor certain outcomes or interpretations.
What is bias in science?
Cells converting glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP), CO₂, and water.
What is cellular respiration?
A chart organizing elements by atomic number and properties.
What is the periodic table?
Predict values beyond the data range using existing trends.
How do you extrapolate data?
Use the existing trend to predict values beyond the measured range. In this example, the dashed line continues the pattern of the original data, showing how the trend might extend into the future.
A change in participants due to expectations, not the actual treatment.
What is the placebo effect?
Evaluation of a study by other scientists before publication.
What is peer review?
Organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce.
What is natural selection?
What is stoichiometry?
Calculating reactants and products in chemical reactions.